Studio Album · No. 5

Diver Down Songwriting Credits by Van Halen

1982 Warner Bros. 12 tracks 31:04

Produced by Ted Templeman  ·  Engineered by Donn Landee, Ken Deane

Warner Bros. Hard RockHeavy MetalPower Pop
58%
Authorship
Collaborator

Holds writing credit on 7 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 7 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Van Halen carries a lyricist or composer credit.

58%
7 trackswritten by Van Halen 5 tracksoutside writers
Van Halen's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist33%
Composer58%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
13
Lyricists
1
Producers
4 million
US Copies Sold
1982
Released
Data Insight

The most outside writing on any Van Halen record. Five of the twelve tracks are covers, three more are instrumentals, and the band's own four-way credit covers only seven of them.

The 1982 album, half of it covers and short instrumental pieces, made quickly after "(Oh) Pretty Woman" became a hit.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Where Have All the Good Times Gone!
Ray Davies Ray Davies Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
2
Hang 'Em High
Eddie Van HalenAlex Van HalenMichael AnthonyDavid Lee Roth Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
3
Cathedral
Not documented Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
4
Secrets
Eddie Van HalenAlex Van HalenMichael AnthonyDavid Lee Roth Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
5
Intruder
Not documented Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
6
(Oh) Pretty Woman #12
Bill DeesRoy Orbison William DeesRoy Orbison Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
7
Dancing in the Street #38
Marvin GayeIvy Jo HunterWilliam Stevenson Marvin GayeIvy HunterWilliam Stevenson Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
8
Little Guitars (Intro)
Not documented Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
9
Little Guitars
Eddie Van HalenAlex Van HalenMichael AnthonyDavid Lee Roth Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
10
Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
Milton AgerJack Yellen Milton AgerJack Yellen Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
11
The Full Bug
Eddie Van HalenAlex Van HalenMichael AnthonyDavid Lee Roth Edward Lodewijk Van HalenAlexander Arthur van HalenMichael Anthony SobolewskiDavid Lee Roth Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)
12
Happy Trails
Dale Evans Dale Evans Ted Templeman Van Halen (Performer)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 20 contributors

AA
Alexander Arthur van Halen
Writer
On this album7 written
DL
David Lee Roth
Writer
On this album7 written
EL
Edward Lodewijk Van Halen
Writer
On this album7 written
MA
Michael Anthony Sobolewski
Writer
On this album7 written
AV
Alex Van Halen
Writer
On this album4 written
EV
Eddie Van Halen
Writer
On this album4 written
MA
Michael Anthony
Writer
On this album4 written
BD
Bill Dees
Writer
On this album1 written
DE
Dale Evans
Writer
On this album1 written
IH
Ivy Hunter
Writer
On this album1 written
IJ
Ivy Jo Hunter
Writer
On this album1 written
JY
Jack Yellen
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Van Halen

1978 82%
Van Halen
Warner Bros.
11 tracksProd. Ted Templeman
1979 90%
Van Halen II
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10 tracksProd. Ted Templeman
1980 100%
Women and Children First
Warner Bros.
9 tracksProd. Ted Templeman
1981 100%
Fair Warning
Warner Bros.
9 tracksProd. Ted Templeman
1984 100%
1984
Warner Bros.
9 tracksProd. Ted Templeman
1986 100%
5150
Warner Bros.
9 tracksProd. Mick Jones
1988 90%
OU812
Warner Bros.
10 tracksProd. Van Halen
1991 100%
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Warner Bros.
11 tracksProd. Andy Johns
1995 100%
Balance
Warner Bros.
12 tracksProd. Bruce Fairbairn
1998 100%
Van Halen III
Warner Bros.
12 tracksProd. Mike Post
2012 100%
A Different Kind of Truth
Interscope
13 tracksProd. Van Halen

Frequently Asked Questions Diver Down

Who wrote the songs on Diver Down?
Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth on seven of the twelve tracks. The other five are covers by Ray Davies, Roy Orbison and Bill Dees, Marvin Gaye and his co-writers, Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, and Dale Evans.
Why are there so many covers?
Half the record is other people's songs and short instrumental pieces, put together fast after the success of the "(Oh) Pretty Woman" single.
How high did the singles chart?
"(Oh) Pretty Woman" reached number 12 on the Hot 100 and "Dancing in the Street" number 38.
How did it sell?
Four million copies in the United States by 1998. It spent 65 weeks on the album chart.
Who produced it?
Ted Templeman, with Donn Landee engineering.
How high did the album chart?
Number 3 on the Billboard 200.
How long is the album?
31:04 across twelve tracks.

Sources

Wikipedia: Diver Down Wikipedia: Van Halen discography Cover Art Archive: Diver Down by Van Halen