Customer Reviews

Standing Hampton

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is by far the best complete Sammy Hagar album ever released. The songs are well crafted hard rock gems. No other album in Sammy's career ever had this many quality songs all together. Even his Van Halen days didn't give us an album that matches these standards. Standing Hampton is one of the greatest albums ever made and has been on my list since the first time I heard it when I was a teenager. The album's killer grooves contain the top notch "Heavy Metal", "There's Only One Way To Rock", I'll Fall In Love Again" & "Baby, It's You". The albums lesser known tracks will not disappoint you as they are just as stellar as the singles. Hagars cover of "Piece Of My Heart" is fine version even if not as good as Janis's. I can't say how great Standing Hampton is you just have to hear it for yourself. I only wish that more people gave this incredible album its due!

Not much to add to what everyone has said. Sammy is immensely talented, with a flair to write great catchy,hard rocking songs.This and "Three Lock Box" are my two fave Sammy albums. Not sure which I would pick as the better one-they are both outstanding. The music scene today is seriously lacking great rock music that Sammy and a few others have made famous. "There's only one way to rock" and "Heavy Metal" are on the harder side while "Baby it's you" and "Surrender" are not as heavy but still great tunes that deserved to be hits! Everyone who loves Sammy already has this but if you are new to his music, you can't go wrong here

By the time Sammy Hagar released "Standing Hampton," the Red Rocker was already a veteran hard-rocker. The former Montrose and future Van Halen singer had spent the 70s releasing a string of solo albums for Capital Records. Although these albums, were for the most part consistently good, it's Hagar's 80s Geffen albums that see his finest solo offerings. Hagar's knack for writing good, catchy AOR songs hit its high point during this period. Released in 1981, "Standing Hampton" was the best album Hagar released, since Montrose's debut album, which was released five years earlier.

"Standing Hampton" is a great, meat-and-potatoes, 80s hard-rock album. It's all killer and no filler. Each song is tightly written and has a good hook, sing-along-chorus, and a few cool solos. Most of the songs on this disc are mid-tempo, but this album never gets tepid or runs out of steam. I would go as far as to say that "Standing Hampton" surpasses any album Hagar released with Van Halen, in terms of memorable, well-written songs with good hooks. As a guitar player, Hagar is no Eddie Van Halen, but his solos and playing on this album are still excellent. So even if Hagar isn't the most technically proficient guitarist, his playing and his solos are undeniably good. And most important, Hagar is a first class songwriter.

"Standing Hampton" is an enjoyable, good natured album. Personally, I feel that this album is sort of like musical meatloaf, it's comfort music. Although I should point out that it still is substantive; it's not mindless fun, like Poison.

The album starts off with the mid-tempo "I'll Fall in Love Again." A song about keeping it going after being burned. "There's Only One Way to Rock" is a fast-paced arena-rocker that could have easily been used for Van Halen (VH often played this song live). "Baby's On Fire" is another mid-tempo song that sounds a bit like "Man on a Mission" from Van Halen's "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (1991). The synth-heavy rocker "Can't Get Loose" is one of Hagar's more underrated songs. It's a song about people who just can't seem to get a break. It features some of Hagar most thoughtful lyrics. "Heavy Metal" is another Hagar classic. It pretty much sums up the spirit of the genre for which the song is named. The album slows down a bit for the striking baled "Baby it's You." This underrated gem is far superior to many of the love songs for which Hagar is famous for (i.e., "Why Can't This Be Love," "Feels So Good.") "Surrender" is a more upbeat, underrated gem in the same vein. "Inside Lookin' In" is another very cool, catchy rocker, and keeps up the momentum. "Sweet Hitchhiker" along with "One Way to Rock" is one of the albums more fast-paced songs. The album closes with an excellent cover or the Janis Joplin classic "Piece of My Heart." This version may not surpass the original, but it's easily just as good. The saxophone solos are a nice touch.

"Standing Hampton," stands alongside Montrose's self-titled debut, Van Halen's "5150," and "Balance" and his first post VH album "Marching to Mars" as Hagar's best work. Any fan of 80s rock, AOR, or Van Halen is sure to love "Standing Hampton."

