🎵 Van Halen - Why Can’t This Be Love REACTION

[@steelehere1]

Since you jumped into the Van Hager era, you should check out Right Now and Dreams. They compliment this song well. All totally different than the DLR era of Van Halen.

[@carlgibbons5777]

They did Dreams 4 months ago. Not sure why they are so surprised by this synth sound. lol

[@twenty3enigma]

For Right Now, watch the original video -- there's a lot of cool facts that come up on screen -- a huge exercise in fast reading -- but worth it.

[@TheDeadStretch]

I'll never get the "Van Hager" name. They weren't Van Lee Roth when David was the singer. Both brothers are still in the band.lmao

[@thereaper89]

But watch the actual videos.

[@voltakackackack666]

@@twenty3enigma damn i missed dreams!? This and that are my favorite Van Hagar songs.

[@karlsmith2570]

This song was the first single that Van Halen released with Sammy Hagar as their lead vocalist Bringing Sammy in as lead vocalist added a new element to Van Halen's music considering that Sammy is a guitarist himself, which he played guitar on the song "Love Comes Walking In" while Eddie played the keyboards on the same track

[@jonbaggett2773]

One of the other things Sammy brought was it allowed Eddie and Michael to tune to standard A tuning. They always tuned down half a step with DLR but with Sammy they could bring it back up. That is why Van Hagar sounds a bit brighter, they are up a half step. Sorry for the guitar nerd comment! HAHA!

[@maluorno]

the rogan interviews with sammy and dave (separate interviews) give an insight into the dynamics of the band.

[@armynurseboy]

@@jonbaggett2773 Sammy also was just a better all around vocalist than Dave. He was able to sing things Dave simply didn't have the ability to do. That gave Eddie a wider musical palate to work with.

[@chevy383jt]

Van Hagar sucks

[@fasteddie777666]

I thought this was VAN HAGAR....not VAN HELEN

[@synen]

Van Halen was so amazing, they redefined themselves with a new lead singer and new style of music which was equally as amazing, I will never be able to choose among both eras. RIP Eddie godly Van Halen !

[@michaeloesterle6652]

People hate on this version of Van Halen but some of Eddie’s best playing is on this album. The title song solo is like a different song entirely and great.

[@drudi1234]

funny that so many clam they hate it but the 12 plus shows i saw of this version were all sold out. People loved it more than hated it

[@RSpracticalshooting]

People hate on them yet this was the era of Van Halen that sold the most albums and had the most hits.

[@Skulllywag]

@@RSpracticalshooting A common myth started by Sammy himself. Roth era Van Halen sold 57 albums million worldwide , while the Sammy era sold 27 million albums worldwide. The largest selling Roth Era album was 1984 with 17 million, the largest Hagar era album was 5150 at 11 million. Currently Spotify lists the top 10 streamed Van Halen tracks as having 8 Roth era, and 2 Hagar era songs. Any way you slice it....Roth era sold more, and STILL sells more. Much more. Did the Hagar era have more top ten hits? Yes, but you have to remember they occurred in the mid/late eighties when many "one hit wonders" also had top 10 hits....which does not equate to more album sales.

[@TheLxhorta]

Sammy came at the right time, with Sammy they band found a new spirit and they got better as musicians and new sound , not better or worst just a new sound that worked good.! glad Sammy came in the picture, VH was getting stagnant ..!

[@davehughesfarm7983]

I love this Van Halen...

[@blaked2893]

The production on this song is flawless. It’s so incredibly tight and well done.

[@funkster007]

This is THE song that takes me right back to graduation in '86. I wore the cassette out in my walkman lol. Those weird sounds are Eddie playing a synth. But he is playing guitar on the track too, plus the solo.

[@johnsmith2046]

We Gen X'ers played the stuffing out of this tape. I miss my '80's!

[@evilfantasy69]

Yes it just screams summertime and the feeling of being free to me. I saw them on this tour. Great times.

[@johnsmith2046]

@@evilfantasy69 , glad you got to see them then. I saw them in 1991 on the *UCK tour.

[@Wilco1972]

Think I listened to my cassette of this everyday after school my eighth grade year.

