In 1986, Eddie Van Halen kept a song from David Lee Roth. Sammy Hagar took it for their greatest ballad

Eddie Van Halen had kept “Love Walks In” unused for about three years before Sammy Hagar joined Van Halen and heard him play it. Hagar felt the song’s tender, melodic style suited his voice and could become a powerful ballad, helping the band reach listeners beyond its earlier sound.

Hagar recalled that David Lee Roth would probably not have been able to bring the song to life in the same way. The track appeared on the 1986 album *5150*, alongside other keyboard-led songs, though Hagar said he wanted to limit how many of them went on the record. The article argues that Hagar’s melodic approach helped give Van Halen a new audience, with “Dreams” and “Why Can’t This Be Love” also cited as examples.