Heart – “What About Love?”: A Cry From the Soul for the Love We All Deserve
When Heart released “What About Love?” in 1985, it wasn’t just another hit song — it was an emotional storm, a cry from deep inside that still resonates decades later. With Ann Wilson’s powerful voice soaring over sweeping guitars and drums, the song became an anthem for everyone who has ever loved deeply, given everything, and still wondered if love would ever truly be returned.
At its core, “What About Love?” is about loneliness within love — that quiet ache that comes when you’re standing beside someone yet still feel unseen. Ann sings with both strength and heartbreak, asking the haunting question: “What about love? Don’t you want someone to care about you?” For older listeners, that line hits home in a way that only life experience can explain. It speaks to the moments when love feels one-sided, when years of giving and trying leave you wondering if your own heart has been forgotten.
There’s something deeply human about this song. It doesn’t paint love as a fairytale; it captures the truth — that even the strongest hearts can grow tired, that even the most loving souls need to be loved in return. Ann Wilson’s voice trembles with both vulnerability and fire, embodying every person who’s ever whispered to themselves, “Don’t I deserve to be loved too?”
For older fans, “What About Love?” brings back memories of quiet sacrifices — the nights spent waiting for a call, the years spent holding a relationship together through sheer will. It’s a reminder that strength doesn’t mean you never hurt; sometimes, it means you keep believing in love even when it’s let you down.
Musically, the song is pure 1980s majesty — dramatic guitar riffs, powerful drums, and that unmistakable arena-rock energy that Heart mastered so perfectly. Yet underneath all that power lies tender emotion. The band’s performance turns heartbreak into something almost heroic — as if to say, even in pain, there’s dignity, there’s courage, and there’s hope.
“What About Love?” is more than just a song — it’s a plea, a question that never really goes away. For those who’ve lived through long marriages, lost loves, or quiet heartbreaks, it’s a mirror that reflects both strength and fragility. It’s a song for anyone who’s ever loved too much, hoped too long, or waited too patiently.
In the end, Heart’s “What About Love?” reminds us that no matter how many years pass, the need for love — real, unconditional love — never fades. It’s not just a rock ballad; it’s a testament to the resilience of the human heart. Because no matter how old we get, we all still ask the same question: What about love?