[@johnsmith2046]

@@Wilco1972 , it's that good! This came out when I was in sixth grade. Sammy and Van Halen each were already big stars. Getting together, they made some great music!

[@frankrizzo4460]

Yes High School days for me..miss those times so much.

[@Hoscitt]

'Is it a guitar, a synth, a talkbox?' Yes. 😄

[@jamesmorrison959]

Eddie plays keyboards also .The sammy band was different but great

[@stevevar43]

"The song is driven by bouncy lead keyboard work from Eddie Van Halen performed on an Oberheim OB-8 Synthesizer."

[@MrManfly]

Yes! That sound is indeed a synthesizer and guitarist Eddie is playing it !!

[@richard_n]

This song is why David Lee Roth left the band. He didn't want to go in the direction of more keyboards and synth sounds. A lot of people think Sammy Hagar brought that, but it was all Eddie wanting to evolve the sound of the band.

[@pulsarlights2825]

Yes because Roth solo was so heavy, "Just Gigolo", "Just Like Paradise", "Going Crazy" lol

[@scottlaughlin9897]

@@pulsarlights2825 you forgot sensible shoes and ladies night in Buffalo 🤣🤣🤣

[@pulsarlights2825]

@@scottlaughlin9897 Roth's career was basically over by 1990, he was working as an EMT...maybe he should have just done what Eddie wanted....

[@davehughesfarm7983]

@@pulsarlights2825 LOL

[@stighaaland5357]

@@pulsarlights2825 Eat them and smile and Skyscraper was way better than Van Hagar.

[@blizzardofodds4220]

That's definitely a synthesizer which is actually played by Eddie Van Halen who actually played the piano in his early teens way before he played the guitar. The funny thing to me when Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen I think they became more pop like than rock. They have alot more synthesizers in they're songs than the guitar. I like Sammy in his early years and he was a rocker but the two joined together we softer more pop sounding.

[@_LVC]

I still remember seeing Eddie playing keyboard in the Jump video and thinking well this is the end of van Halen as we know it 🤓

[@armynurseboy]

Lots of synthesizer in 5150 because Eddie was experimenting with sounds and Sammy wasn't adverse to it. If you notice there was less synth in the following albums. Eddie likely got it out of his system.

[@Hornsfan64]

I think their “poppy” sound started with Diver Down when DLR was still holding the mic.

[@assog5737]

Pop? What the hell you shooting. Cause your definitely doing more than smoking. Pop, shit. Boy George is pop. Come on man.

[@sporkfindus4777]

@@assog5737 Not all pop is not shit. When Miles Davis wants to collaborate with Green Gartside, pop is not always shit.

[@samfriendsyt1353]

I'm glad you checked out my favorite band, they're legends. RIP Eddie. Van Halen never dissapoints so you might like them :)

[@markherring3513]

VH 3 would like a word with you.

[@drudi1234]

@@markherring3513 eddie played the drums,bass and guitar on that album. he was such a mess.

[@jwest3872]

The way I personally look at it is the David Lee Roth era is the young party years. Then when Sammy came along and took over lead they became the grown up adult version of Van Halen. I love both era's equally.

[@johndillon1299]

Dave or Sammy, love them both.

[@ronduckett5017]

The best thing about this song is when DLR was doing some interview he was asked what he thought about this song. In the perfect Diamond Dave way he simply replied, "Why can't this be rock!" CLASSIC DAVE!!!

[@andrewkubat1506]

New Lead Singer Sammy Hagar also played guitar

[@dmgallibond469]

Nice bit of trivia for you guys on this one. 5150 (the album) was the first album after Van Halen replaced the original lead singer, David Lee Roth, left the band. "Why Can't This Be Love?" was the first single released with the new lead singer, Sammy Hagar. Yes, this song has the sound of "young love" in the sense of people falling for each other and anticipating or hoping or expecting that it will turn into a lasting relationship. There's also a sense of this new iteration of the band "falling in love" in a musical sense with each other, as Sammy Hagar starts to find his role in this band and as the other musicians (Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony) all get used to him as a part of the band. So I think the song's title can apply both to the "boy meets girl" stages of a new relationship, but it can also apply to the "singer meets band" stages of a new musical relationship.

