“Mean Street” starts Fair Warning off with a guitar intro that left listeners wondering how Eddie Van Halen was able to make such unique sounds with his instrument. Its line “Somebody said, ‘Fair Warning, Lord!’” is where the album’s title was taken from.
This song is a reinvention of the band’s ea...
[Intro]
[Verse 1]
At night I walk this stinkin' street, past the crazies on my block
And I see the same old faces and I hear that same old talk
And I'm searching for the latest thing, a break in this routine
I'm talkin' some new kicks, ones like you ain't never seen
[Chorus]
This is home, this is Mean Street
Yes-ah, this is home, the only one I know
[Verse 2]
And we don't worry 'bout tomorrow
'Cause we're sick of these four walls
Now what ya think is nothing
Might be something after all
Now you know this ain't no through street
The end is dead ahead
The poor folks play for keeps down here
They're the living dead
[Chorus]
Come on down, down to Mean Street
They're dancing now, oh, out on Mean Street
Dance, baby
[Instrumental Break]
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
This hole is here and now, my friend, it ain't 'once upon a time'
It's all over but the shouting, I've come to take what's mine
We're searching for the latest thing, a break in this routine
Talkin' some new kicks ones like you ain't never seen
[Chorus]
This is home, this is Mean Street
Yes-ah, this is home, only one I know
[Outro]
(This is home) See, a gun is real easy
(This is Mean Street) In this desperate part of town
(This is home) Turns you from hunted into hunter
(This is Mean Street) Go and hunt somebody down
Wait a minute
(This is home) Somebody said, "Fair Warning, Lord!
(This is Mean Street) Lord, strike that poor boy down!"
Mean Street was written by Eddie Van Halen & Alex Van Halen & Michael Anthony (Bassist) & David Lee Roth.
Mean Street was produced by Ted Templeman.
Van Halen released Mean Street on Wed Apr 29 1981.
Eddie Van Halen explained how he made the sounds of the guitar intro to this song:
I tapped on the 12th fret of the low E and on the 12th fret of the high E and muffled both with my left hand down by the nut.
Here is guitar legend Joe Satriani struggling to play the intro in 2023: