Eat 'Em and Smile

After releasing Crazy from the Heat, an EP of lounge standards that became a surprise hit during early 1985, and subsequently parting ways with Van Halen while the band was at its commercial zenith, Roth assembled a new backing band: bassist Billy Sheehan (later of Mr. Big); drummer Gregg Bissonette (later of Ringo Starr's All-Star Band); and virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai, who had played with Frank Zappa, PiL, and Alcatrazz.

Roth later said that the songs written for the album were originally intended to form the soundtrack to a film, Crazy from the Heat, which was never made.{{Citation |title=TheRothShow: Episode 5: Cafe Wha?/EEAS:Origins/Goin' Crazy!/DLR Art Gallery [David Lee Roth] | date=November 26, 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKDkO-Y6XhM |access-date=2023-03-24 |language=en}}

The phrase "Eat 'Em and Smile" was part of a trademark registered in 1928 by the now-defunct Ward-Owsley Co candy company in Aberdeen, South Dakota.{{cite book |last1=Baker |first1=Eric |last2=Blik |first2=Tyler |title=Trademarks of the 20's and 30's |date=1985 |publisher=Chronicle Books |page=125 |isbn=9780877013600 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d7gSAQAAMAAJ |access-date=14 January 2019 |language=en}}

Two of the album's original songs became its biggest hits. "Yankee Rose", a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Statue of Liberty, became an MTV and radio hit, rising into the Billboard Top 20.{{cite web |title=Robert Christgau: Album: David Lee Roth: Eat 'Em and Smile |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=8316 |access-date=March 8, 2015}} The would-be theme to Roth's then-planned movie, "Goin' Crazy!", also became an MTV staple[https://books.google.it/books?id=UCQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA67&dq=Programming+rotation+david+lee+roth+%22goin%27+crazy%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimy9W888GFAxUN7wIHHSsnCDoQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=Programming%20rotation%20david%20lee%20roth%20%22goin'%20crazy%22& MTV Programming, Billboard November 15, 1986] that reached #66 on Billboard{{'}}s Hot 100 in October 1986.{{cite web |date=August 21, 2012 |title=Steve Vai Discusses His Albums with David Lee Roth & Van Halen's 'A Different Kind Of Truth' |url=http://www.vhnd.com/2012/08/21/steve-vai-discusses-a-different-kind-of-truth-his-albums-with-david-lee-roth/ |access-date=March 8, 2015 |work=Van Halen News Desk}}

Similar to his preceding EP, Roth included two lounge song covers on Eat 'Em and Smile: "That's Life", which became a minor hit at the end of 1986, with a video featuring clips of previous Roth and Van Halen videos being in heavy rotation on MTV,[https://books.google.it/books?id=tiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA59&dq=Programming+rotation+david+lee+roth+%22that%27s+life%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwibk5ec9MGFAxUk-wIHHettDcUQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=Programming%20rotation%20david%20lee%20roth%20%22that's%20life%22& MTV Programming, Billboard December 27, 1986] and "I'm Easy". A third cover is John D. Loudermilk's folk-blues song "Tobacco Road", and Billy Sheehan brought in "Shy Boy", a composition from his previous band Talas. The remainder of the songs were written by Roth and Vai.

A cover version of "Kids in Action", written by Kim Mitchell of the band Max Webster, was recorded for the album. Sheehan had briefly been a member of Max Webster. According to Mitchell:

{{blockquote|It didn't work out. There were no hard feelings and he went on and did really well. I got a call from him one day and he goes, "Hey, man, I'm in the studio with David Lee Roth, Ted Templeman, and Steve Vai and we're covering your tune 'Kids in Action' and we need the words to the second verse." I was shaking on the phone. This was right after Roth left Van Halen. Then at the last minute it got bumped off the record for 'Tobacco Road.'}}

This is the first of two Roth albums to feature the duo of Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan on guitar and bass respectively. Throughout the album the two often synced complicated basslines and lead guitar parts, as on tracks such as "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun". The album brought Steve Vai into the public eye as a contender with Eddie Van Halen, the previous guitarist who worked with Roth. This album features some of Steve Vai's most renowned guitar work.

Sonrisa Salvaje (literally "Wild Smile") is the Spanish-language version of Eat 'Em and Smile. According to the Van Halen Encyclopedia, the idea to re-record the album in Spanish was the idea of bassist Billy Sheehan, who had read an article in a magazine which reported that over half the Mexican population was between the ages of 18 and 27, a prime record buying market.{{cite web |title=When David Lee Roth Went Spanish With 'Sonrisa Salvaje' |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-lee-roth-sonrisa-salvaje/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=July 7, 2016 |access-date=25 October 2021}} Roth re-cut all his vocals with the help of a Spanish tutor in the studio. He edited some of the risqué lyrics, so as not to offend the more conservative Spanish-speaking population. With the exception of the vocals, the basic music tracks are the same as the Eat 'Em and Smile version, with the only exception being "Big Trouble", which ends abruptly as opposed to fading out on the English version.

