Writers: Van Halen
Producer: Ted Templeman
Recorded: 1977 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California
Released: 1978
| Players: | David Lee Roth — vocals Edward Van Halen — guitar Alex Van Halen — drums Michael Anthony — bass |
| Album: | Van Halen (Warner Bros., 1978) |
“Runnin' With The Devil” was the second single released from the Van Halen album. Following up the top-40 hit “You Really Got Me,” “Runnin' With The Devil” only made it to Number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 but was an album rock and in-concert staple for Van Halen.
Edward and Alex Van Halen were born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. They moved to Southern California when they were pre-teenagers.
Though both Edward and Alex were classically trained on the piano, they opted for rock-and-roll once they were exposed to American radio.
Initially, Alex tried to learn to play the guitar and Edward played drums.
Before Van Halen signed with Warner Bros. Records, Kiss singer-bassist Gene Simmons scouted the band and made a demo recording with him, but he declined to help get them signed to a recording contract.
With David Lee Roth as their lead singer, Van Halen reached the top 40 seven times, charting highest with their 1984 hit, “Jump.”
The biggest hit from their debut album was a crunching cover of the Kinks' “You Really Got Me,” which reached Number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Van Halen album reached Number 19 on the Billboard 200 chart and has sold more than 10 million copies.