Oh, Van Halen, 
you guys sang so many damn good songs. At the time I didn’t really think about it, but an awful lot of these were love songs, which thinking back on it, I never really pegged you guys for love song kinda guys, you know? You were all rock and roll, so sensitive love songs questioning matters of the heart didn’t really seem overtly part of your oeuvre, but they really kinda were, weren’t they? To be fair, these were Van Halen love songs, so they definitely still rocked, and maybe having Sammy screeching out the lyrics helped temper the gushiness, but they were love songs all the same.
But you know my favorite part of this song, Van Halen? It’s the opening. It’s one of the best openings of any song I’ve ever listened to. With that drum beat followed by that big maw of a guitar, every time I listen to it it sounds like it’s a helicopter coming in for a landing, but not just any helicopter, but a helicopter fueled on rock and roll, and not just any rock and roll, but Van Halen rock and roll, meaning it’s pretty much the most awesome helicopter ride ever.
Come to think of it, Van Halen, we’ve spent so many years talking about fossil fuels and solar energy and global warming, maybe it’s time we started focusing on running our vehicles and appliances on Van Halen. As long as we’ve got records and tapes and CDs and ipods and whatever else is the next big thing the size of your fingernail that can play your music, you guys are basically a renewable resource. How awesome would it be if when I stopped to fill my car up, instead of it saying “Contains 10% ethanol” it says “Contains 100% Van Halen”. Do you have any idea how many mpg’s you can get on one tank of Van Halen? Enough to drive to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, at least, and I live a long way from Cleveland.
“Why Can’t This Be Love”
Whoa, here it comes
That funny feelin’ again
Windin’ 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
Hey!
And I can’t recall
Any love at all
Ah, 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
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 ’em 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?
Da da, da da, da da da da da
Da da, da da, da da da da
Da da, da da, da da da da da
Da da-da doo
<awesome Van Halen jam>
Da da, da da, da da da da da
Da da, da da, da da da da
Da da, da da, da da da da da
Da da-da doo
Woo!
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?
Mixed Tape Masterpiece 