“Why Can’t This Be Love” by Van Halen

As noted in the trivia section, this is the first Van Halen single in which the band’s original lead singer, David Lee Roth, was not involved. Roth was known as a sex addict so to speak, and many of the Van Halen tracks dropped under his reign reflected that lifestyle. But on this particular tune, with Sammy Hagar at the helm, the group takes a more-compassionate approach to romance. In fact there are no direct references to sexual activity anywhere in the lyrics, despite the addressee being a romantic interest.

Rather, the singer is under the impression that he’s falling in love. It can be said that he is a bit doubtful. But as the title suggests, he is leaning towards labeling the feelings he has for the addressee as true smittenness.

As such, even though he may not be totally and completely sure, at the same time he’s not going to play himself by letting the opportunity pass him by. Instead he is convinced enough to express these emotions to the addressee and to make her his own. Or looked at alternatively, he wants her too to acknowledge that the feelings they have for each other are indeed real.

Facts about “Why Can’t This Be Love”

This is the lead single from Van Halen’s album “5150”. It came out via Warner Bros. Records on 24 March 1986. And it marks the first single that Van Halen released with Sammy Hagar, who replaced Roth in the band, serving as lead vocalist.

As is Van Halen tradition, all of the members of the band are credited as writers of the song. At that particular time they were Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen. And the producers of the track are Donn Landee and Mick Jones, the latter being affiliated with the rock band Foreigner.

This song proved to be a notable hit for Van Halen. It topped Billboard’s Top Rock Tracks and reached as high as number three on the Hot 100. And it also broke the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart and charted in a handful of other countries.

Van Halen are inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They were enshrined in 2007, and the only band members to attend the ceremony were Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony. And as part of the show, Hagar sang “Why Can’t This Be Love?”, backed by instrumentalists belonging to the band of Canadian singer Paul Shaffer.