I bought the album in 1981 and I still love it. It made me a Sammy Hagar fan. I still remember the time when I listened to it the first time and how much it impressed me. "I'll Fall In Love Again" (a smaller hit in the USA, which just touched the top 40; in my opinion it should have become a No. 1 hit), "There's Only One Way To Rock", "Baby's On Fire" and "Heavy Metal" are among the best songs he has ever written. Unfortunately he never released an other album that was as good as this one. It's one of the best rock albums ever.

If Standing Hampton was a food, I'd eat 3 meals a day, if it was a house, I'd live there till I died. If it was a car, I'd drive it till the wheels fell off..

..but that's applying Music to mere material possesions, and music is much more than that, as we know. This album embodies Really great butt-kicking, sweet & classy rock and roll. From the opening track "I'll fall in Love again", which is an awesome heart-felt tune, to heavier romps like "Baby's on Fire" and "Heavy Metal", this is a complete rock music masterpiece. Great Guitars and heavy drums included!. This album is really great because of all the mid-tempo rockers in between. Not power ballads, not tons of fast rock songs, nothing with a dark, brooding background, just good fun rock and roll Sammy Hagar Style. Sammy's music is so much more, it's an experience, and takes you to a place called FUN where the sun never goes down and the beer never goes dry!

If you like Some of his other CD's, or enjoyed his songs with Van Halen from 1986-96, then I strongly recommend you look into adding this one to your collection. As I said before, Its my favorite album. Cars and Houses come and go, but I've been listening to this album off and on for the past 20 years, and never grow tired of it. It's great for the house, parties, or for driving on that long deserved road trip.

1. I'll Fall In Love Again
2. There's Only One Way To Rock
3. Baby's On Fire
4. Can't Get Loose
5. Heavy Metal
6. Baby, It's You
7. Surrender
8. Inside Lookin' In
9. Sweet Hitchhiker
10. Piece Of My Heart

No too much to add, and some disagreements on song choices but when i heard " I'll fall in love again" on the radio way back in high school, I just looked at the radio and stared..... Sammy Hagar to me is what Bruce Springstein is to his fans or Led Zepplin to a Zep fan. This guy touched my soul and hit a nerve in me that has made me a Hagar fan forever. Forget Van Halen, this album has a vibe that truly shows how much talent and energy Sammy Hagar really has and what a great vocalist and guitarist he really is...truly under rated. The "Can't get loose" track is almost my favorite and is not just an OK song. The solo is fantastic and to me says the old cliche of a girl guy relationship that anyone can relate to.....a masterpiece album and still needs to be recognized. My favorite Hagar album for sure. Must have bought this album ten times so far!!

Hagar fans already know how amazing Standing Hampton is. So here's something for those of you who don't already know Hagar. If you like straight-up rock, if you like heavy, guitar driven rock, if you like songs that are fun but do actually have something to say, then listen to this album.

I very rarely give a five-star rating to anything. My first exposure to Hagar was Three Lock Box, which I loved (but still only gave 4 stars). Because I enjoyed that one so much, I bought Standing Hampton. That was a couple of decades ago, and I still love this album. There are so few albums that are so fun, so skillfully written, so amazingly performed and produced, and that can hold up so well for so long as this album.

If asked the classic "if you could only have 10 albums for the rest of your life..." I would definitely include this one.

This was the first album I had ever heard by Sammy Hagar. Since that glorious day way back when - I have done many things to see him in concert or listen to his music. He captured my soul, pure and simple. Sammy can make me feel on fire. His music relects the person we all want to be, full of fun, happy, carefree and hopefully in love. I had to buy a new copy my other one has been played so much it must be pretty thin in places. I must say if you have never been a true fan you will be once you really listen to this. It will caputure you tooo.

From the opener, "I'll Fall In Love Again", STANDING HAMPTON got it right for Sammy Hagar. Combinig the pure Detroit rock of Bob Seger and Ted Nugent, the Southern boogie of Skynyrd and the Outlaws, and the metal of Humble Pie, Foghat, and Montrose, Hagar adds his own elements and comes up with his own special blend of hard rock that both rocks and swings, a sound that he formed in the 70s and has continued to develop into the 80s and since leaving Van Halen. This is one of the great 80's rock albums, and it should have been a huge hit. The fact that Hagar currently advocates sanctions against Indonesia in retaliation for that country's recent trumped-up drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist, as well as more funding for law enforcement, makes this CD an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.

what can i say that has not been said already about this album. its a classic. great songs. it will bring you back to your youth if you listened to hagar in the 80's