Sammy Hagar Reveals Classic Song That Alex Van Halen Rejected

Sammy Hagar has released a new episode of his Story Time with Sammy video series where he looks back at his 1987 song "Eagles Fly" and how Alex Van Halen dismissed the track the first time he heard it, only to wonder why Sammy didn't save it for Van Halen after it appeared on Hagar's "I Never Said Goodbye" album.

The Red Rocker explains in the clip, "I'm at the studio. I'm playing it for Ed, and Alex is standing in the background, and I'm... on guitar, acoustic. And Alex goes, 'Sounds like John Denver!'

"I'll never forget it! I'm going, 'Yeah - what's wrong with that? John's a bad motherf***er! Shut your mouth when I'm talking about John! ... it was just such a funny reaction."

Sammy went on to record the song for his solo album and recruited Eddie Van Halen to play guitar and bass on the track, along with backing vocals. Hagar explained what happened next, "Alex heard it on the record, and he goes, 'Hey, man, you should have saved that for Van Halen!' I said, 'Dude, don't you remember what you said about that song?'"

The song would go on to be part of Van Halen's live shows. Sammy continues, "It was just really ironic that it [became] one of his favorite songs. [It was] one of Eddie's favorite songs of mine... And it should have been on a Van Halen record.

"That would have been unbelievable if it would've been on OU812. But it is what it is; and it's a song that I will play for the rest of my life." Watch the full episode below:

Sammy Hagar Pays Tribute To Grateful Dead Legend Bob Weir

Sammy Hagar Did Not Want Residency Album (2025 In Review)

Sammy Hagar Wants To Be Friends With David Lee Roth (2025 In Review)

Alex Van Halen Surprised Sammy Hagar (2025 In Review)

News > Sammy Hagar