Why Can't This Be Love Explained

Why Can't This Be Love
Cover:Van Halen - Why Can't This Be Love.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Van Halen
Album:5150
B-Side:Get Up
Released:March 1986
Recorded:1985–1986
Genre:
Length:3:47 / 5:00 (extended version)
Label:Warner Bros.
Prev Title:Hot for Teacher
Prev Year:1984
Next Title:Dreams
Next Year:1986

"Why Can't This Be Love" is a song by the American rock band Van Halen for their seventh studio album, 5150 (1986). The song was the group's first single with Sammy Hagar, replacing founding member David Lee Roth. It was released on both 7" and 12" formats with the latter having an extended version featuring extra lyrics.

In the US, it went to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit number one on the Cashbox Top 100, the week of May 16. [5] It was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany and a top 20 single in Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Background

5150 was a detour from the band, and the direction they would follow centered on a more keyboard-driven sound.

“The old people that were in doubt, they heard (imitates keyboard riff notes) ‘Why Can’t This Be Love’ and they just went, ‘Whoa, this is a new sound for Van Halen,'” said Hagar in 2023. “You know that keyboard riff sounded like a guitar riff. [Whereas] previous stuff like ‘Jump’ sounded like a synthesizer. So some of the hardcore guitar people rebelled a little bit, but they got a whole new audience with that. 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.[6]

Reception

Cash Box called it "a powerful pop/rock kicker."[7] Billboard said "hard-rocking hooks alternate with trademark guitar workouts."[8]

Chuck Klosterman of Vulture.com ranked it the worst Van Halen song, saying that the band's decision to release the song as the first single of the Sammy Hagar era was "the worst decision the band ever made," but said it was not his least favorite Van Halen song to listen to.[9]

Live performances and in popular culture

During the 5150 and OU812 tours, Eddie Van Halen played the keyboard parts (using either a Kurzweil K250 or Yamaha KX88 connected by MIDI to an OB-8 backstage) while Hagar played the guitar parts and the solo. For the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and subsequent tours, Van Halen took over the guitar parts and the keyboards were played backstage. Starting during the 1995 Balance tour, Michael Anthony and Eddie Van Halen would sing the second verse of the song during live performances. They would continue to do this on both the 1998 and 2004 tours.

The song is often a source of humor since it contains the tautological lyrics Only time will tell if we stand the test of time. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph named this the eighth worst lyric of all time.[10]

Personnel

Charts

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Why Can't This Be Love"
Year-end chart (1986)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 33
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[12] 86
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 100
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[14] 69
West Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 51

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wilkening. Matthew. October 17, 2020. Underrated Van Halen: The Most Overlooked Song From Each Album. February 10, 2021. Ultimate Classic Rock.
  2. Web site: Best Van Halen '5150' Song – Readers' Poll. April 13, 2021. Ultimate Classic Rock.
  3. News: Kot. Greg. Greg Kot. September 3, 1991. It's the Guitarist Who Still Makes Van Halen Rock. Chicago Tribune. April 13, 2021.
  4. Web site: May 24, 2018. Did Van Halen Bite Off Too Much With 'OU812'?. April 11, 2021. Ultimate Classic Rock.
  5. Web site: Why Can't This Be Love by Van Halen. 14 March 2024.
  6. Web site: Why Can't This Be Love. American Songwriter. 14 March 2024.
  7. Single Releases. Cash Box. March 8, 1986. 2022-08-03. 9.
  8. Billboard. March 15, 1986. 2022-08-03. 101. Reviews.
  9. News: Klosterman . Chuck . All 131 Van Halen Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best A look back at the band's formidable legacy. . October 12, 2020 . . October 6, 2020.
  10. News: Worst lyric of all time: I'm serious as cancer, when I say rhythm is a dancer. Neate. Rupert. July 9, 2008. April 25, 2019. 0307-1235. The Telegraph.
  11. National Top 100 Singles for 1986. Kent Music Report. 650. December 1986. Imgur. January 24, 2023.
  12. European Hot 100 Singles – Hot 100 of the Year 1986 . . 3 . 51/52 . December 27, 1986 . 28 . 29800226 . World Radio History. April 11, 2022.
  13. January to December 1986: Top 100 Singles. Music Week. January 24, 1987. 26. April 11, 2022.
  14. December 27, 1986 . 1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles . Y-21 . Billboard . 98 . 52 . Nielsen Business Media . Inc .
  15. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1986. de. Offizielle Charts. April 11, 2022.