According to Sheehan, the album was not well received, with many people considering it "gringo Spanish". Any future Spanish-version ideas were dropped. Sonrisa Salvaje was originally released on vinyl and cassette, but deleted almost immediately; a CD version did not appear until 2007. All of the liner notes on the original release were written in Spanish, except for the copyright notice and the Dolby noise reduction information on the cassette version.

In 2015, a live concert for the 30th anniversary was planned featuring Vai, Sheehan, Bissonette, and keyboardist Brett Tuggle. Initially Michael Starr was going to sing, but at the last minute Roth arrived at the venue. Due to safety measures and the overwhelmed capacity of the venue, fire marshals shut down the show.{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2015-11-23|title=VAI, SHEEHAN, BISSONETTE To Team Up With STEEL PANTHER Frontman To Recreate DAVID LEE ROTH Classics|url=https://blabbermouth.herokuapp.com/news/vai-sheehan-bissonette-to-team-up-with-steel-panther-frontman-to-recreate-david-lee-roth-classics/|access-date=2021-08-15|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET|archive-date=August 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815130014/https://blabbermouth.herokuapp.com/news/vai-sheehan-bissonette-to-team-up-with-steel-panther-frontman-to-recreate-david-lee-roth-classics/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2016-10-26|title=STEVE VAI Says Reunion Of DAVID LEE ROTH's 'Eat 'Em And Smile' Lineup Is 'On The Radar'|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/steve-vai-says-reunion-of-david-lee-roth-eat-em-and-smile-lineup-is-on-the-radar/|access-date=2021-08-15|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET}}{{Cite web|last=hennemusic|title=Fire Marshall shuts down David Lee Roth Eat 'Em And Smile reunion show|url=http://www.hennemusic.com/2015/11/fire-marshall-shuts-down-david-lee-roth.html|access-date=2021-08-15|language=EN}}Steve Vai's interview at Tom Morello's Maximum Firepower Podcast

The album was a critical and commercial success. Many reviews compared Eat 'Em and Smile with Van Halen's synth-heavy 5150 (which featured Roth's replacement Sammy Hagar), often favorably.{{cite web|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/5150-eat-em-and-smile-debate/|title=Van Halen's '5150' Vs. David Lee Roth's 'Eat 'Em and Smile' – Great Rock Debates|work=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=October 23, 2013 |access-date=March 8, 2015}} Rolling Stone wrote "No song on the album was as slick as any of the singles from Van Halen's 5150 album", and opined that Eat 'Em and Smile was much more "trashy fun".

Daniel Brogan of the Chicago Tribune called it a "manic spree" where Steve Vai's "stinging guitar work" is the most appealing component.{{cite news | title=Guitar Work Almost Makes Roth's "Eat 'em" Appetizing | first=Daniel | last=Brogan | date=July 25, 1986 | newspaper=Chicago Tribune | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/07/25/guitar-work-almost-makesr-roths-eat-em-appetizing/ | access-date=October 13, 2015}} Terry Atkinson of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "And the Ted Templeman-produced Eat 'Em, which stands up well alongside the best Van Halen albums, features the Roth you know: rock's answer to those pop-eyed libidinous wolves of the old Tex Avery cartoons."{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-06-ca-22874-story.html|title = Archives|website = Los Angeles Times| date=July 6, 1986 }} Eat 'Em and Smile was named "album of the year" by Kerrang! for 1986.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html|title=Rocklist.net...Kerrang! Lists Page 1...|website=www.rocklistmusic.co.uk|access-date=June 14, 2022|archive-date=January 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240121183425/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html|url-status=usurped}}

Bryan Rolli of Ultimate Classic Rock described "Ladies' Nite in Buffalo?" as "the best and boldest song to come from any Van Halen alum since 1984".{{Cite web |last=Rolli |first=Bryan |date=2023-11-24 |title=Top 30 Glam Metal Albums |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/glam-metal-albums/ |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |language=en}}

In 1987, Kerrang! magazine reviewed the Cobo Hall concert, calling it "One of the best shows I've ever witnessed" and "Pure entertainment with a sense of surprise. No one is better at this than DLR. Believe it!"{{cite magazine |last1=Dome |first1=Malcolm |title=Nobody Does It Better |magazine=Kerrang! |date=January 8, 1987 |issue=137 |pages=24–26|language=en}}

