Peak
10
Weeks
21
Score
2,694
Chart Year
1985
This was Heart's first single under their new contract with Capitol Records. It marked a turnaround for the band, which after a triumphant run of hits in the '70s got off to a rough start in the '80s with a decline in sales and little airplay for their new material on radio or MTV. Capitol, determined to return them to commercial glory, paired them with a new producer, Ron Nevison, and had them record songs written by outside songwriters. "What About Love" is one of these outside tracks - it was written by Brian Allen and Sheron Alton of the Canadian band Toronto, along with Jim Vallance, who co-wrote many of Bryan Adams' hits. The song was written for Toronto but they didn't record it. The demo found its way to Heart, which turned it into their first Top 10 US hit since their cover of "Tell It Like It Is" in 1980. Their next two singles did even better: "Never" hit #4 and "These Dreams" went to #1. In this song, Ann Wilson addresses a guy who is not returning her affections. Trying to get through to him, she warns him that he better open his heart and accept her love, because he might need it someday. Ann Wilson's vocal is much more dynamic on this track compared with previous Heart material. The verses are very restrained, but then she explodes into the chorus. She attributes this to producer Ron Nevison, who coached her to hold back her big voice at times to create more impact when she let it loose. The video was directed by David Mallet, who was known for avante-garde videos like David Bowie's "Ashes To Ashes" and Queen's "Radio Ga Ga." In "What About Love," the band is in some kind of foundry, wearing lots of leather and lace. It was the first Heart video to get significant airplay on MTV. This was the first Heart song to chart in the UK, where it reached #14. Heart's singles are split between rock classics from the '70s ("Barracuda," "Straight On") and lite favorites from the '80s like "What About Love." Their legacy is pegged to their '70s output when they disrupted the male-dominated world of rock with an uprising of classic songs mostly written by the Wilson sisters, who were the clear leaders of the band. When they entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, it was with that '70s lineup.
I've been lonely I've been waiting for you I'm pretending and that's all I can do The love I'm sending Ain't making it through to your heart You've been hiding, never letting it show Always trying to keep it under control You got it down and you're well on your way to the top But there's something that you forgot What about love? Don't you want someone to care about you? What about love? Don't let it slip away What about love? I only wanna share it with you You might need it some day I can't tell you what you're feeling inside And I can't sell you what you don't want to buy Something's missing, you gotta look back on your life You know something here just ain't right What about love? Don't you want someone to care about you? What about love? Don't let it slip away What about love? I only wanna share it with you What about love? Don't you want someone to care about you? What about love? Don't let it slip away But what about love? I only wanna share it with you Oh, no Oh Oh, what about love? Love Ooh-ooh-ooh What about love? Love, love, love What about What about Love Ooh-ooh-ooh-oh
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 1, 1985 | 73 | 53 |
| 2 | Jun 8, 1985 | 56 | 70 |
| 3 | Jun 15, 1985 | 48 | 78 |
| 4 | Jun 22, 1985 | 42 | 84 |
| 5 | Jun 29, 1985 | 39 | 87 |
| 6 | Jul 6, 1985 | 33 | 93 |
| 7 | Jul 13, 1985 | 31 | 95 |
| 8 | Jul 20, 1985 | 25 | 101 |
| 9 | Jul 27, 1985 | 22 | 104 |
| 10 | Aug 3, 1985 | 17 | 109 |
| 11 | Aug 10, 1985 | 15 | 111 |
| 12 | Aug 17, 1985 | 12 | 114 |
| 13 | Aug 24, 1985 | 10 | 116 |
| 14 | Aug 31, 1985 | 15 | 111 |
| 15 | Sep 7, 1985 | 20 | 106 |
| 16 | Sep 14, 1985 | 30 | 96 |
| 17 | Sep 21, 1985 | 42 | 84 |
| 18 | Sep 28, 1985 | 58 | 68 |
| 19 | Oct 5, 1985 | 78 | 48 |
| 20 | Oct 12, 1985 | 90 | 36 |