Van Halen - Top of the World (Guitar Cover)

I always wanted this to be my next Van Halen cover but the thought of the tapped harmonics would give me tremendous guitar anxiety haha. But I got over that, however, turns out that once again, I just can't get my head around Eddie's unique sense of timing in his riffs and playing. It's never something I notice until I try to play these songs, and even on simple power chord riffs, I find myself battling against my own intuition about where the chords land. But that's what makes all this fun for me.
Anyway, love the track! I tried my best to follow how Eddie plays but there's some parts I play different to suit the album version more than his live style. I also didn't use any Wah on the first part of the solo, so forgive me.
You can find my other Van Halen (Hagar) covers here • Van Halen Covers
I use a Charvel DK24 (with a Pepito sticker) into a Boss Me50 into a Palmer PDI-09 into a Focusrite Scarlet into Logic.
I'll be uploading my notation notes to my Patreon here / bwm5150 and if you are looking for custom tutorial content, then message me there or at my email [e-mail] . Let me help you get playing the music you love!

[@bwm5150]

Notation notes will be availible over at my Patreon, cheers! :) www.patreon.com/posts/38614118 Or if you're looking for something more personal like a Skype lessons or custom content, leave me a message at [e-mail] Cheers!

[@ShawnyVH]

Love those harmonics dude!!

[@codacreator6162]

My favorite of the Van Hagar songs! Great job -- all the way down to the ease that Eddie has with his guitar, he makes it all look effortless, like a dance. My favorite EVH song from the Roth era has always been Dance the Night Away. Maybe that one next?

[@bwm5150]

That’s one of my favourite Roth songs so it’s a possibility. Thanks!

[@maximum3611]

Top of the World is such a good song. It reminds me of good summer times. Plus the harmonics sound so cool. I think you did great man! All I can do is play the little intro riff haha.

[@FranciscoGalan-cf1ij]

this is my favorite song of Van Halen. Gives me joy and happines, such a happy song

[@shehzadatif1]

Eddie Van Halen was a genius.. EVH Harmonics and melody was the best I have come across.

[@arthurdrolet3693]

Just amazing .. Eddie had such an amazing talent. Had to hear you play it again. So many cool harmonics, this one for some reason is my favorite. Thanks Ben !

[@kodiakfamily8032]

I was thinking about this song yesterday. I saw VH on this albums tour...and I was like they didn't play this song. I loved this one - then came out for the encore and played it. What I appreciate watching you videos, the song sounds simple. But that's EVH in a nutshell. He plays it so naturally, then I see this and just think wow! Same with 5150. What a treasure. I just don't think any guitarist has contributed more - he changed the way the guitar was played and I think the way it was made...along with amps. That's at least my perspective. Superb cover!!!!

[@WellOfEchoes]

I don’t know why you’d get tremendous guitar anxiety with your level of playing...seriously you did an amazing job of one of my favourite VH songs. Every interview of every guitar player I’ve ever seen has said how difficult it is to nail Eddie’s style of playing - I think it just comes down to the fact that the guitar is another arm for him, another body piece. He’d die if he wasn’t playing. Loved this and it will be right up there with your Def Leppard Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion). I listen to that all the time. 👏🏼

[@Tails_Light]

Ooohh that tapping!!! ❤❤❤

[@johngluck6938]

My mind is blown by those harmonics!

[@stargazer2504]

Holy F- the harmonics at the end!!!!

[@cjjrm.9403]

dude you kill it every time !! amazing

[@edbigtruck]

Awesome job. My favorite Hagar era song.

[@chuckhalen9543]

Incredible sir. EVH is absolutely in a league of his own. I personally, think you nailed it. Keep dropping the VH tunes any time. I enjoy them.

[@astroaddy10]

This song in my opinion is very under appreciated. It’s my favorite Van Hagar song! Dreams is a close second though. Great cover as always mate!

[@10801283]

Awesome playing as always! Love the tone and those tapped harmonics are literal sorcery.

[@ExplosionDestroyer]

Amazing cover. One of my favorite songs from the Sammy era. If this song were to come out a few years earlier I could totally see this song being featured on an 80s movie soundtrack.

[@ccstrings]

Prob my fav of yours so far!! Nailed the harmonic lines...epic, bro!!

[@manydreams1life315]

Great Job! One of my favorite turn-it-up-and-drive-fast Van Halen tunes...

[@realhighendglassforsale5226]

God Ed is a monster... it is always fun to watch someone cover him and to see how easily he gets around a guitar.

[@MrSatanislav]

AWesome job, I luved the tapped harmonics

[@maisaltyleftnut8138]

I love it as always. I love the purple finish on that guitar too.

[@sgguitar]

Favourite Van Halen song and album! “Right Now” is almost as good.

[@KardinalChaos]

Was gonna say the same but you beat me to it!

