Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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
And I can't recall any love at all
Baby this blows 'em all away
It's got what it takes
So tell me why can't this be love?
Straight from my heart
Oh, tell me why can't this be love?
I tell myself
Hey only fools rush in and only time will tell
If we stand the test of time
All I know
You've got to run to win and I'll be damned if
I'll get hung up on the line
Hey
No I can't recall anything at all
Oh baby this blows them all away
Woo
It's got what it takes
So tell me why can't this be love?
You want it straight from the heart
Oh tell me why can't this be love?
It's got what it takes
So tell me why can't this be love?
Straight from my heart
Oh, tell me why can't this be love?
Baby why can't this be love
Got to know why can't this be love
I wanna know why can't this be love
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
And I can't recall any love at all
Baby this blows 'em all away
It's got what it takes
So tell me why can't this be love?
Straight from my heart
Oh, tell me why can't this be love?
I tell myself
Hey only fools rush in and only time will tell
If we stand the test of time
All I know
You've got to run to win and I'll be damned if
I'll get hung up on the line
Hey
No I can't recall anything at all
Oh baby this blows them all away
Woo
It's got what it takes
So tell me why can't this be love?
You want it straight from the heart
Oh tell me why can't this be love?
It's got what it takes
So tell me why can't this be love?
Straight from my heart
Oh, tell me why can't this be love?
Baby why can't this be love
Got to know why can't this be love
I wanna know why can't this be love
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Why Can't This Be Love Lyrics as written by Edward Van Halen Alex Van Halen
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
umm... hmm, yeah, uh, hi. ledskynyrd, uhm, hmm, how should i say this.... SAMMY HAGAR KICKS A$$! as good as david lee roth, if not better, in my eyes anyway. you are however entitled to your own awkward opinion. 5150 = best van halen album.
personally i think this is a song about loving someone who doesn't love you back even though the two go along very well. the lyrics are a bit ambiguous, but i think that's what comes out of it the most clearly.
also i didn't notice it was sammy hagar the first time i heard. come on guys, if you want to argue about band members do it somewhere else, this is a lyric meaning site.
Such a great song, can't believe no one has commented on it yet. This is truly a summer tune, one to rock down with whilst havin some beers
Mmmhmm.. yeah about that? Sammy Hagar does definitely not suck and you should be ashamed of yourself for stating such words, especially on a lyrics page for a song in which Sammy does lead vocals. Classy.
Anyway, this is such a great song and is so true <3
One of NH's best songs, with brilliant use of keyboards to compliment the riff, brilliant stuff
I like Sammy Hagar's era. I think it should be looked at in a separate context than the Roth era. However, there is something about using the word 'classy' to describe Van Halen that makes me want to cringe. It just doesn't seem right...
Amen. "Classy" just doesn't describe it. Roth, especially, had little class...but what big hair he had!
AWESOME is pretty much the only word capable of describing this song...
by ledskynyrd on 10-05-2004 @ 08:20:34 PM
I'll tell you why their are only 2 comments on this page. SAMMY HAGAR SUCKS. End of story. thank you
hate.
this song is brilliant, and i completely understand why the person who put up the lyrics felt the need to use caps lock. listen to the song and you'll understand. the guitar solo blows me away...
ledskynyrd You have no friends anymore. You're going to die a h orrible painful tourturing SLOW death. ALONE! NO! This will be at a Sammy Hagar and the only people that will bethere are the 6 people that commented after you, the one person that commented before you and myself...AND WE WILL ALL BE LAUGHING AT YOU! If anyone else out there loves Sammy Sexy Hagar...then feel free to join us.
Imagine Nicky and Alix