[@davehughesfarm7983]

Sammy and MIchael Anthony sang so good together and had so much fum on stage,,,

[@TheDeadStretch]

The sound behind the Guitar is an Oberheim OB-Xa Analog Synthesizer. The in and out sound is a "Tremolo" effect mixed in with an LFO (Low-frequency oscillation) filter.

[@todvball]

Brad got it with the lyric interpretation!! It's that youthful hope of love when one half of the party feels love ~ and the other half sees it another way... that slight frustration when "the pieces don't fit the puzzle" .

[@donaldwhitt689]

Eddie could play anything. He was an award winning pianist as a child. Just going back to his roots.

[@teddyjackson1902]

It’s that tinge of desperation when you’re excited and falling for someone. You can sense the future you never thought you’d have just over the horizon.

[@korndogz69]

The sound you're hearing is a keyboard synthesizer, and Eddie is playing it. The solo in the middle of the song is guitar with a keyboard synth behind it. There are guitar synthesizers (I have one myself, it's a BOSS stomp pedal), but they didn't exist in 1986. This album isn't the first where Eddie played with synthesizer sounds. "One Foot Out the Door" from the Fair Warning album was the first, and they've had at least 1 song with synthesizers on every album since (Dancing in the Street on Diver Down, 1984, Jump, and I'll Wait on 1984, etc.).

[@ps5392]

I believe guitar synthesizers did exist in 1986 because Glenn Tipton and KK Downing used them on Judas Priest’s album Turbo, which came out in 1986. So they must have existed.

[@timmarshall2491]

The Roland GR-500 came out in 1977.

[@korndogz69]

@@ps5392 Yep! You're right!

[@amysson5151]

There’s not a bad song on the album. Such a feel-good happy-in-the-sunshine good time record. Can spin it from first to last cut and not have to skip a tune. Feels like summer...sounds like love...tastes like dreams. The only VH album I still put on to this day.

[@electric--blue]

one of van halens best ballad songs,,,love the reaction.

[@BillGraper]

Next up from Van Halen: "When It's Love." It's a little more ballad-y than this song. I love the sound Sammy Hagar brought to the band. He could still rock, but he gave them a sensitive side as well.

[@robertmillar8246]

Personally my favorite Van Halen song of all of their music. Finish What Ya Started is great as well. I liked the Sammy stuff, artistically I liked the music arrangements.

[@omicron2018]

I'd add "Not Enough" to that mix.

[@miguelangelback2047]

and, Love Walks In song, yeeeeeeeeeah!

[@philipf4168]

Now this is my music. Back in my younger years I would be headed for my volleyball league jammin to Van Halen on a hot summer night and have my best night. Rock, a hot night and volleyball, priceless!!

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

This is when Edward became "Synth-Curious" and started identifying as a "Keyboard Player" and his pronouns were Liberace/Elton

[@ShootYourRadio]

This Van Halen was the soundtrack of the 90's. Helped shape the atmosphere. Reminds me of summers at the pool. Playing baseball and basketball. Running around town trying to find things to do. Man....Youth really is wasted on the young.

[@pompanomark2024]

One of the best by Van Hagar - RIP Eddie

[@suzylund7859]

Love both Van Halen front men!!! Love both styles, super talented group. RIP Eddie

[@neilsmith9066]

Just saw Sammy with The Circle!!!!! Magnificent Show!!!! Go see him 73 and still sounds just like this!!!! 15000 people there!!

[@TheRustyGuitarist]

Roth or Hagar... I love both eras of Van Halen!! My goodness, so many amazing songs!! You're both right BTW, the main musical part is a Synth "riff" Eddie wrote on an Oberheim synthesizer and recorded with alot of Effects to give it that gritty almost guitar sound!! You guys should react to a Gary Cherone Era Van Halen song! The former singer of Extreme, I think he only did a one or two records with Van Halen. Wasn't greatly received commercially or critically, people felt he didn't live to to the VH legacy, but I thought it was cool.

