Why Can't This Be Love
"Why Can't This Be Love" | ||||
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Single by Van Halen | ||||
from the album 5150 | ||||
B-side | "Get Up" | |||
Released | March 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1985–1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:47 / 5:00 (extended version) | |||
Warner Bros. | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Van Halen singles chronology | ||||
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"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 100and 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 continue on centered around 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
Chuck Klosterman of
Live performances and in popular culture
During the 5150 and
The song is often a source of humor since it contains the
Personnel
- Sammy Hagar – lead vocals
- Eddie Van Halen – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Michael Anthony – bass, backing vocals
- Alex Van Halen – drums, backing vocals
Charts
Chart (1986–1987) | Peak |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] | 8 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] | 13 |
Ireland (IRMA)[13] | 8 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] | 32 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] | 16 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] | 15 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] | 11 |
8 | |
US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 3 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] | 1 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[21] | 8 |
Year-end charts
Year-end chart (1986) | Rank |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[22] | 33 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[23] | 86 |
UK Singles (OCC)[24] | 100 |
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[25] | 69 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[26] | 51 |
References
- ^ Wilkening, Matthew (October 17, 2020). "Underrated Van Halen: The Most Overlooked Song From Each Album". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- ^ "Best Van Halen '5150' Song – Readers' Poll". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ Kot, Greg (September 3, 1991). "It's the Guitarist Who Still Makes Van Halen Rock". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ "Did Van Halen Bite Off Too Much With 'OU812'?". Ultimate Classic Rock. May 24, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
- ^ "Why Can't This Be Love by Van Halen" (PDF). Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Why Can't This Be Love". American Songwriter. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. March 8, 1986. p. 9. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ "Reviews". Billboard. March 15, 1986. p. 101. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- Vulture.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0664." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Why Can't This Be Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ^ "Van Halen – Why Can't This Be Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Van Halen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ "Van Halen – Why Can't This Be Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ "Van Halen – Why Can't This Be Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- ^ "Van Halen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ "Van Halen Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Van Halen – Why Can't This Be Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
- ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report. No. 650. December 1986. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Imgur.
- OCLC 29800226. Retrieved April 11, 2022 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "January to December 1986: Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 24, 1987. p. 26. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
- ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 27, 1986). "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. p. Y-21.
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1986". Offizielle Charts (in German). Retrieved April 11, 2022.