(Oh) Pretty Woman

The Zoo Crew is spinning (Oh) Pretty Woman by Van Halen from their album Diver Down, and Zoo Freaks, this track’s got some wild stories behind it. Released as a single on February 6, 1982, it was meant to be a quick cover to keep the band in the spotlight after their grueling Fair Warning tour. David Lee Roth pushed for a cover of Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street,” but Eddie Van Halen insisted on Roy Orbison’s classic, sparking some classic band drama during rehearsals. Eddie nagged Roth about memorizing the lyrics, while Roth grilled Eddie on nailing the music, and in the chaos, they accidentally skipped a verse but decided to keep it that way. The song became a hit, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it threw a wrench in their plans for a break when Warner Bros. demanded a full album, leading to the rushed creation of Diver Down in just 12 days.

The music video for (Oh) Pretty Woman is another tale, dripping with Van Halen’s over-the-top humor. Filmed at Indian Dunes near Valencia, California, it featured the band in costumes—Roth as Napoleon, Eddie as a cowboy, Alex Van Halen as Tarzan, and Michael Anthony as a samurai—rescuing a “damsel” who turned out to be a drag queen, tied up by dwarves. This bizarre plot got the video banned by MTV for its suggestive content, though it later aired on VH1 Classic. The instrumental “Intruder,” with Roth on a Minimoog synthesizer, was written to pad the video’s runtime, which was longer than the song itself. Roy Orbison himself credited Van Halen’s cover with reviving his career, and the track’s riff-heavy energy, despite Eddie’s gripe about its lack of a proper guitar solo, kept it in their setlists through the mid-’80s and into their 2007 and 2012 reunion tours.

Van Halen started in Pasadena, California, in 1973, born from the musical dreams of Dutch-born brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen. Their father, Jan, a musician, moved the family to the U.S. in 1962, and the brothers grew up playing piano and classical music before picking up guitar and drums. They formed their first band, The Broken Combs, as kids, playing school dances. By the early ’70s, they were gigging around Pasadena as Genesis, later changing the name to Mammoth when they learned of the British prog band. David Lee Roth joined after renting the band his PA system, bringing his flamboyant energy, while Michael Anthony came on as bassist, solidifying the classic lineup. They honed their sound in local clubs, covering songs by The Kinks and Led Zeppelin, until Gene Simmons of Kiss spotted them in 1976 and funded a demo. This led to a deal with Warner Bros., and their 1978 debut album, Van Halen, exploded with hits like “Runnin’ with the Devil,” launching them as hard rock pioneers.

You can keep up with Van Halen at their official website, vanhalen.com, though the band has been quiet since Eddie’s passing in 2020. Their official Facebook page shares updates and throwbacks, while Instagram offers glimpses of their legacy with photos and fan tributes. On X, posts from fans and occasional band-related accounts keep the conversation alive. For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out the fan-run Van Halen News Desk, a treasure trove of band history and news. The Van Halen Fan Club on Facebook is a vibrant spot for fans to swap stories, share rare photos, and celebrate the band’s legacy. So crank up (Oh) Pretty Woman, Zoo Freaks, and let’s keep the party rockin’!