[@wen-nz3sk]

Brad and me have same thoughts on this one. 👊🏽 Could not wait for Lex to find out about Eddie's skills!! 🎸🎹 Sammy was a big change for them, us, but I love VH anyway all ways!!!!! ❤ Missing Ed big time!! 🥺

[@wesdog8975]

I used up a lot of D Cell batteries playing this album on cassette tape in my portable boom box.

[@Tmac327]

This was such a pivotal song for Van Halen. The first one Van Halen did with Sammy as their new singer and sort of showed a little softer side but they still kept their banger Van Halen sound and energy!!! Wow, what a fun year it was!

[@scottbuono2507]

Great choice guys! Nice! 👏🏼 “Best of both worlds” and “Love walks in” are other really good tracks from this album..this was the first with Sammy instead of Dave and we were all set to hate it because we loved Dave but then it finally came out and we had no choice it sounded really good so we had to like it..matter of fact I think they ended up with just as many hit songs with Sammy as they did Dave..they did it the right way they replaced Dave with someone who was also talented and entertaining so there wasn’t any real drop off in performance..different style though Eddie’s guitar wasn’t as heavy anymore and he mixed in a lot more synthesizer which gave them a more radio friendly sound..actually “I’ll wait” is a great track on the last album with Dave that’s very synthesizer heavy so that kinda shows the direction they were looking to go in..they did become really commercial though friggin MTV Spring Break and s**t but looking back now no they weren’t hard rock anymore but they were still very good and great live too I saw them a bunch of times..channel sounds great as always guy’s thank you!👍🏼

[@DeddyShack]

If y'all enjoyed Sammy's vocals I'd suggest some solo Sammy. Anything from the album Standing Hampton but particularly "I'll fall in love again " or "Heavy Metal ". Keep up the good work!

[@skeebo8628]

I’d add There’s Only 1 Way To Rock

[@DeddyShack]

@@skeebo8628 no doubt! That one slipped this old brain when I posted 👍

[@allenwhitmer8192]

Three Lock Box

[@kevinmarshall854]

Eddie was a great piano player for before he ever picked up a guitar. Both him and his brother Alex won multiple piano competitions. He added in the synthesizer to the songs to add another level to the enjoyment of the song.

[@jerrykeck1494]

There aren't too many bands that can change vocalists and put out number one album's. VAN HAGAR happens to be one this whole album rocks😈🤘

[@astro2691]

AC/DC too.

[@babylonkid]

Sammy has such a great voice. I love Van Halen. Both Sammy and Dave. 5150 might be my fav Van Halen album.

[@richardgonzales4815]

VAN HAGAR ROCKS, MAN!!!

[@jarrodtorries1905]

Saw them in 86 in Biloxi Mississippi and there was a power surge in the coliseum in the middle of this song. Lasted about 5 seconds. This band never missed a beat. Awesome concert.

[@warrennicholsony.fernando4513]

It may not be as flashy as DLR, but Sammy gave it a more mature sound.

[@Trifler500]

This was played so much in the 90's that I thought it was a 90's song. :)

[@ploppy9943]

Eddie and his brother Alex grew up studying classical piano. This was Eddie on synth. When they did this song live Eddie was on synth and Sammy Hagar played guitar. I saw this tour live in Rockford, Illinois in '86. This was the "Live Without a Net" tour. It was also the tour when Ed did his infamous Eruption video that everyone reacts to. It was my first hard rock concert and I still can't believe I witnessed Eddie at his peak!

[@Gashouse69]

Eddie and his brother Alex both started out on piano as kids. Eddie incorporated the synthesizer on the 1984 album, Dave's last Album as lead vocalist. In steps Sammy and 5150 was VH's first release with a new singer and the synthesizer was used heavily again on this album.

[@toddbollinger3902]

I was at that concert back in 1986!

[@DivaInTheWoods]

My preference was VH with DLR and hearing all my rock/metal head friends rag on Sammy joining the band, I felt guilty about liking this sound. But I absolutely LOVED this track...and many others with Hagar. They were definitely 2 different flavors, but as a person who just loves music as long as it makes me feel good. I allowed myself permission to love both. 😁

[@lewellyncrunkmeyer1512]

Art is subjective. No one's opinion makes it good or bad. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I'm with you, Sammy brought something different with many good songs also.

