David Lee Roth said his first solo record was dreamed up at the beach on a dull afternoon. I can't picture Diamond Dave ever having a dull afternoon, but "Crazy From The Heat" was released 35 years ago today in 1985. It spent 35 weeks on the Billboard charts and peaked at number 15.
The 4 song EP was recorded in 4 days. The songs were a big departure from Dave's "Jamie's Cryin'," Van Halen material. The 2 biggest hits were the "Just A Gigolo/ I Ain't Got Nobody" medley which were a couple of World War Two era Louis Prima songs, and a cover of the Beach Boys classic, "California Girls."
Dave's version of "California Girls" peaked at number 3 on the singles chart, the same spot the Beach Boys original hit 20 years earlier. The video became one of the biggest in MTV history, take another look...