Sammy Hagar, the former frontman of Van Halen, is set to unveil a deeply personal new song titled "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight," which he claims was inspired by a vivid dream involving the late guitar legend Eddie Van Halen. Hagar's emotional connection to the song is palpable, as he describes the dream experience in a recent interview with Rolling Stone.
Hagar revealed that about a year after Van Halen's death in 2020, he dreamt of his old bandmate, recalling a moment where they were together, sharing a musical bond. "He had a guitar around his neck and we were having a love fest since we hadn’t seen each other in a long time," Hagar recounted. "And he just started playing this riff, and I started singing." This dream sparked the creative process for Hagar, who is known for his vibrant personality and love for music.
After several years of mulling over the idea, Hagar finally took the plunge to finish the song with the help of renowned guitarist Joe Satriani, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, and drummer Kenny Aronoff. The collaboration has given the song a rich texture, blending Hagar's rock roots with the signature sound that made Van Halen a household name.
Fans can expect to hear "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight" live for the first time on April 30, 2025, during the kickoff of Hagar's "Best of All Worlds" Las Vegas residency. Leading up to this debut, he will preview the track with a 45-second sample on April 27, 2025, at the Stagecoach festival in Indio, California.
Hagar's conviction that he communicated with Van Halen through his dream adds a mystical layer to the song's creation. "This was 100 percent a communication from the beyond," he stated emphatically, underscoring his belief that the dream was not merely a figment of his imagination. "There is no question about it. I dream about Eddie all the time, quite honestly." However, he admitted that these dreams often take a poignant turn when he realizes that Van Halen has passed away.
In one particularly striking dream, Hagar found himself so inspired that he jumped out of bed to write down the song they were working on. "My wife’s screaming, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Writing a song!’ It just kept coming and coming," he recalled. The next day, he grabbed his guitar to start figuring out the chords, driven by the urgency of the moment.
Hagar's collaboration with Satriani was a natural choice, given their history of performing Van Halen songs together across North America. "Joe’s a scholar," Hagar remarked, praising Satriani's deep understanding of Van Halen's guitar work. "He knew Eddie’s guitar solos and his chord structures inside and out. And so he tried to bring in some of those classic Eddie-style parts."
As the song took shape, Anthony and Aronoff joined the project, while producer Dave Cobb sought to incorporate vintage Van Halen background vocals into the track. The team faced challenges in achieving the right sound, leading them to reach out to veteran Van Halen producers Don Landee and Ted Templeman for guidance.
In a clever production twist, they decided to double Anthony’s vocal track, adding a third vocal layer to one of Hagar’s own double-stacked vocals. "Ted went, ‘He’s actually doing three parts, two of his and one of yours, and then you do the two parts,’" Hagar explained. This innovative approach contributed to the song's unique sound, evoking the spirit of Van Halen while allowing Hagar to express his own artistic vision.
One of the standout features of the track is a crowd chant of "Eddie" taken from a 1995 Van Halen concert during the Balance tour at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Hagar sifted through numerous recordings to find the perfect audio of the chant, ensuring it captured the essence of the moment. "At all the other ones, I’d be yelling in the mic along with the crowd, or they’d be chanting, ‘Sammy/Eddie, Sammy/Eddie,’" he explained. "There was always something weird or wrong. And this one, because it was our last show, and we were in such turmoil, nobody said anything. We just let the crowd go. That’s some special shit. That part gives me the goosebumps, and it will every time. I can’t wait to play it live."
The song's lyrics, which include lines like "Thank you for the music/Thank you for the songs/Thank you for the visit, what took so long?" are a heartfelt tribute to Van Halen, reflecting Hagar's deep gratitude for their time together and the lasting bond they shared.
As anticipation builds for the song's live debut and its full video release, fans are eager to see how Hagar translates this profound experience into a performance. The connection between the two musicians, even beyond death, highlights the enduring impact of their collaboration and the legacy of Van Halen's music.
In a world where music often serves as a bridge between the living and the departed, Hagar's story resonates with anyone who has ever felt the presence of a loved one in their dreams. As he prepares to honor his friend and bandmate, the excitement surrounding "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight" continues to grow, promising to be a memorable moment in rock history.