[@greeneyesinfl9954]

The song Dreams is from this album there is a really cool video with the Blue Angels for that. Right Now is another great one from this album.

[@j4wn]

It is both Guitar and Synths mixed together very cleverly.

[@MrBngwatson]

I love this song this song is so great!

[@chemtrooper]

This tune sounds like an opening for a 80’s sitcom.

[@donnswaby369]

Brad and Lex, love you guys! My fav reaction couple! I am a brother from NYC who fell in love w/ VH music when I was 14 in the mid 80's and was inspired to play guitar b/c of Eddie. Seen them play 8 times and met Eddie out in public 4 times. I LOVE that you've been digging into VH music, both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar eras. I have 4 songs to strongly recommend to do reactions to: 1) CABO WABO (Eddie's shimmery guitar tone, Sammy's singing, the harmonies, this song is one of my top 3 VH songs ever! 2) AMSTERDAM -killer guitar riffs, fun song about weed 3) SOURCE OF INFECTION - Sammy's vocals in this are sick! And Eddie tears it up on guitar. 4) BIG PHAT MONEY - just pure high energy fun! Trust me, you will LOVE these VH songs!

[@keithwilkes2694]

Ahhhh, the Van Hagar years.😁 This is after David Lee Roth and was Sammy Hagar as lead singer, who is also an great guitarist himself. That allowed Eddie to play keyboard while Sammy took lead on guitar. It worked great and they had a lot of hits.

[@armynurseboy]

The main riff was Eddie playing synth. What was funny was folks kept asking him how he managed to get a guitar to sound like a synth. He told them because it WAS a synth.

[@AlexHernandez-yb9rx]

This is probably my favorite VH song. ❤️ I always thought that was a guitar until I recently watched their video and Eddie was playing like a keyboard 🎹 synthesizer. RIP Eddie 💕

[@carmeloruiz6021]

Since Sammy Hagar took in replacing David Lee Roth as a lead singer, they sound different just because Sammy is also a good guitarrist. I think that the sounds you hear are pedal's effects. So they put together could create versality guitar sounds.

[@glassontherocks]

Its Van Halen not Van Hagar... -Joe Dirt

[@evilN.J.]

Sammy did not play guitar on the albums.

[@vinceruland9236]

Lots of keyboards.

[@armynurseboy]

They sounded a bit different because Sammy could sing stuff that Dave simply couldn't. That gave Eddie a bigger musical palate to work with.

[@fasteddie777666]

on the albums....Sammy was not allowed to record any guitars.....He wrote the lyrics and melodies...the music was all Eddie and Alex...

[@freedoms2010]

Everytime you two are noticing a diffrerent vibes with some bands, you always hwve to remember that bands had to evolve, but also, had to follow the evolution of music styles and trends. This song is a good example of that evolution.

[@voltakackackack666]

I love that Brad seemed to really enjoy this one.

[@Non-dual-mind1]

The distorted guitar is a box where you can use the shape of the inside of your mouth to change the shape of the played notes. It's called a "talkbox".

[@JohnDoe-zr8pc]

As a guy who was friend zoned A LOT in high school, this song really speaks to me. Lol.

[@9876babyboy]

This came out when I went to Expo 86 in Vancouver, best memories ever (especially when your 15🥰)

[@inphanta]

Great choice! This song brings back a particular childhood memory where I fist took the training wheels of my bike and learned to ride it on two wheels for the first time. I ran into the house excitedly to tell my parents as this song was playing on the TV. 😊😊😊

[@kdm71291]

That beginning portion was a synthesizer but in the middle there was a guitar solo with effects on it, too!

[@kimchi2780]

I was a kid when this song came out and was obsessed with it.

[@warriorpitbull1170]

That sound is a guitar loaded with effects. Not exactly sure of what effects he's using but it sounds like a 'phase distortion' or a 'cry-baby' with a 'chorus' and 'phase' or 'flanger'. Hard to tell - there are so many effects available out there. Guitarists spend lots of time on their sound - mixing effects and such to get exactly the effect they want.

