Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)

Alex Van Halen: The (songs are) actually written in two pieces; first the music by itself. If it holds up as a song, then you have a damn good basis to put lyrics over. Sammy walks in, and 9 times out of 10 - if not 99 out of 100 - his first reaction to it, what comes out of his mouth as he kind of scat sings along with it, generally ends up being the song.

With this record, we spent a little more time asking Sammy to re-write stuff. Like, 'Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)' was originally 'What Love Can Do.' The whole slant of the song was one of universal love - that it can cure all and fix all, and the planet will be all right. Well, you hear so many people talking about it. I don't wanna hear it. Show me. I'm sick and tired of people telling me this shit. Then again, that's not the focus of the record, it's just one song. In it, we're saying 'Don't tell me this shit,' but (sequenced) right before this is a song called 'Can't Stop Loving You'.

Alex Van Halen: Balance is a slice of our life. We hope it does to you what it did to us when we listened back to the record. I think one of the criteria whether (or not) you think it's a good record is 'Are you still moved by it?' Balance does it for me. My favorite song on the record is 'Don't Tell Me.' You crank it up in the fucking car and you can't help but start to drive faster. It moves me and I still don't know all the lyrics.

I concur. The song appears to be a skeptic/freethinker's answer to religious proselytizing (specifically Christian, but it's applicable to all evangelizing religions) and to religious conservatives in general. I can relate; this very much describes my feelings about the religious community that I grew up in, though it's less bitter and resentful...

the song about them saying what love can't do in a relationship on the people who are in the relationship can do it.

I have been so disillusioned about the idea of a true love since this time last year...and this song just seems to fit my views. Love maybe an ultimate thing, but its a two-edged sword...especially if one person in the romance is more invested than the other...I have been there, this time last year...I was all in, but she was acting free, so after being off and on for 6 months...I finally said screw it...this ain't working.

I like the Alex insight/interpretations.

I saw an interview with Sammy Hagar and he was saying this was coming from his pain from Kurt Cobain's suicide.

Listening through that lens makes the lyrics all the more clear. Kurt knew he had all this influence, power, etc., but had a lot of esteem issues that haunted him. He turned inward. so instead of listening to friends and those who loved him, he turned to drugs (heroin) and eventually suicide (by shotgun). Don't tell me what love can do.

I can't say much about the lyrics being attributed to Eddie and Alex. But remember there was a huge rift by that time between the bros and Sammy.

I love the song. Big VH fan. But I dare say Eddie seems to be phoning it in? He's way better than these licks, but since it's Eddie it still works (and way better than in most other hands).