[@EphemeralProductions]

RIP Eddie. ❤️

[@white-lightning-studios]

Incredible!! One of my favourite youtubers covering one of my favorite Van Hagar song's

[@michaelstepp451]

^^

[@adamwarlock5286]

^^

[@The_Macaroon]

Very very good. What an advert for an ME50 too

[@danielegranero6551]

Greetings from Italy!!! Very good man!!!

[@bwm5150]

Thanks from Scotland!!!

[@hyghhopes]

Beautiful! I feel like this song is underrated and overlooked. Almost the same riff as the end of Jump. I can't be the only one to notice that.

[@DaveRoberts308]

This is still the best cover of Top of the World on KZbin. Brilliant. Nailed all the harmonics.

[@MrCarl5150]

WHAAAAAAAT??? Right now Ben is BA!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👍💪

[@FletcherHandcraftedGuitars]

Good job mate ! The whole F.U.C.K album has some killer guitar on it .

[@lumberjack4356]

The Genius of EVH in a well done cover..

[@VERTIGOAtsumi]

omg it’s great cover my friend 🤘😊🤘

[@RobStocke]

This is really good man. I love your mix - can hear your guitar so clear. You've got that Me50 dialed in for a great tone. You gained a new follower with me! Well done!

[@danfong2847]

Top, top drawer. Absolutely magnificent. 🎩

[@danevanzweden3424]

Dude, your taps are sick !! Freaking perfection

[@seanmccaberocks]

I can TOTALLY relate to what you said in your Description! You still nailed it. In fact, you have given me the motivation to go ahead and give covering this song a try. My Wolfgang is on order, and I only hope I can come close to your fine version. Keep it up! 🤟

[@bwm5150]

Thanks Sean!

[@arthurdrolet3693]

If I could "tap" that like button more than once I would :-P. You are awesome .. Thank you for all your recent posts an this one especially

[@bwm5150]

Thanks Arthur!!!

[@zidanez2011]

i'm always feel eddie's soul when hear or play this this song

[@manleyhanley88]

Idk how you do it man, but you manage to capture those subtle intricacies that EVH had. Lovin it, and keep rockin dude!

[@tipsyguitar3268]

Amazing!!! It’s so weird to even listen to Van Halen, but playing... this is out of this world. Well done!!

[@alexthomas7806]

It’s not out of the world, it’s on top of it

[@adamwarlock5286]

@@alexthomas7806 🤣

[@codywatts7625]

I guarantee Eddie's looking down and smiling his signature smile at this brother awesome cover brother

[@DBoyyxD]

Amazing playing 👌🏽! I’ve always loved the tap harmonics after the first minute and especially the tap harmonics melody for the chorus. I’ll need to learn this one all the way through as I only know the intro so far.

[@tonycampbell4982]

Great cover!

[@pavliny]

Not just the notes. You are adding your feeling and vision. Very nice performance.

[@bwm5150]

Ah you are ver kind, thank you!

[@Ski814u2]

Yes yes yes yes!!!! I love this song!!!! Awesome job man!! I would love to see you cover “mine all mine” by Van Halen such an underrated song. Keep up the good work!!

[@bwm5150]

I do like that track so it’s definitely a possibility. Thanks!

[@SatanachiaVGS]

Perfect cover!!!!! Superb harmonics! 👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽💪🏽

[@9unslin9er]

Favorite Van Halen song ever.

[@joshuamoore1357]

Absolutely beautiful cover

[@silviolandi7680]

Great wonderful magic special work, well done my friend... Thank you Master

[@booberry6715]

lol! You know the drill, man. You got some serious game and I love watching you play. I could sit in the corner with a bottle of my favorite bourbon and watch you play for hours. ...while bugging you the whole time with a million questions of course. 😆

[@OHSteve5150]

Excellent!

[@altemu]

Top of our subscription 😉

[@K1bogam1]

Bro, you have amazing control! When I play this, I get too amped up and get sloppy. This song is the vibration of my soul. I love the extra high harmonics at the end - nice work!

[@bizzaro1988]

The guitar solo on this tune is class

[@g4b3_28]

My favourite VH song! Man, you nailed it! 🤘

[@toddschechter6256]

Harmonics were fantastic!!!! Great job!!!

[@karamellkungend2444]

When i see you upload a new cover it brings happiness to my life thank you 🤘🤘

[@BeeKay5150]

How the hell did I miss this!? This is amazing!!!

[@thelmalynch7109]

Aaaaàaaaa excellent choice this will be one of my favorites excellent you killed that 👍🤘😎 your videos are so inspiring to me thank you so much ❤️🎵 Ben🎸 your journey fan always

[@nikitaellul7896]

Not easy but you managed very well and sounds amazing.....So what's next? :)

[@bwm5150]

Thank you!!! I’ll be working on ‘something’ 🙃

[@irenebond1021]

RIP Eddie:( The Goat🐐

[@TravyssDrums]

Great VH cover dude! You nailed those guitar parts! 🤘

[@kodiakfamily8032]

Very awesome. Makes you realize what a gift EVH was to the world

[@bcancun123]

Wow Amazing playing

[@anthonylove821]

Great job Ben....never disappoint...i missed your eddie van halen kick(when he jumps up) when he plays..make sure next time for us haha ....do you ever play out live in a band? if so would u post those videos also???

