01		Yankee Rose						03:54
02		Shyboy						03:24
03		I'm Easy						02:11
04		Ladies' Nite In Buffalo						04:08
05		Goin' Crazy!						03:10
06		Tobacco Road						02:29
07		Elephant Gun						02:26
08		Big Trouble						03:59
09		Bump And Grind						02:32
10		That's Life						02:47

Originally Released 1986\nCD Edition Released July 1987\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Few would argue that David Lee Roth's first solo EP was a complete comedy send-up, albeit a very successful one that gained him enough favor with the MTV peanut gallery to solidify his potential as a solo artist. When threat became fact, however, Roth was smart enough to know that show tunes set to flashy videos weren't going to cut it and wisely proceeded to surround himself with musicians of impeccable pedigree. Thus armed, the "diamond" one set out to out-Van Halen Van Halen with his band's first effort, Eat 'Em and Smile, a more than adequate substitute for the overtly commercial tendencies of the "new and improved" original. Why mess with a winning recipe, indeed. Guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Gregg Bissonette sound perfectly at home aping their boss' old cronies on such sizzling party anthems as "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun." A fun-loving cover of "Tobacco Road" kicks off a very solid side two featuring the remarkably Fair Warning-esque "Big Trouble," and it doesn't get any better than first single "Yankee Rose," where the squealing call and response between Roth and Vai reaches unparalleled comical heights. The glossy pump of "Goin' Crazy!" (originally conceived as the title track for Roth's botched movie project) hints at the pop excesses to come, and although two lounge pieces are knocked out for good measure, these are easily offset by the cool strut of "Ladies Nite in Buffalo?," arguably Roth's most legitimate piece of art ever. ~ Ed Rivadavia\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nRoth, who turned the flamboyant-frontman role into an art form, turned out this solo effort after leaving Van Halen. Hiring two of the top instrumentalists in the hard-rock genre, guitarist Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan, Roth created meta-arena rock--big, exaggerated rock music with heavy guitars. Typical entries included "Goin' Crazy" and "I'm Easy"; "Yankee Rose" had one of the more entertaining videos on MTV at the time. The cover of "That's Life," which closes the album, is predictably overblown, but Roth can be forgiven as it's obvious that he's not taking anything too seriously. --Genevieve Williams \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nHe's goin' coconuts, but at least he's going his way, February 17, 2004 \nReviewer: Daniel J. Hamlow (Farmington, NM USA) - See all my reviews \nAfter the swing and easy-going light rock of Crazy From The Heat, rock and roll's clown prince, Diamond Dave, got serious and went into high gear with Eat'em And Smile, which benefits from the production of former Van Halen-producer Ted Templeman as well as guitar theatrics by Steve Vai, who really clowns around in the beginning of "Yankee Rose."\n\n"Wild wild wild" aptly describes "Yankee Rose," which was the first single, and his anthropomorphising America as a woman with all sorts of patriotic themes and compliments makes me wonder if he was trying to one-up his former band with some rampaging patriotism. \n\nThe rapid-fire "Shyboy" benefits from Vai's high-energy and Gregg Bisonette's drums. "Gotta keep things moving till my personality starts improving!" he sings. Well, things are moving here all right, but I didn't think his personality needed improving.\n\nHis cover of the upbeat early rock of "I'm Easy" is a gear up from Crazy From The Heat, as it does have some horns, arrangements courtesy of Vai.\n\nThings slow down a pace with "Ladies' Nite In Buffalo?" which sports a pulsing bass and rhythm reminding me of Heart's "Straight On"\n\nDLR actually does go "crazy from the heat" in "Goin' Crazy" a good-natured single featuring a synthesizer that many might accuse him of trying to imitate his former band. The protagonist is having a heck of a ball, getting drunk, in trouble with the police, and messing with mayor's daughter. One of the better songs here nevertheless.\n\nApart from easy listening and jump swing, the blues was another influence in DLR's life, as he covers John Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road" done in his hard-rock style and with some keyboards. As on "Shyboy" and "Goin' Crazy," bassist Billy Sheehan helps Roth on backing vocals. Vai does some pretty fiery bluesy guitar here.