Sammy Hagar Recalls Changing His Speech Three Minutes Prior to Foreigner’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction

Throughout their time in the spotlight, Foreigner produced hit songs like “I Want To Know What Love Is”, “Waiting for a Girl Like You”, and “Cold as Ice.” With more than a few hit songs, the band sold over 80 million albums. Their last album to hit shelves was back in 2009 with Can’t Slow Down. Having such a powerful impact on the music industry, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame decided to induct them as a member back in October. And while Sammy Hagar honored the iconic band with a heartfelt speech and performance, the rocker admitted it took him three weeks to write the speech. 

Sharing a video online, Hagar offered fans a look at what went into his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame speech. He admitted, “I changed the speech probably 20 times, even right till when I was standing backstage getting ready to go on. I’m talking about… [They told me], ‘You’ve got three minutes.’ I kept reading it over again. I said, ‘Take this part out. If you put it up, I might say it, and I don’t wanna say it.’ So I re-edited it one more time.”

Having already spent three weeks writing and editing the speech, Hagar insisted, “I was a wreck. I really wanted to do ’em proud. When it was done, I was so damn relieved. When I got on stage to sing ‘Hot Blooded’, I was, like, ‘Yes! That’s what I do.’”

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Sammy Hagar Felt Disappointed He Needed A Prompter

Finally done with his speech, Hagar turned to his performance at the ceremony and the difficulty that comes with singing “Hot Blooded.””‘Hot Blooded’, it sounds like such a simple little song. It is tricky as hell lyrically. ‘I got a fever of 103. I got a fever inside of me.’ That’s very subtle, and you’re supposed to do it. Well, I didn’t. I said the wrong verse. I was saying, ‘I got a fever of 103.’ I said, ‘I got a fever burning inside of me.’ And I went, ‘Damn! Blew one already.’”

With Hagar needing to look at the prompter a few times throughout the performance, the singer concluded, “I did look at the prompter a couple of times. I’m disappointed with myself for that, but I pulled it off.”

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)