MoFi Van Halen Diver Down (Hybrid SACD)

Van Halen Gets Loose on Diver Down

Diver Down, Van Halen’s 1982 release, captures the band at its most playful, versatile, and audacious. Featuring hit covers like “(Oh) Pretty Woman,” “Dancing in the Street,” and “Where Have All the Good Times Gone!,” the album showcases a group willing to stretch its creative muscles, explore diverse styles, and have fun without sacrificing musicianship. Conceived after four consecutive albums and relentless touring, Diver Down became both a creative breather and a triumph, selling more than four million copies and affirming the band’s commercial and artistic clout.

Mobile Fidelity Hybrid SACD Edition

Sourced from the original analog master tapes and housed in mini-LP-style gatefold packaging, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition hybrid SACD presents Diver Down in definitive sound. Exceptional clarity, immediacy, and punch reveal the album’s dynamic energy, tonal distinctiveness, and rhythmic attack. Producer Ted Templeman captured the sessions in just 12 days, and this reissue highlights the vivid detail, separation, and soundstaging that allow listeners to experience the band’s performances as if they were in the room. 

Creativity and Covers

Amid punishing live and recording schedules, the band turned to covers to satisfy label demands and maintain momentum. David Lee Roth’s idea to record Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street” became the catalyst, while Eddie Van Halen suggested Roy Orbison’s “(Oh) Pretty Woman,” transforming it into a chart-topping hit. These three covers, along with the Kinks’ “Where Have All the Good Times Gone!” and the barbershop-inspired “Happy Trails,” balance humor, homage, and Van Halen’s signature high-voltage energy.

Original Material and Instrumental Innovation

Bookended by the covers, the album includes standout original tracks and interludes. “Intruder” evokes the tense, edgy vibes of Fair Warning, while “Little Guitars (Intro)” demonstrates Eddie Van Halen’s flamenco-inspired nylon-string technique. The visionary instrumental “Cathedral” replicates the timbre of a pipe organ through inventive fretboard techniques and volume knob manipulation. Other highlights include high-energy punk-influenced “Hang ‘Em High,” the gentle “Secrets,” and a stripped-down jazz cover, “Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now),” featuring the Van Halens’ father Jan on clarinet.

Legacy and Impact

Peaking at No. 3 and charting for over a year, Diver Down remains Van Halen’s most overlooked and delightfully surprising album. Its mix of playful covers, inventive originals, and tonal daring reinforces the band’s reputation for musical innovation, humor, and sheer audacity, proving that even beneath the surface, Van Halen’s temperature was always up.