[@armynurseboy]

That was actually Eddie playing his OB-8 synthesizer (and you can see him performing it live on the "Live Without a Net" concert vid). People thought it sounded like a synth, because it WAS a synth.

[@erikthompson619]

Finally! You're reacting to the GOOD Van Halen. About bloody time :-)

[@coodermo5263]

They made another great song, "So This Is Love", a great live video.

[@aikomyboy]

Best song with Sammy-"Humans Being" from the Twister soundtrack!

[@VintageReplay]

Eddie’s a amazing piano/keyboard player and actually started on the piano before picking up the guitar.

[@heatnationwpb]

Omg this takes me back to a very specific summer and group of friends

[@tonyhomant244]

This was the first single they released with Sammy in the band. I didn't know if I liked the sound on this song at first but I liked Hagar and it grew on me. And of course the rest of the album was great too.

[@gitouttamyway7611]

This is another one of those albums where almost every song is a hit. Y'alls just need to go down the list.

[@j0hnf_uk]

This invokes memories of the summer of '86, (along with a few others I can remember), that was played almost continuously for at least a few months. A bit of a departure from the usual sound, but it hit the spot back in the day.

[@greggburke7796]

Fans often refer to this as the Van Hagar years. They replaced David Lee Roth with Sammy Hagar, and it actually worked, although it completely chained the direction of the band. David Lee Roth was a showman and a quintessential frontman for a rock band. I think Eddie and he clashed a lot because Eddie was really the star. He wrote most of the music and was arguably the World's most talented rock guitarist. He won best rock guitarist an unprecedented 6 or 7 times in a row, and could play like nobody else. I think the Van Hagar years are very underappreciated. The must listen to songs are Dreams, Love Comes Walkin' In, Right Now, Blacks and Blue, Cabo Wabo, Summer Nights, When it's Love, Finish What you Started, & Feels So Good.

[@Boa_Omega]

it is either him or Randy Rhodes as best ever. Had Randy lived, who only knows what might have been? At the time it was THE big debate of the time.

[@showtime4243]

Time machine back to 1986 and being in Naval Nuclear Power school in Orlando ….keep those Van Halen Reactions coming !!

[@neil3467]

For what it was, pop/hard rock, Van Halen did it better than most in the 80's.

[@alackeyvideo]

Eddie ventured into the keyboards on the 1984 album and carried it further with future albums. Sammy Hagar brought a broader spectrum with his vocals and they were able to do more.

[@anthonypowell6234]

Guitar and keyboards all over this one. Jazzy, scat breakdown/solo section makes the song!

[@PaulineAH]

Eddie Van Halen was one of the greatest guitarests of all time. He could make the guitar sound like a piano, trumpet, voice, if he wanted to RIP.

[@davehughesfarm7983]

I have always loved this song..It kicks ass..

[@jamesmorrison959]

So many Van Halen hits

[@oldguitarguy7528]

Its a synth, AND a guitar. Love you guys love VH.

[@CharlieJ69]

The best concert I ever went to was the "Monsters of Rock" concert with Van Halen headlining at the Akron Rubber Bowl in like June 1988 and I went to a lot of concerts back in the day. Overall the line up was beyond amazing: Kingdom Come; Metallica; Dokken; Scorpions; Van Halen

[@slimsantilli4476]

I saw the show in Maine. Dokken was terrible. But man Metallica and Van Halen ruled

[@CharlieJ69]

@@slimsantilli4476 I have to be honest, I don't remember a thing regarding Dokken other than the fact they were there lol

[@vanessakilgore9891]

That's actually Sammy playing guitar and Eddie's doing keyboards, one of the few songs got to play on 😊

[@alienresearchlab]

There were doubters when David Lee Roth left and Sammy joined VH but when this album dropped, it proved VH are incredible musicians and Sammy was a great fit. One of my favorite songs to listen to on the way to work. Then I punch in and got no love. LOL.

