As we approach summer, businesses need to start thinking about keeping their workers safe in the heat. There are increased legislative efforts to ensure that the proper precautions are in place to protect workers from heat illness. To that end, the EHSDA Song of the Week is Van Halen’s “On Fire,” an electrifying blast of hard rock fury from the band’s 1978 debut.
Van Halen burst onto the rock scene at a time when music was in flux; arena rock was getting tired, punk was emerging, disco was riding high. The band provided an exciting spark courtesy of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar virtuosity and charismatic frontman David Lee Roth.
The first Van Halen album featured a variety of styles propelled by Eddie VH’s big riffs, flashy leads and lightning-quick solos. While the band was quick to distance themselves from the “heavy metal” tag, “On Fire” could easily fit into that genre thanks to Roth’s screams, Eddie’s squealing guitar and Alex Van Halen’s thunderous drumming. It was the closing track on the monster introduction to one of the most successful American bands ever. And there’s something to be said for a last song so hot that it makes you want to listen to the album again.