Whitesnake – Is This Love

About The Song

“Is This Love” is a song by British rock band Whitesnake. It was released in 1987 as the second single from their self-titled album.

The single was a hit for Whitesnake, reaching number nine in the UK Singles Chart, and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making it their second-biggest US hit after “Here I Go Again”, which topped the chart. The single was reissued in 1994 to promote Whitesnake’s Greatest Hits. This version reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

“Is This Love” has been a mainstay in Whitesnake’s live shows since 1987. As such, it is featured on several of their live albums, including Live: In the Shadow of the Blues (2006) and Live at Donington 1990 (2011). John Sykes played it live in 2004 (Bad Boy Live!). In 2015, Classic Rock magazine ranked it as 7th on their Top 40 greatest power ballads list.
The power ballad was written by vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes during the album’s early writing process (which took place in the south of France), but it was long rumoured that the song had originally been written for Tina Turner. Coverdale confirmed these rumours in the booklet of Whitesnake’s 20th anniversary edition, by saying.

Before I’d left [for the south of France] a friend at EMI had asked me for any ideas that would work for Tina Turner. So that was where the original idea for “Is This Love” came from.

However, according to Coverdale, when David Geffen heard it he was told to keep it and so kept it for Whitesnake.
“Is This Love” reached number 13 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. It also peaked at number 38 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the US; despite this, in the years since, “Here I Go Again”, which did not chart on the AC chart at the time of its release, gets more airplay on adult contemporary stations, most notably iHeartRadio-owned stations.

Video

Lyrics

I should have known better
Than to let you go alone,
It’s times like these
I can’t make it on my own
Wasted days, and sleepless nights
And I can’t wait to see you again

I find I spend my time
Waiting on your call,
How can I tell you, baby
My back’s against the wall
I need you by my side
To tell me it’s alright,
‘Cos I don’t think I can take anymore

Is this love that I’m feeling,
Is this the love, that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming,
This must be love,
‘Cos it’s really got a hold on me,
A hold on me…

I can’t stop the feeling
I’ve been this way before
But, with you I’ve found the key
To open any door
I can feel my love for you
Growing stronger day by day,
An’ I can’t wait to see you again
So I can hold you in my arms

Is this love that I’m feeling,
Is this the love, that I’ve been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming,
This must be love,
‘Cos it’s really got a hold on me,
A hold on me…

Is this love that I’m feeling,
Is this the love, that I’ve been searching for…
Is this love or am I dreaming,
Is this the love, that I’ve been searching for…