[@bwm5150]

Thanks Anthony. I’ve played a handful of gigs with the Scottish Def Lep tribute. I posted a couple of clips here last year.

[@JacQuie1776]

Outstanding Ben ! ❤️

[@DonTheGuitarGuy]

Nailed it, great job man.

[@donseclad]

Ah just awesome, love it

[@shelbytc16v]

Awesome!! 👍🏻

[@christianlockling1138]

Ben !! You are amazing and COMPLETELY ON KEY, You're Superb at playing the guitar. Greetings from London,were I live

[@bwm5150]

Many thanks from Edinburgh!

[@adamwarlock5286]

Whoa!! He's back !! Just bought another Jackson dinky same as yours M8 . This is just an awesome antidote to lockdown. Out of the park as usual.. How about jump so they can bookend ? Lol.

[@bwm5150]

Thanks! Certainly an obligatory cover for sure.

[@SchnellRiff]

Nice job, loving your guitar! Keep it up!

[@xphyle]

Great Job!!

[@mattdawg83686]

Another winner! Are you ever going to do a rig rundown on your gear?

[@fernando_713]

He's done it before

[@adamwarlock5286]

Me-50 Boss innit? Must all be in the fingers ..lol

[@bwm5150]

Thanks, I mention what I use in the description but may make another video detailing it.

[@alekprop]

incredible! loved those harmonics. I'm planning to play some VH too! Cheers! Keep it on man!

[@douglascasey3486]

Great job dude!

[@johnrice4080]

Damn good job bro!!!

[@garymorris5844]

Love how you play!

[@kevinshobbyroom3932]

WOW, You make it look so easy !

[@juke699]

Outstanding...........You should adopt Van Halen as your next group to cover extensively..........

[@bwm5150]

Thanks! I’m not as obsessed with Van Halen to do that. More likely to do it with Toto.

[@judas2891]

Awww, fuck man, I am simply blown away. This is my favourite Van Halen number.

[@Home-Broken]

Awesome job! VH inside our blood

[@kelkelkelkel851]

really really awesome!

[@chriskiebel9046]

Brilliant as always 👍🤘

[@handyallaround5776]

best cover of this song on youtube !

[@MissMoon-Meedang]

hell yeah. you killed it as usual. Never get enough of listening to your covers! ~:o )

[@bwm5150]

Very kind, thanks!

[@MissMoon-Meedang]

@@bwm5150 you´re most welcome. :)

[@paulkane817]

Fantastic 🎶🎸💖

[@robinstevens9189]

Really cool ending! Like holy shit dude! WOW.

[@detroitcustom]

Killer as always brother

[@Havanacuba1985]

Damn, that was awesome

[@vicabramov8983]

great job on a great song

[@BobbyBecker-t9j]

EDDIE WAS A GENUIS

[@miketitan5861]

Hey man any chance you’ll ever get your original music onto Spotify? I really wanna be able to add them to my playlists. Also, love the covers!

[@michaelstepp451]

^^

[@bwm5150]

I'll look into it Mike, cheers!

[@robpaul6204]

Pretty awesome dude

[@franklinALFARO1976]

Extraordinario 👍

[@IndonesiaBersatu01]

Perfect..!

[@adamwarlock5286]

Hey Baby. I know you believe in me That's all I ever need Nothings gonna stop me Nothing will discourage me oh no Hey baby it's the only way out Oh little darling C'mon what's it all about ? Standing on top Of the world For a little while Standing on top Of the world Gonna give it all we got. Oh I know you wanna touch I gotta have a little taste I just wanna sink my teeth In that fine piece of real estate Hey baby make it nice and sweet Oh little darling let's take a walk Down easy street Standing on top Of the world For a little while Standing on top Of the world Let's give it all we got Ooh ooh Baby got a feeling Ooh ooh Wanna touch it now Ooh ooh ooh Turn the whole world Upside down Solo Hey baby Someday we'll be Standing on top of the world For a little while Standing on top of the world Till we get stung Standing on top of the world For a little while Standing on top of the world Gonna give it All we got ( standing on top) hey baby (Standing on top ) hey darling Standing on top Standing on top Standing on top

[@haferstenproductions3515]

Do a cover of "Givin' Yourself Away" by Ratt.

[@tipsyguitar3268]

Great idea!! One step away would be good as well 👹

[@DBoyyxD]

‘What’s it gonna be’ is a great Ratt song too, would love to see that

[@jamesjackson2008]

Agreed.