40 Years Ago Today, David Lee Roth Stepped Out of Van Halen's Shadow With a Bold Solo Debut
On July 7, 1986, David Lee Roth released his breakout solo album, Eat ‘Em and Smile. Two years after his unceremonious exit from Van Halen and a year after a quickie EP release (Crazy From the Heat), the singer's solo album debut soared to No. 4 on Billboard's 200 album chart and spawned two hit singles, "Yankee Rose" and "Goin' Crazy."
Forty years later, Roth's dynamic debut remains an iconic moment in rock history and one that fans still remember fondly as they celebrate its anniversary milestone.
On Instagram, one fan described the album as "pure ‘80s fun" and recalled the "crazy" MTV music videos that accompanied it.
"The album was bittersweet for me because I loved Van Halen. David came through big time with this album and created his own mini genre. I developed a new level of respect for him as an artist. Happy anniversary to this classic," another fan wrote.
"An album that greatly inspired us," added another. "Dave put that band together like he was assembling the Avengers, and came out with an absolute 10/10 album."
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Roth's solo band featured an all-star lineup with guitarist Steve Vai, bass player Billy Sheehan, and drummer Gregg Bissonette.
The first single, "Yankee Rose" features a major trick, with Vai "talking" to Roth via his guitar before the former Van Halen frontman announces his return with, "Guess who's back in circulation / Well, I don't know what you may have heard."
In addition to "Yankee Rose" and "Goin' Crazy," the track list includes "Shyboy," "I'm Easy," "Ladies' Nite in Buffalo?," "Tobacco Road," "Elephant Gun," "Big Trouble," "Bump and Grind," and "That's Life," a cover of the Frank Sinatra classic.
Roth talked about the theme for Eat ‘Em and Smile in a vintage interview posted by Songkick.
"Got the brand new album Eat ‘Em and Smile," he shared in the 1986 interview. "Woo, that can mean five, six different things and they're probably all banned but that's America, man, that's what it's all about. It's like it's an attitude, Eat ‘Em and Smile. It's both positive and it's aggressive, and I don't know, maybe it's a lifestyle."
As for the band formed for the album, Vai told Guitar World the foursome had unbelievable chemistry and dodged comparisons to Roth's former bandmates, most notably guitar legend Eddie Van Halen.
"My mindset was simply to contribute something authentic, be myself and let that speak for itself, " he shared. "Once the album came out and we hit the road, the reception was fantastic. I didn't feel the backlash people warned me about. I think fans realize you can't replace Edward; you can only bring your own voice."
"He was a handful in the best possible way," Vai added of Roth. "Working with him was like being strapped to a rocket made of charisma and fueled by tequila."
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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 6:47 AM.