\n\nMany of the other songs have higher energy than the singles. One of those is the chugging "Elephant Gun," the instrument used by the protagonist, who seems like someone in a film-noir type situation, someone playing both sides of the laws, and out protecting dames. Another is the aptly-titled "Bump And Grind" about getting lucky with either dancers or strippers.\n\nFinally, my favourite song on this album. His cover of Frank Sinatra's "That's Life" shows how he can laugh at the bumps life gives him, true to having an artistic temperament. This is a great way to end the album, although I wonder if it could've been just as great tacked onto Crazy From The Heat. Along with horns and strings, there is support from the Waters Family on female backing vocals.\n\nEat'em And Smile is a great boost in his solo career. While not as heavy as any of the prominent Van Halen albums, it shows DLR has an ace up his sleeve, Steve Vai, who nears Eddie Van Halen's virtuosity. But the goofy swagger of Diamond Dave is unabated here, to wit words from "Goin' Crazy," he may be going coconuts, but at least he's going his way. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nDefinitely One of the Coolest CD's in My Collection, August 11, 2002\nReviewer: "surferboy409" (PA) - See all my reviews \nI must say, I was a little hesitant to buy this CD, but I am a huge VH (especially the Roth years) and Steve Vai fan. I bought it expecting 30 minutes of Roth being Roth, in a bad way. I was right, but in a good way. Roth and Vai's songwriting is very mature. It evolves from the balls-out rocking of "Yankee Rose" and "Shy Boy" to the slow funk and soul of "Ladies' Nite in Buffalo?" and "Big Trouble". "Big Trouble" also showcases one of the most fantastic guitar solos my ears have ever had the pleasure of listening to. "Elephant Gun" is plain awesome (it's got a cool bass solo from the phenomenal Billy Sheehan and an awesome chorus), and "Bump and Grind" is what you'd expect from Roth. The only song that's below par is "Goin' Crazy". Even though it's still pretty good. Even the covers are great. Roth's rendition of Sinatra's "That's Life" is even a nice little guilty pleasure at the end of the CD. Overall, the musicianship is great (those funk riffs absolutely rock), the hooks are quite hooky, and Roth is in top shape.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nAlbum Credits\nPatty Waters Family Affair, Contributing Artist\nThe Sidney Sharp Strings, Contributing Artist\nWaters Family, Contributing Artist\nJeff Hendrickson, Engineer\nTed Templeman, Producer\n\nAlbum Notes\nPersonnel: David Lee Roth (vocals); Steve Vai (guitar); The Sidney Sharp Strings (strings); Jesse Harms (electric piano, keyboards); Jeff Bova (synthesizer); Billy Sheehan (bass, background vocals); Greg Bissonette (drums, background vocals); Sammy Figueroa (percussion); Waters Family (background vocals).\n\nEngineers: Jeff Hendrickson, Lee Herschberg.\n\nRecorded at The Power Station, New York, New York, Can-Am Recorders, Tarzana, California and Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California.\n\nAfter David Lee Roth's shocking split from Van Halen at the height of the group's popularity, all parties involved resorted to a media-fueled circus of mudslinging. Roth's first post-V.H. project was to be a motion picture (CRAZY FROM THE HEAT) which never got off the ground. But Roth had already assembled a killer solo band, including ex-Frank Zappa guitarist Steve Vai, ex-Talas bassist Billy Sheehan, and ex-Maynard Ferguson drummer Gregg Bissonette, to record songs for the movie's soundtrack. Instead of scrapping the tracks, he incorporated them into his first solo album, 1986's EAT 'EM AND SMILE.SMILE remains Roth's best solo work. His hard-rocking band sounds as if it's out for blood throughout. Highlights abound, such as the popular singles/videos "Yankee Rose" and "Goin' Crazy," and shredders like "Shy Boy," "Elephant Gun," "Bump and Grind," "Big Trouble," and a cover of "Tobacco Road." To make things even more interesting, Van Halen issued its first post-Roth album, 5150 (with Sammy Hagar taking Roth's vocal spot), just as Roth was releasing EAT 'EM AND SMILE. The two camps' press squabbles spilled over into the charts. Roth and Van Halen slugged it out, and both albums proved to be big sellers.