So This Is Love?

“So This Is Love?” is the seventh track on Fair Warning.

As seen by Dave’s original lyric sheets below, the working title for this song was “Flesh and Blood (Banana Oil)”. Likewise, “Flesh and blood” replaced “So This is Love?” during the chorus of the song in the original version.

The classic live video for the song appeared in the compilation of Fair Warning videos filmed in Oakland in June ’81.

“So This is Love?” is a bitterly ironic number, a mediation on the differences between lustful wanting and pure love, the song begins with a bass-drum boogie attack before launching into another Edward Van Halen power play. Yet, the riff in the main verse is understated and more of a counterpart to Roth’s needy lyrics than a natural underscore as in the other songs. Though the verse is not as memorable for its playing, the whole is greater than the individual parts, and the song is elevated by another deeply-felt Edward Van Halen solo. Barely more than three minutes, the song ends up being a rollicking upbeat tune and the last “real” song on the album.

The solo on this track was a compilation of about four solos put together by Ed and recorded on the first attempt.

It is one of four singles issued for the album. It peaked at #110 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #15 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

From Guitar World:

“I definitely had a lot of pissed-off energy in me that I got out on FW, Eddie admits. “It does have kind of a dark underlying tone to it. So why is this tasty piece of ear candy the only VH song that can legitimately be called “jaunty”? Credit Michael Anthony – this strutter positively bounces on the baseline, flowing into a smooth groove that finds the band thoroughly in the moment.

During the band’s 2007-2008 reunion tour, Wolfgang Van Halen has a small solo spot during the intro of this song.