Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)
Encyclopedia
"Don't Tell Me" is a rock
song written by the group Van Halen
for their 1995 album Balance
. It is one of five singles issued for the album, and was the only one to reach #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it stayed for three weeks. The song is written about Kurt Cobain
's suicide, referenced in the lyrics about whether "Is it right to take the easy way" and ends with "I can't tell you what's right for you" and a bridge, repeated towards the end of the song, of "I see the damage done, yeah/oh lord, I heard the shotgun." http://books.google.com/books?id=WHKUSL8yxH8C&pg=PT77&lpg=PT77&dq=%2B%22Kurt+cobain%22+%22Don%27t+tell+me+what+love+can+do%22&source=bl&ots=uR5xWMfLGF&sig=MUmhVJ9HHetzGuRP0OpB_KLPZ44&hl=en&ei=W4o-S9GiF4mklAez-ryLBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CA4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%2B%22Kurt%20cobain%22%20%22Don%27t%20tell%20me%20what%20love%20can%20do%22&f=false
Sammy Hagar
says in his autobiography that he wanted the song to be uplifting, for the chorus to be 'I wanna show you what love can do', but that his relationship with the Van Halen brothers was becoming strained and that they were very critical of the lyrical treatment, wanting something with more attitude. Hagar says he believes that people in trouble can be saved, that Cobain could have been saved by the people around him, but that they must have just 'let him go for some reason'. He wanted the song to be about hope, not what it eventually became due to internal criticism.
during his prison sentence. The scenes show him and his friend doing a store robbery, along with his arrest, sentence to prison, his works there, activities and his brawl with an Asian inmate. His victims are also shown along with neon signs saying the attacks they survived such as that of gunshot
, drive-by, sexual assault
, knifing, and more while the band is shown playing the song.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
song written by the group Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
for their 1995 album Balance
Balance (Van Halen album)
Balance is the 10th studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1995 and, to date, is the fourth and final Van Halen album of all-new material featuring lead singer Sammy Hagar. It was also a more complete divergence from their earlier, more heavy metal sound...
. It is one of five singles issued for the album, and was the only one to reach #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it stayed for three weeks. The song is written about Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
's suicide, referenced in the lyrics about whether "Is it right to take the easy way" and ends with "I can't tell you what's right for you" and a bridge, repeated towards the end of the song, of "I see the damage done, yeah/oh lord, I heard the shotgun." http://books.google.com/books?id=WHKUSL8yxH8C&pg=PT77&lpg=PT77&dq=%2B%22Kurt+cobain%22+%22Don%27t+tell+me+what+love+can+do%22&source=bl&ots=uR5xWMfLGF&sig=MUmhVJ9HHetzGuRP0OpB_KLPZ44&hl=en&ei=W4o-S9GiF4mklAez-ryLBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CA4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%2B%22Kurt%20cobain%22%20%22Don%27t%20tell%20me%20what%20love%20can%20do%22&f=false
Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
says in his autobiography that he wanted the song to be uplifting, for the chorus to be 'I wanna show you what love can do', but that his relationship with the Van Halen brothers was becoming strained and that they were very critical of the lyrical treatment, wanting something with more attitude. Hagar says he believes that people in trouble can be saved, that Cobain could have been saved by the people around him, but that they must have just 'let him go for some reason'. He wanted the song to be about hope, not what it eventually became due to internal criticism.
Video
The video tells of the young husband from the video of Can't Stop Lovin' YouCan't Stop Lovin' You
"Can't Stop Lovin' You" is a song by American hard rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1995 as the third single from Balance.The song was written by all members of Van Halen and is about everlasting love and friendship...
during his prison sentence. The scenes show him and his friend doing a store robbery, along with his arrest, sentence to prison, his works there, activities and his brawl with an Asian inmate. His victims are also shown along with neon signs saying the attacks they survived such as that of gunshot
Gunshot
A gunshot is the discharge of a firearm, producing a mechanical sound effect and a chemical gunshot residue. The term can also refer to a gunshot wound caused by such a discharge. Multiple discharges of a firearm or firearms are referred to as gunfire. The word can connotate either the sound of a...
, drive-by, sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
, knifing, and more while the band is shown playing the song.