When Sammy Hagar woke up from a dream, he felt something more than just reverence or nostalgia. He felt driven, compelled to turn a vivid nighttime vision into music. The result is “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight”, a new single whose origins trace back to a dream visit from his old bandmate, Eddie Van Halen.
The Dream That Sparked It All
About two months before revealing the song publicly, Hagar had a dream in which Eddie Van Halen showed up unexpectedly. It wasn’t a mournful visitation, but a creative reunion. According to Hagar:
“We were in a room like this, [with] a bunch of people around. It was just like he’d been gone. … He’s going, ‘Man, let’s write some music!’
“I said, ‘Yeah, fuck it, man. Here, let’s go!
In the dream, Eddie played a guitar “lick,” a distinctive harmonic figure that slid up into a chord (something like a slide guitar move). Hagar recognized it as something Eddie had shown him during their 2004 reunion tour.
From Sleep To Song
Waking from the dream, Hagar didn’t let the vision fade. He grabbed whatever was nearby, a pad, pencil, his iPhone, and recorded the idea, scribbling down what he remembered. That lick, the harmonic slide, stayed with him.
Over the following days, he worked out the chords on his guitar, fleshed out parts of the music, and eventually built what would become “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight.” He waited roughly two years before bringing the idea into full production.
Bringing It To Life: Collaboration And Tribute
To honor the spirit of the dream and Eddie’s legacy, Hagar assembled collaborators who could help channel the energy and style:
- Joe Satriani contributed the guitar work, not trying to copy Eddie, but bringing a dynamic, emotional guitar-driven presence that nods to what Van Halen might’ve done.
- Michael Anthony, former Van Halen bassist, provided bass and backing vocals, helping tie the track to the Van Halen sound legacy.
- Kenny Aronoff handled drums, giving the track power and momentum.
Lyrically, the song becomes a message of gratitude, “thank you for the music, thank you for the song, thank you for the visit,” etc. The emotions are rooted in memories, friendship, loss, and appreciation.
“Encore, Thank You, Goodnight”: Meaning & Impact
This isn’t just another single in Hagar’s catalogue. It serves multiple roles:
- A “final bow” to a major chapter in his life, his time with Van Halen, the creative highs, the tensions, the music that shaped him.
- An emotional resolution: Hagar has spoken about how he and Eddie had patched up old conflicts before Eddie’s death in 2020. This song becomes part of a healing arc: acknowledging the past, expressing gratitude, and carrying forward the impact.
- An artistic message: dreams, memory, and inspiration can transcend time and loss. For Hagar, this dream was not mere fantasy, he describes it as “a communication from the beyond.”
Reception, Legacy, And What’s Next
The song “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” was released on April 25, 2025.
It coincided with high emotional stakes for Hagar, as he prepared to begin his Best of All Worlds Las Vegas residency. The track stands as both a tribute and a full-blown rock moment, featuring solos, powerful vocals, and clear fingerprints of Van Halen’s influence.
Some fans and critics view it as one of the more moving tributes in recent rock — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s genuine: it emerged from loss, dreams, longing, and respect. And Hagar’s choice to credit Eddie on the song, to give back in his own way, to involve those who shared that history (Michael Anthony, etc.), all add depth.
Why It Resonates
Why does this kind of story, a dream inspiring song, a “visit from beyond”, touch people so deeply?
- Shared memory: Many fans of Van Halen and Sammy Hagar share years of memories, concerts, albums, attitudes. This track lets them feel that shared past isn’t closed off.
- Healing through art: The song becomes a way of saying goodbye, of making peace. It’s cathartic.
- The mystery of creativity: The idea that one can dream up a chord, a riff, a musical moment, and then translate that into reality is one of the magical things about being an artist.
- Legacy and influence: Eddie Van Halen’s guitar style, his sounds, his presence, even after death, still influences rock. Hagar’s tribute reminds us how deeply Eddie’s voice (on guitar) continues to reverberate.
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