Wolfgang Van Halen Honors Eddie Van Halen with New Song

Wolfgang Van Halen is paying tribute to his late father Eddie Van Halen with a heartfelt new song, “Distance,” just released today (Nov. 16).

The accompanying video includes family footage of a smiling and proud Van Halen cradling his son on the way home from the hospital, and opens with him proudly telling Wolfgang of his plans to clean out the garage and create a studio for the two to record music.

“I never anticipated ‘Distance’ would be the first song of mine that people would hear,” he stated in a press release. “But I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release along with me.”

He continued: “As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him,” Wolfgang explained. “While this song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their own life.”

Van Halen passed away on October 6 after a long battle with cancer.

Read the lyrics below:

“I’m so happy
You found a place
That’s better for you
Than this rock we’re living on
I’m so nervous
Don’t know my place
A life without you, I’m not ready to move on
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK
I’m so tired
Can’t see your face
My memory of you
Slowly fades when I go on
I’m still crying
Don’t want this place
A world without you
I don’t think I’ll ever move on
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK
No matter what the distance is I will be with you
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK
No matter what the distance is you’ll be OK”