[@chuckwhite3176]

In the second half of the eighties, a lot of bands were incorporating the synthesizer as a lead element and de-emphasizing lead guitar a bit. This song was VH's attempt to adapt a bit of their sound to that trend. Still enjoyable stuff.

[@timhoward4028]

Guys ! Please do "I'm the One" from their debut album ! It'll blow your mind. "Feel your love" as well. TRUST ME. 👍😁

[@timhoward4028]

@@scottmgso Huge fan. I know lots of things, Van Halen. That's my band !

[@monikabonatti1878]

I’m the one is a MUST, and also Right now with Hagar

[@timhoward4028]

@@scottmgso 4 times DLR solo, 2 times VH w/Wolf. Last one was 2015, I believe it was, in Oshkosh, WI at a big RockFest for one of their few US dates (they went to Japan & Oz that year) for their live album. Eddie cut his hand during his solo....kept playing right thru it with blood dripping off of it (there's KZbin video of it)

[@middlenameshane1978]

The way she looks at him at 2:07 she's a keeper

[@sumonjamal1653]

Eddie Van Halen played all the keyboards and guitar on this track (and album '5150')... The last album w/ David Lee Roth on vocals was '1984' and had a #1 single 'Jump' which was keyboard-oriented. But Roth did not like the direction of that record (or likely his lack of musical input), and when he heard the new music Eddie was coming up w/ which included more keyboards, he wasn't enthusiastic about it... Roth's lack of interest and poor live performances culminated in his solo covers EP 'Crazy from the heat' in 1985 - one he hoped would become a movie. At some point, Van Halen either fired Roth... or he bailed. Sammy Hagar's side of the story was, he got a call from Eddie Van Halen about auditioning for Van Halen... Hagar was thinking about leaving the music business, but decided to check them out. He went to Eddie's studio and Eddie played him the new music... he was immediately inspired to write melodies and lyrics and demoed the songs. When Hagar went home and listened to the demos, he was floored... he said 'yes' to joining Van Halen. Hagar said that Eddie was becoming more interested in playing keyboards on '5150' and was excellent at it... Eddie still put in his trademark guitars w/ effects, but the album was more commercial in direction... very synth-heavy (as was the next album 'OU812' in 1988) ... Unlike Roth, Hagar was much more supportive of Eddie Van Halen's experimentation.

[@tskwerl]

That's Eddie playing the synth and Sammy playing guitar (and singing). A lot of people didn't know Sammy was also a damned good guitarist too until they saw them live.

[@chrisnaumovski9056]

That was a synthesiser with guitar bits and licks recorded around the main riff of the keys.

[@AithlynC]

Broadly speaking, I really don't care much for Van Halen. But I've always digged this song.

[@nikolaimikhail7774]

Around the 3:00 mark you guys were talking about the lead instrument. That's actually a synthesizer, but don't worry; Eddie is still the one playing it :D

[@leonardonewtont5474]

Alex van Halen on drums, Michael Anthony on bass, Sammy Hagar on vocals and guitar, and Eddie van Halen on guitar, who in this song replaces his magnificent "Frankenstrat" ​​guitar with a synthesizer. Greetings guys from Chile. 😉👍

[@tlucas9798]

My favorite Vanhagar tune.

[@robtech341]

Love this song! Well, maybe I'm in heavy like with this song and every Van Hagar song. Terrific music, choruses, guitar, drums, and lyrics. Great uplifting messages and produced to the nines! Sammy is amazing, Edward, Alex and Michael etc.... That said, IMHO, the very best of Van Hagar is around # 20 or 21 of best Van Halen songs. The first 6 records by VH are the greatest 6 records of any Rock band in history. This version of VH is a terrific Pop band. But that's all. The early version could do pop, country, swing, doo-wap, metal, and face ripping riffs with a smile. There will never be another Van Halen 1 through Van Halen 1984 album collection even close. Cheers!

[@Quad038]

Only time will tell if we stand the test of time….. Sammy is a poet right in there with Shakespeare

[@daveclark7053]

Lex is really a rock chick, every rock review she gets into it with a big smile and some moves. AWESOME! Hot chicks and rock tunes are the best!!