Love Walks In

"Love Walks In"
Single by Van Halen
from the album 5150
B-side	"Summer Nights"
Released	July 28, 1986 [1]
Recorded	1985–1986
Studio	5150 Studios, Studio City, California
Genre	Synth-rock
Length	5:11
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony
Van Halen singles chronology
"Dreams" (1986) "Love Walks In" (1986) "Best of Both Worlds" (1986)

"Love Walks In" is a power ballad ^{[2] [3] [4]} by American rock band Van Halen released as the third single from the band's seventh studio album, 5150 (1986). It was the first song the band wrote with vocalist Sammy Hagar. ^{[5] [6] [7]} It peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, ^[8] and reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 . ^[9]

Background

To quote Hagar:

I'm a firm believer - have seen, have felt, have been contacted three or four different times. I have received information that has been valuable in my life from those people (extraterrestrial life), and they have used me. I'm gonna sound like a complete nut here, but they have used me in an experimental fashion. The easiest way to put it is that they downloaded my brain information. ^[10]

Hagar wrote the lyrics on the spot and sang it live with a hand-held mic. ^{[11] [12]}

Billboard called it a "tricky little tune" that goes "from hard-rock swagger to a graceful chorus hook." ^[13]

Charts

Chart (1986–1987)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [14]	65
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [15]	4
US Billboard Hot 100 [16]	22

Personnel

• Sammy Hagar  — lead vocals, lead guitar (live version)
• Eddie Van Halen  — guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
• Michael Anthony  — bass guitar, backing vocals
• Alex Van Halen  — drums

References

1. "FMQB" (PDF). p. 34.
2. "The new van Halen: Revamped, revitalized and ready to rock".
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2 November 2020). "Eddie Van Halen: Happy Trails". sterlewine.substack.com.
4. "Van Halen's '5150' VS. David Lee Roth's 'Eat 'Em And Smile' – Great Rock Debates". Van Halen News Desk. October 24, 2013.
5. "Van Halen - "Love Walks In" - Live Without A Net (1986)". YouTube . 19 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
6. Tannenbaum, Rob (October 6, 2020). "Eddie Van Halen's 12 Essential Songs". New York Times.
7. III, J. C. Macek (29 February 2016). "The Most Unintentionally Terrifying "Love Songs" Ever Written, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
8. "Van Halen - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
9. "Van Halen - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
10. "Love Walks In by Van Halen - Songfacts".
11. Elliott, Paul (March 2014). "The best of both worlds". Classic Rock . No. 194. p. 48.
12. Blabbermouth (2019-03-25). "SAMMY HAGAR Looks Back On VAN HALEN's '5150' Album (Video)". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
13. "Reviews". Billboard. August 16, 1986. p. 69. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
14. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0734." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
15. "Van Halen Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
16. "Van Halen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2020.