In a recent episode of the YouTube series Storytime, Sammy Hagar revealed the somewhat negative initial reaction Alex Van Halen had to his song “Eagles Fly.” The track, which Hagar wrote during the sessions for his 1987 album I Never Said Goodbye, was played for the Van Halen brothers during its creation. Eddie Van Halen, who played bass on the track, would later become a fan, but Alex’s first impression wasn’t quite as favorable.

Hagar recalled the moment in the studio when he played the song for the Van Halen brothers for the first time:

“So, I remember I’m at the studio. I’m playing [‘Eagles Fly’] for Ed, and Alex is standing in the background, and I’m going, you know, [Plays the song]… on guitar, acoustic. And Alex goes, ‘Sounds like John Denver.’ [Laughs] I never forget it.”

Unfazed by Alex’s comment, Hagar humorously responded, saying, “Yeah. What’s wrong with that? John’s a bad motherf*cker. Shut your mouth, but I’m talking about John.” Hagar clearly didn’t take offense to the remark, as he reflected on the funny moment.

However, Alex’s perspective on the song shifted once the final recording of “Eagles Fly” was completed. The track quickly became one of Eddie’s favorite songs that Hagar had ever written, a point Hagar was especially grateful for.

Hagar shared, “It was just really ironic that it was one of his favorite songs. One of Eddie’s favorite songs of mine that I ever wrote.” He also mentioned how the track could have been a perfect fit for Van Halen’s OU812 album, but noted that it wasn’t meant to be. Despite that, he took comfort in the fact that “Eagles Fly” remains a song he’ll perform for the rest of his life.