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Sammy Hagar: 5 Songs I Wish I Wrote

Red Rocker weighs in on classics by Pink Floyd, Simon and Garfunkel, and others

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Sammy Hagar; 5 songs

Sammy Hagar of AXS TV's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar' poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/Getty Images Portraits)

Maarten de Boer/Getty

Rumors of a Van Halen reunion with Sammy Hagar have been swirling, but according to the singer himself, nothing's confirmed. Still, the Red Rocker has a busy year ahead: In addition to hosting his weekly Top Rock Countdown radio show, he'll appear at the Acoustic-4-A-Cure charity concert in San Francisco on May 15th, and he's got tour dates on the books with supergroups Chickenfoot and the Circle. We caught up with Hagar to get his thoughts on five classic songs he wishes he'd penned.

Sammy Hagar; 5 songs

Sammy Hagar of AXS TV's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar' poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/Getty Images Portraits)

Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”

This is so clever. When I write a song about sex, like "Poundcake," it's so fucking blatant. Peter puts this twist on it where it sounds cutesy-pie.

Sammy Hagar; 5 songs

Sammy Hagar of AXS TV's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar' poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/Getty Images Portraits)

Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.”

I know it's a protest song, but the twist I would have put on it would have probably been a little bit more pro-American.

Sammy Hagar; 5 songs

Sammy Hagar of AXS TV's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar' poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/Getty Images Portraits)

Pink Floyd, “Comfortably Numb”

David Gilmour's voice and guitar playing are just so soulful. When he hits the first note on the guitar solo, it's just bone-chilling.

Sammy Hagar; 5 songs

Sammy Hagar of AXS TV's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar' poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/Getty Images Portraits)

Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

For all kinds of reasons, I wish I had written this song, but I don't think I have it in me. It's like going to school and church at the same time.

Sammy Hagar; 5 songs

Sammy Hagar of AXS TV's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar' poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio at the 2016 Winter Television Critics Association press tour at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2016 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/Getty Images Portraits)

Kings of Leon, “Sex on Fire”

The chorus on this is just so fucking great and passionate. When I hear it, it really affects me. I don't even know what the fuck the song is about, but I don't have to know.

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