Thursday, November 4, 2021

"Finish What Ya Started" by Van Halen

Song#:  3665
Date:  10/01/1988
Debut:  82
Peak:  13
Weeks:  20
Genre:  Rock


Pop Bits:  Van Halen scored their third and final Pop Top 10 single with "When It's Love," the second single from their album OU812. It would get to #5 Pop while topping the Rock chart. Next up for release was this third single. The tune almost topped the Rock chart stalling just shy at #2. At Pop the song inched towards the Top 10, but also stopped short at #13. It was the band's eighth Pop Top 20 hit. The single would help the album sell more copies and by January '89 it would reach triple-platinum status.

ReduxReview:  This goofy little jam was a fun one from the album and it was a good one for pop radio as well. It was nearly acoustic sounding when compared to VH's big guitar-driven jams and it worked well for them. Does it rank among their very best tunes? No, but it is nonetheless enjoyable and should always be included in a VH playlist.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  At the time OU812 came out, Eddie Van Halen was married to actress Valerie Bertinelli, She had become a star thanks to her role on the hit CBS TV show One Day at a Time, which began in 1975 and lasted for nine seasons. After the last episode aired in '84, Bertinelli then just spent time guesting on various TV shows and taking roles in TV movies. In 1990, she got the chance to star in her own TV series titled Sydney. The sitcom had Bertinelli playing a private investigator who moves from NYC back to her hometown after her policeman father passes away. Her brother on the show was played by a pre-Friends Matthew Perry. For the show's theme song, Van Halen's "Finish What Ya Started" would be used. That came courtesy of Bertinelli's convenient connection to Eddie Van Halen, who eventually signed off on use of the song. Alas, the show was not a success and was cancelled after thirteen episodes. In '93, Bertinelli would make a second attempt at a TV show starring in CafĂ© Americain. This time around, Eddie Van Halen made a guest appearance on one episode. Yet once again, the show failed aftear 18 episodes. Third time was the charm though when Bertinelli became part of the ensemble cast for the comedy Hot in Cleveland. It began in 2010 and lasted for six seasons. It won several awards along the way including an Emmy.

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