Heart – What About Love?: Lyrics and Music Video

"What About Love?" is a power ballad by the American rock band Heart, released in 1985. It was one of the key tracks that marked the band’s commercial resurgence during the 1980s, becoming one of their most well-known and successful songs of the decade.

Key Details:

• Release Date: June 1985
• Album: Heart (self-titled, 1985).
• Writers: Originally written by Brian Allen, Jim Vallance, and Sheron Alton.
• Producer: Ron Nevison.

Themes and Meaning:

• Love and Vulnerability: The lyrics of "What About Love?" center on the themes of love, longing, and emotional vulnerability. The song’s narrator expresses concern about a failing or one-sided relationship, asking the partner to consider the love and emotional investment that’s being overlooked. The recurring question—“What about love?”—underscores a plea for recognition and emotional reciprocity.
• Powerful Emotions: The song captures the fear of rejection and emotional pain, highlighting the feeling of being taken for granted in a relationship, as well as the frustration of unreciprocated feelings.

Lyrics Overview:

The chorus features one of the most powerful lines in the song:

• “What about love? Don't you want someone to care about you?”
• This repeated refrain drives home the emotional message of the song and is delivered with passion and intensity by lead singer Ann Wilson.

Musical Style:

• Power Ballad: "What About Love?" is quintessentially a 1980s power ballad, blending rock elements with soaring vocals and emotional intensity. The song features a slow build-up, with prominent guitar riffs, drums, and synthesizers creating a dramatic and anthemic sound.
• Ann Wilson’s Vocals: The standout feature of the song is Ann Wilson’s powerful and emotive vocal performance. Her voice carries the emotional weight of the song, delivering the chorus with a sense of urgency and longing that has made it one of Heart’s most memorable tracks.

Commercial Success:

• Chart Performance: "What About Love?" became a major hit for Heart, reaching #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helping to revive the band's popularity after a commercial slump in the early 1980s.
• The song also reached #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and performed well internationally, particularly in Canada and parts of Europe.

Background and Creation:

• Song Origins: "What About Love?" was originally written by Canadian songwriters Brian Allen, Jim Vallance, and Sheron Alton for the band Toronto. However, Toronto didn’t record the song, and it was eventually presented to Heart as they were preparing to record their self-titled Heart album in 1985.
• The band had been experiencing a period of declining success, but with new management and a shift towards a more polished, mainstream rock sound, they were able to reinvent themselves. "What About Love?" became a cornerstone of this comeback.

Role in Heart’s Career:

• Comeback Single: "What About Love?" was one of the singles that helped revitalize Heart’s career in the mid-1980s. Along with other hits from the Heart album like "These Dreams" and "Never", the song marked a transition to a more radio-friendly sound that incorporated elements of pop and glam rock.
• Shift to a More Mainstream Rock Sound: While Heart had been known in the 1970s for their more hard rock and folk-rock roots, by the 1980s, they embraced the popular trends of the decade, incorporating power ballads and synthesizers into their music. "What About Love?" was part of this stylistic evolution.

Music Video:

• The music video for "What About Love?" was a staple of MTV during the mid-1980s and featured dramatic shots of the band, particularly Ann and Nancy Wilson, performing in a dark, atmospheric setting. The video contributed to the song’s success and was emblematic of the larger-than-life visuals often associated with 1980s rock ballads.

Legacy and Influence:

• Classic 80s Power Ballad: "What About Love?" remains one of the defining power ballads of the 1980s and is often played on classic rock and 80s nostalgia stations. Its combination of emotional lyrics, soaring vocals, and dramatic instrumentation made it a quintessential example of the genre.
• Heart’s Reinvention: The song is often seen as a key moment in Heart’s reinvention during the 1980s. It not only helped restore the band’s commercial fortunes but also introduced them to a new generation of fans who may not have been familiar with their earlier, more hard-rocking sound.

In Summary:

"What About Love?" by Heart is a timeless power ballad from the mid-1980s, known for its emotional lyrics, powerful vocal performance, and polished production. The song played a crucial role in the band's commercial comeback and remains one of their most beloved tracks, embodying the dramatic intensity and anthemic style of 1980s rock ballads.