Is This Love by Whitesnake Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Ballad of Profound Yearning
Lyrics
Than to let you go alone
It’s times like these
I can’t make it on my own
Wasted days, and sleepless nights
An’ I can’t wait to see you again
I find I spend my time
Waiting on your call
How can I tell you, babe
My back’s against the wall
I need you by my side
To tell me it’s alright
‘Cause I don’t think I can take anymore
Is this love that I’m feeling
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
This must be love
‘Cause it’s really got a hold on me
A hold on me
I can’t stop the feeling
I’ve been this way before
But, with you I’ve found the key
To open any door
I can feel my love for you
Growing stronger day by day
An’ I can’t wait too see you again
So I can hold you in my arms
Is this love that I’m feeling
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
This must be love
‘Cause it’s really got a hold on me
A hold on me
Is this love that I’m feeling
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
Is this the love that I’ve been searching for
Amidst the hair-sprayed and leather-clad era of the ’80s, a chorus that resonated with the raw emotions of love and longing emerged from the band Whitesnake. The song ‘Is This Love’ struck a chord within the hearts of listeners, climbing the charts with its power ballad potency. Beneath the surface of its anthemic vibe, lies a tapestry of vulnerability and introspection that continues to capture the souls of those entangled in the throes of passion.
While the track has been spun a thousand times on rock stations across the globe, delving into the depth of its lyrics reveals a complex narrative of affection, doubt, and desire. It’s the kind of song that demands a deeper look beyond the electrifying guitar solos and David Coverdale’s passionate vocals – it calls for an exploration into the heart of what it truly means to question the essence of love.
The Longing in the Silence: Echoes of the Heart’s Desire
Right off the bat, the opening verse of ‘Is This Love’ puts us into the solitary world of a lover left in the wake of absence. There’s an immediate sense of regret, the kind that gnaws at one’s psyche for letting their beloved ‘go alone’. It sets the tone of the song as one not just of love, but of realization – the protagonist is confronting their vulnerability, recognizing the weight of loneliness and the ‘wasted days, and sleepless nights’.
This stark introduction of self-awareness offers a universal relatability. It taps into a sentiment that many have felt, but few dare to voice. The courage to lay bare such a confession in lyrical form underscores the human condition – the intrinsic need for companionship and the subsequent void that its absence creates.
A Portrait of Patience and Pain
As the song progresses, it paints a picture of yearning, almost a state of limbo where time is spent ‘waiting on your call’. It’s a statement that mirrors the excruciating reality of waiting for a loved one’s voice. The protagonist admits to being backed into a corner, bleeding the eagerness to reunite and rekindle the embers of warmth that can only be ignited by the beloved’s presence.
It’s a relatable plight; the dependency that blossoms in love can often transform into a paralytic hope. This occupancy of the in-between, the not-here-not-gone, speaks volumes about the emotional tightrope one walks when entangled in love’s unpredictable web.
The Quintessential Question: Reality or Illusion?
The song’s central refrain, ‘Is this love that I’m feeling’, is more than just a catchy hook – it’s an existential pondering that has etched its place in the annals of rock history. It encapsulates the confusion and self-doubt that arises when one experiences something as overwhelming and all-consuming as love. The question propels the listener into a state of introspection, challenging the nature of their own relationships and feelings.
The juxtaposition of love and dreaming in the lyrics brings forth the surreal aspect of profound affection. To love is to be vulnerable, and to be vulnerable sometimes feels akin to dreaming – a break from reality that holds both beauty and terror in its folds.
Amidst the Turmoil, a Key to Liberation
The lyrics take a turn towards hope when the protagonist sings about finding ‘the key to open any door’. It’s a metaphor for the empowerment love brings; a way out of the confusion, frustration, and chaos that our protagonist has been feeling. This line captures the redemptive power of love – and how the right person can unlock aspects of ourselves and our lives that we never thought possible.
Yet, this revelation is delicately balanced with the knowledge that love is still a force that has ‘really got a hold on me’. This articulates love’s duality; it is both freeing and binding, a key and a chain, and it’s this complexity that resonates with anyone who has ever been caught in its bittersweet grasp.
Unveiling the Hidden Depths
In the repetition of the chorus, there’s a hidden meaning that unveils itself – the persistence of love’s inquiry. As Coverdale croons the title question again and again, it becomes clear that the song is more than a simple serenade; it’s a meditation on the cyclical nature of love, how it ebbs and flows, and how questioning it can sometimes be the only way to truly understand its grip on our souls.
To listen to ‘Is This Love’ is to engage in a love’s labyrinth, to recognize oneself in the repeated pleas for clarity and assurance. With each verse and bridge, Whitesnake invites the listener to peel back the layers of their own stories, to find solace in the commonality of love’s trials and tribulations.
