Liner Notes
Sammy reflects back on the album in 2021 for the 45th anniversary:
"Aynsley Dunbar (Journey, Jefferson Starship, Frank Zappa, etc) played drums on 'Silver Lights'. Jimmy Hodder (Steely Dan) played drums on 'Flamingos Fly'.
Carter wrote the lyrics on the album for 'Keep On Rockin' and Bette Midler covered my original demo version of that, which I wrote the music.
'Flamingos Fly' Van Morrison wrote for me. He played it for me on the acoustic guitar, and we had to overdub all the instruments to that and then in the end he wouldn't let us use anything but the song, so I put acoustic guitar in place of his and sang the whole thing myself instead of a duet.
Jerry Shirley from Humble Pie (who Montrose toured with) played most of the drums on the record."
Check out Sammy's anniversary posts on socials:
A message from Tower of Power's Emilio Castillo
Other notes:
- "Keep On Rockin'", a Hagar original, was covered by Bette Midler on the classic soundtrack to The Rose- albeit in a vastly different version. On Sammy's version on this album, Bay Area friends and horn section Tower of Power guested.
- The track penned by Van Morrison, "Flamingos Fly", was not released by Morrison until after this release. Morrison included his version of the track on the 1977 released, A Period of Transition.
- The track penned by Fleetwood Mac alumnus Bob Welch, "China", was not released by Welch until after this release. Welch included his version of the track on the 1979 album Three Hearts.
- "Young Girl Blues" is a Donovan cover.
- A demo version of "Rock 'n' Roll Romeo" was released as "Thinking of You" on The Essential Red Collection in 2004.
Other Albums
7 Redhead Comments
This is another essential record in the basic disco of any Sammy Hagar collector and fan (who knows his entire solo career). Another album that was never released in Brazil but that I imported at that difficult time of dictatorship and censorship lived in Brazil, where everything was prohibited, including buying foreign albums. But I could buy what I considered good for the Brazilian public to know. Young Girl Blues is the highlight of this album, even being a cover of Donovan, Urban Guerilla, Keep on Rockin ', Flamingos Fly, are some songs that I played for Brazilian fans.
I to am getting my colection of everything Mr. Hagar has done,true some are hard to find, some you have to putt together yourself.Even the album art is available it's just not original release going back, man there some good shit back there!
I'm working on owning everything Sammy has done on CD or DVD but some of his first stuff is hard to find without paying threw the nose used! Sammy can you re-release your original LPs on CD?! Love ya man!
This came out the year I graduated-My brother was stationed in San Bernadino,California and seen Sammy LIVE and said I had to buy this album-which then turned me on to Montrose.After seeing Sammy display his talents and enthusiasm on stage 12 times-I still look forward to seeing him again- RED ROCKER RULES!
Love "China" and "Young girl blues", simply amazing stuff.
Sammy's A Legend!!!!!!, "Silver Lights" and "Urban Guerilla" take the breathe away.......Sammy's a Genius!!!!
Sammy signed this album in Lake Tahoe