Sammy Hagar has never been shy about praising the music he helped create during his decade-long run with Van Halen. But there’s one song in particular that pushes the Red Rocker to his absolute limits, so much so that he once admitted he “thanked God” every time he made it through it. That song is “When It’s Love,” the soaring, emotionally charged anthem from OU812 that became one of the band’s defining hits of the late ’80s.
A Vocal Everest
Hagar has often said that “When It’s Love” is one of the hardest songs he has ever sung. While he was no stranger to demanding vocal lines, think “5150,” “Dreams,” or “Why Can’t This Be Love”, this track presented a unique challenge. The song’s melody sits right at the top of his range, sustaining long, powerful notes that require both precision and stamina.
He once joked that during the Van Halen tours of the late ’80s and early ’90s, he would pray before the song began, and thank God once the final note rang out, because of how unforgiving it was on the voice night after night. “Never felt so hard to sing,” he said, acknowledging that even after decades of pushing his voice to the edge, this song remained a mountain.
A Testament To The Van Halen/Hagar Chemistry
Part of what makes “When It’s Love” so taxing is also what makes it magical. Eddie Van Halen’s chord progression is both uplifting and haunting, moving between tender verse melodies and massive, stadium-sized choruses. Hagar didn’t just have to hit the notes, he had to deliver them with emotional weight.
In many ways, the song embodies the best of the Van Hagar era: powerful vocals, shimmering keys, melodic guitar lines, and anthemic hooks. It’s sophisticated yet accessible, heartfelt without being sappy, and musically demanding in a way that pushed Hagar into some of his finest recorded performances.
A Live Challenge That Never Got Easier
Despite its popularity and the fact that fans expected to hear it, “When It’s Love” remained one of the hardest numbers to perform live. Hagar has admitted that some nights it felt nearly impossible, especially during long tours when fatigue set in. And yet he delivered, time after time, with the determination and fire that defined his tenure in Van Halen.
For the singer, surviving the song wasn’t just a matter of technique; it was almost spiritual. Reaching the end of the performance felt like crossing the finish line of a marathon. No wonder he “thanked God” every night he made it through.
An Enduring Masterpiece
Decades later, “When It’s Love” still stands as one of Van Halen’s most beloved ballads, and one of Sammy Hagar’s crowning vocal achievements. It’s the kind of song that reminds listeners why the band mattered so deeply: fearless musicianship, explosive emotion, and performances so intense that even the frontman needed divine assistance to get through them.
For fans, it remains a classic. For Hagar, it’s a reminder of just how far he pushed himself for the music, and how sometimes the toughest songs are the ones that shine the brightest.
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