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Van Halen’s Softer Side Proved They Could Write Love Songs Without Losing Their Edge
When the subject of legendary rock bands comes up, arguably one of the most notable that comes to mind is Van Halen. The American rock group, formed in the early 1970s, would later play a leading role in shaping rock music in the 1980s. Although the group effectively disbanded in 2020 following the tragic death of one of its principal members (Eddie Van Halen), its influence is still felt today thanks to their electrifying guitar riffs, captivating performances, and hit singles such as “Panama” and “Unchained”. And although the latter two tracks stayed true to their signature hard rock sound, the band often experimented with other genres, as in “Why Can’t This Be Love,” which proved the talented group could write a love song while still retaining its hard rock image.
Van Halen Proved They Could Release a Classic Love Song
The year was 1986. The hard rock band Van Halen had just released their seventh studio album, 5150, on March 24. The album produced multiple hits, such as “Dreams” and “Love Walks In,” but arguably their lead single, “Why Can’t This Be Love,” was the standout, unique song not only on the album but in their career. The nearly four-minute track debuted and peaked highly on multiple charts worldwide. The song continues to divide critics (such as at Vulture magazine, who declared it the worst Van Halen song of all time) decades after its initial release, the consensus among its hardcore fan base remains mostly positive. As one commentator wrote on the group’s official Reddit fan page about “Why Can’t This Be Love”, “Honestly, underrated song. Yeah, Van Hagar leaned way too hard on the “L” word, but this one was top-notch. The synth line is great on the chorus, but the verses are actually better. Eddie’s chord comping is fire, and even if the scat-singing bridge is a touch corny, it was them exploring things they could do with Sammy’s precision and vocal range.”
The primarily pop rock genre track which consists of the rather sentimental lyrics : “Oh, here it comes / That funny feeling again / Winding me up inside / Every time we touch / Hey, I don’t know / Oh, tell me where to begin / ‘Cause I never ever / Felt so much / Hey / And I can’t recall / Any love at all / Oh, baby, this blows ’em all away” proved that the group could write a catchy love song. During a 1986 interview with the Australian music TV show ‘Countdown”, Van Halen revealed that they had deliberated long and hard about what direction they wanted their album to go in and that they threw away many songs, but in the process, they kept “Why Can’t This Be Love” because it was something different, and they didn’t want to consistently produce the sounds as it would feel monotonous.
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Van Halen Knew They Had a Hit Before They Released “Why Can’t This Be Love”
From the moment Eddie and Alex Van Halen and new member Sammy Hagar (among others) wrote “Why Can’t This Be Love,” they were fully aware that they had a hit on their hands. It was certainly a gamble, considering the departure of David Lee Roth (replaced by Hagar), who played a significant role in their sound. But it paid off, as attested to by the song’s worldwide success.
During an October 2017 interview with Louder Sound Magazine, Hagar explained that the record executives at Warner Bros, who were initially not convinced of the new direction the group’s sound was taking, were put at ease when they heard the song. “We made that whole 5150 record, and then we invited [Warner Bros Records boss] Mo Ostin, one of the greatest record company presidents in history, down. They walk in, it’s me on guitar and Eddie on keyboard, and they’re, like: ‘What the f**k are you guys doing?’ But we played ’Why Can’t This Be Love?’ live, right there for them. And after we’d done, Mo Ostin raised his finger in the air and said, “I smell money!’” Hagar added, “When the album came out, it went straight to number one. We took that rock ’n’ roll highway and did it all. And until it turned bad, it was the greatest thing on the planet.”
The more keyboard-driven sound that featured not only “Why Can’t This Be Love” but also throughout the album would later cement the group in rock n roll history, even if at the time it did alienate some of their original fan base: “So some of the hardcore guitar people rebelled a little bit, but we got a whole new audience with that,” continued Hagar, “And we just satisfied them, and they stayed. And we just went out, and every show sold out in minutes, and we went out and just killed it.”