Why Ca n't This Be Love - wikipedia Why Ca n't This Be Love This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2007 ) `` Why Ca n't This Be Love '' Single by Van Halen from the album 5150 B - side `` Get Up '' Released February 26, 1986 Format 7 '' 12 '' Recorded 1985 Length 3 : 47 Label Warner Bros. Songwriter ( s ) Eddie Van Halen Michael Anthony Sammy Hagar Alex Van Halen Producer ( s ) Mick Jones Donn Landee Eddie Van Halen MIchael Anthony Sammy Hagar Alex Van Halen Van Halen singles chronology `` Hot for Teacher '' ( 1984 ) `` Why Ca n't This Be Love '' ( 1986 ) `` Dreams '' ( 1986 ) `` Hot for Teacher '' ( 1984 ) `` Why Ca n't This Be Love '' ( 1986 ) `` Dreams '' ( 1986 ) Audio sample file help `` Why Ca n't This Be Love '' is a song by the American rock band Van Halen for their seventh studio album, 5150 ( 1986 ). The song was released as the lead single from 5150 on February 26, 1986 through Warner Bros. Records. It was the group 's first single with lead vocalist Sammy Hagar, who replaced founding member David Lee Roth. It was released on both 7 '' and 12 '' single formats, the 12 '' single featuring an extended version of the song. The song is driven by bouncy lead keyboard work from Eddie Van Halen performed on an Oberheim OB - 8. It was a hit single for the band, rising to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and helping 5150 reach the number one slot on the albums chart, a first for the band. It was also a top 10 hit in Germany and a top 20 single in the Netherlands and Sweden. Contents 1 Live performances and in popular culture 2 Personnel 3 Charts 4 References 5 External links Live performances and in popular culture During the 5150 and OU812 tours, Eddie Van Halen played the keyboard parts ( using either a Kurzweil K250 or Yamaha KX88 connected by MIDI to an OB - 8 backstage ) while Hagar played the guitar parts and the solo. Since the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge tour, Van Halen has taken over the guitar parts and the keyboards are played backstage. Starting during the 1995 Balance tour, Michael Anthony and Eddie Van Halen would sing the second verse of the song during live performances. They would continue to do this on both the 1998 and 2004 tours. The song was covered by Gigolo Aunts on Everybody Wants Some ! ( of Van Halen ), released in 1997 by CherryDisc Records ( Catalog Number : CH 5794 - 2 ). It was covered by Arab Strap on their EP The Shy Retirer and their self - released live album The Cunted Circus. In 2010, a two - part episode from the Canadian hit show Degrassi : The Next Generation was named after this song. The song is often a source of humor since it contains the tautological lyrics Only time will tell if we stand the test of time. The B - Side, `` Get Up '', was used by Japanese pro wrestler Mr. Pogo as his entrance theme music. During the Gulf War, the song was considered to be a favorite with American fighter pilots. 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 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 8 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 8 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 32 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 15 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 11 US Billboard Hot 100 US Top Rock Tracks ( Billboard ) References Jump up ^ OB - 8 patch `` Rock Unison '' Jump up ^ `` Arab Strap -- The Shy Retirer E.P. ( CD ) at Discogs ''. Discogs. Retrieved 23 November 2013. Jump up ^ `` Arab Strap -- The Cunted Circus ( CD, Album ) at Discogs ''. Discogs. Retrieved 23 November 2013. Jump up ^ http://everyplatewebreak.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bluepill/pop/159.html Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Van Halen -- Why Ca n't This Be Love ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 04, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Musicline.de -- Van Halen Single - Chartverfolgung '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved May 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Van Halen -- Why Ca n't This Be Love ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Van Halen -- Why Ca n't This Be Love '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Van Halen -- Why Ca n't This Be Love ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Van Halen Chart History ( Hot 100 ) '' Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Van Halen - Chart history ''. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2016. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Van Halen singles Van Halen `` You Really Got Me '' `` Runnin ' with the Devil '' `` Ai n't Talkin ' ' bout Love '' Van Halen II `` Dance the Night Away '' `` Beautiful Girls '' Women and Children First `` And the Cradle Will Rock... '' Fair Warning `` So This Is Love ? '' `` Unchained '' Diver Down `` ( Oh ) Pretty Woman '' `` Dancing in the Street '' `` Where Have All the Good Times Gone ! '' 1984 `` Jump '' `` I 'll Wait '' `` Panama '' `` Hot for Teacher '' 5150 `` Why Ca n't This Be Love '' `` Dreams '' `` Love Walks In '' OU812 `` When It 's Love '' `` Black and Blue '' `` Finish What Ya Started '' For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge `` Poundcake '' `` Runaround '' `` Top of the World '' `` Right Now '' Live : Right Here, Right Now `` Jump '' ( live ) `` Dreams '' ( live ) `` Wo n't Get Fooled Again '' ( live ) Balance `` Do n't Tell Me ( What Love Can Do ) '' `` Ca n't Stop Lovin ' You '' `` Amsterdam '' Twister soundtrack `` Humans Being '' Best Of -- Volume I `` Me Wise Magic '' `` Ca n't Get This Stuff No More '' Van Halen III `` Without You '' `` Fire in the Hole '' A Different Kind of Truth `` Tattoo '' `` She 's the Woman '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Why_Can%27t_This_Be_Love&oldid=809060727 '' Categories : 1986 singles Van Halen songs Billboard Mainstream Rock number - one singles Songs written by Eddie Van Halen Songs written by Alex Van Halen Songs written by Michael Anthony ( musician ) Songs written by Sammy Hagar Warner Bros. Records singles Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from August 2007 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Germany Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Italiano Nederlands Português Русский Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 6 November 2017, at 22 : 12. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote why can't this be love
Answer: Eddie Van Halen