In 2016, Ultimate Classic Rock{{'}}s retrospective review said, "With help from touring keyboardist Brett Tuggle, the foursome tore through a set list that included an equal blend of Van Halen classics and songs from its new album each night, livening up Roth's traditional pre-'Ice Cream Man' storytelling introduction with a steel drum solo, and turning bass and guitar virtuosos Sheehan and Vai loose for an extended duel."{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/david-lee-roth-first-solo-tour/|title=REVISITING DAVID LEE ROTH'S FIRST SOLO TOUR|date=August 16, 2016|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=May 7, 2025}}

In 2024, Billy Sheehan denied a rumor that there was a "duct tape line" on the stage during this tour that other members than Roth could not cross. However, that became true of the Skyscraper tour and is why he did not join it.{{cite web |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/band_members_were_not_allowed_full_stage_access_on_david_lee_roth_tour_billy_sheehan_says_one_of_the_reasons_i_wasnt_there.html |title=Band Members Were Not Allowed Full Stage Access on David Lee Roth Tour, Billy Sheehan Says: 'One of the Reasons I Wasn't There' |publisher=Ultimate Guitar |accessdate=May 7, 2025}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|title= Eat 'Em and Smile|artist=David Lee Roth|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=2004|id=2001-1624-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title= Eat 'Em and Smile|artist=David Lee Roth|award=Platinum|relyear=1986|certyear=1986}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

Instead of the typical A-side and B-side, the vinyl artwork showed the track listing on one side of the disc, as the A-side had a photograph of Roth in-costume.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rootsvinylguide.com/ebay_items/david-lee-roth-eat-em-and-smile-vinyl-lp-record-van-halen-steve-vai-warner-1986|title=Roots Vinyl Guide|website=www.rootsvinylguide.com}}

{{tracklist

| headline = "Other Side"

| extra_column = Sonrisa Salvaje title

| all_writing = David Lee Roth and Steve Vai, except where noted.

| title1 = Yankee Rose

| extra1 = "Yankee Rose"

| length1 = 3:55

| title2 = Shyboy

| writer2 = Billy Sheehan

| extra2 = "Tímido"

| length2 = 3:24

| title3 = I'm Easy

| writer3 = {{hlist|Billy Field|Tom Price}}

| extra3 = "Soy Fácil"

| length3 = 2:11

| title4 = Ladies' Nite in Buffalo?

| extra4 = "Noche de Ronda en la Ciudad"

| length4 = 4:08

| title5 = Goin' Crazy!

| extra5 = "¡Loco del calor!"

| length5 = 3:10

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = "This Side"

| extra_column = Sonrisa Salvaje title

| title6 = Tobacco Road

| note6 = The Nashville Teens cover

| writer6 = John D. Loudermilk

| extra6 = "La Calle del Tabaco"

| length6 = 2:29

| title7 = Elephant Gun

| extra7 = "Arma de Caza Mayor"

| length7 = 2:26

| title8 = Big Trouble

| extra8 = "En busca de pleito"

| length8 = 3:59

| title9 = Bump and Grind

| extra9 = "Cuánto Frenesí"

| length9 = 2:32

| title10 = That's Life

| note10 = Frank Sinatra cover

| writer10 = {{hlist|Dean Kay|Kelly Gordon}}

| extra10 = "Así es la Vida"

| length10 = 2:45

| total_length = 31:04

}}

• David Lee Roth – vocals, backing vocals
• Steve Vai – guitars, horn arrangement on 3
• Billy Sheehan – bass, backing vocals on 2, 3, 5, and 6
• Gregg Bissonette – drums, backing vocals on 3

• Jeff Bova – keyboards on 1
• Jesse Harms – keyboards on 5
• Sammy Figueroa – percussion on 5
• The Waters Family – backing vocals on 10
• The Sidney Sharp Strings – strings on 10
• Jimmie Haskell – horn and string arrangement on 10

{{reflist}}

{{cite book|title=Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life In Music|first1=Ted|last1=Templeman|first2=Greg|last2=Renoff|pages=409–12|publisher=ECW Press|location=Toronto|year=2020|isbn=9781770414839|oclc=1121143123}}

{{David Lee Roth}}

{{Joanne Gair}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eat 'Em And Smile}}

Category:David Lee Roth albums

Category:1986 debut albums

Category:Albums arranged by Jimmie Haskell

Category:Albums produced by Ted Templeman

Category:Warner Records albums

Category:Glam metal albums