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I loooove this song! Tell me I'm not the only one.

An early 80s classic! I never get tired of this song, It just ROCKS!!!!

I was stationed at Parris Island when this song came out. One of my best memories was when our entire squad bay rocked out to this altogether singing it in unison! Donnie will ALWAYS be The King of Cool.

Love is like a Rock also charted for Donnie Iris, it’s a great song 👍

Donnie is in his 70s now and STILL sings this good. He did all of the tracks on this except the drums. His voice, several times over, recorded in analog. He did all the guitars, the bass and all of the vocals... incredible.

Love this song. In high school, I had a friend with a little sister named Leah. Of course, being a mature teenager, I used to sing this to her repeatedly until she started punching me.

I'm a drummer. Few years ago, Donnie came to our show in Pittsburgh. Him and I sat at a table, drinking a beer and shooting the breeze. He is a great dude.

Daaaaamn talk about the golden age of Mtv. Holy hell I’m old!!

Dude!! Donnie is from my city (Pittsburgh, PA)! Great guy! I’m currently working on a mini-doc about Donnie, this song, & it’s impact here. He recorded this song in nearby New Brighton at a little studio called Jereez. My dad was recording a gospel album there at that same time. I have very vivid memories of the studio & the recording console. Studio owner Jerry Reed was incredibly kind.

🤣 He's a cross between Bill Nye and Eugene Levy 🤓

Pittsburgh's own Donnie Iris. I've seen him in concert over the years. Love is Like a Rock is another one of his hits.

Donnie Iris was the lead singer of The Jaggerz, who had a huge hit in1970 with "The Rapper." That's a great one-hit-wonder to check out!

Uncle Donnie out here looking like Bill Nye the Science Guy and then the guitar solo hits and you realize he means business.

Love is like a rock is another good one from him .

A Banger is a banger and "Ahh Leah" clicks all of the boxes.

One of my favorites from the 80's & all-time.

as someone from Pittsburgh i can only hear his name being spoken in the thickest yinzer accent 😂

My daughter AhLeah was named because of this song. We lost my daughter almost 5 years ago. This song brings back good memories for me. Thank you.

I always imagined that Leah was the kind of gal who is all fun. But in reality, she was all trouble. The kind of trouble that a guy just didn't want to avoid.

Donnie went to my High School (Pittsburgh PA area) and still lives in the area. He's in his 70s and still performs. Yes he can still hit those notes!

Donnie Iris (born Dominic Ierace, February 28, 1943)[1][2][3] is an American rock musician known for his work with the Jaggerz and Wild Cherry during the 1970s, and for his solo career beginning in the 1980s with his band, the Cruisers. He wrote the #2 Billboard hit, "The Rapper", with the Jaggerz in 1970 and was a member of Wild Cherry after the group had a #1 hit with "Play That Funky Music." He also achieved fame as a solo artist in the early 1980s with the #29 hit "Ah! Leah!" and the #37 hit "Love Is Like a Rock."

Donnie was in a group calles The Jaggerz back in the 70's. They had a hit called the "Rapper"

Huge legend here in Pittsburgh. "Love is Like a Rock" is another big hit of his.

He was actually pretty good at the time. Like updated Buddy Holly coolness. This song was on the radio all of the time in the early 80's.

Heck yeah, always loved this track, a rust belt fav, shout out Cleveland and the Burgh!

"You 'bout to get all this!!" -Jamel 🤣🤣 i💗it

Always loved this song. Donnie is still performing at 78 or at least he was pre virus. I want his health regimen....

I'm from Pittsburgh where he is from. I've been seein him for 40 years.

I always wanted Weird Al to do a parody of this about Princess Leia.

He just turned 80, sang just as well at an 80th birthday concert earlier this year. He looks maybe 60, moves like he’s 45 at most, got on his knees and back up again on stage. I’m almost 30 years younger and can’t- two knee replacements. He seems like a sweetheart in interviews. He’s an impressive vocalist but also a walking fountain of youth.

Contrary to belief actually Don and Iris had more than one hit he also had *Love Is Like A Rock.* This is a hometown favorite yes brother Jamal were talking about Pittsburgh PA. Even he grew up in Ellwood City. Donnie was also a guitar in the band *Wild Cherry* yes the same band that bought you the hit song *Play That Funky Music.* He also another top 40 hit *Do you Compute* along with another hometown hero of *B. E. Taylor* the song *Vitamin L* were big songs in the 80s. I never thought I could push a like button that fast lol. But I guess you can say we had a couple of icons ( in my opinion) from Pittsburgh. Love Peace and Happiness Y'all!!

Honestly, I think this is the most underrated song from the entire decade of the 80s. Glad you enjoyed it!

I saw him live for free in lil ole Parkersburg WV a few years back lol great show

"Agnes" is my favorite Donnie Iris song. Pittsburgh legend.

Saw him at Slippery Rock University and Tully’s in Sharon Pa back in the day.

This song is always playing in our house. One if hubby’s favorite still!!On his playlist!

One of the things I liked about Donnie Iris is he looks like the guy next door but can rock like nobody's business! The whole "Back On The Streets" album, his first solo album, is great! "I Can't Hear You" and "Shock Treatment" are also a kick to listen to. His later hit "Love Is Like A Rock" is a cranker, and a deeper later track "Do You Compute" is also excellent. He was in the Jaggerz in the early 70s, and with them he had the hit "The Rapper".

Donnie Iris was in the band Wild Cherry in 1978-79, but that was after they had the hit single "Play That Funky Music"

One of my favorite '80s tunes. Great singing (especially at the end, as you noted), pumping bass, and that guitar solo has such incredible, dirty tone. Love it!

So happy you chose this. i love this song

one of my favorites of the era, i think its head and shoulders above most others from the 80s. the melody is sophisticated and hook laden. i love the big finale.

YES, you did this song!!! 😊 This is one of the greatest Rock songs ever recorded. I love how you were fixin' to pause it for a while and then held-back. 😊 Fun facts: Donnie Iris was already 37 years old when he wrote/recorded his debut album in 1980, on which this song appeared. He celebrated his 78th birthday this past February. Although thought of as a 1-hit wonder, Donnie Iris actually had a few hits to his credit, with "Ah! Leah!" hitting #29 on the Billboard charts, and "Love Is Like A Rock" from his 1981 sophomore album going #37. I'm not a big fan of the latter song, but you might like it. One other song I love by him is "Injured In The Game Of Love" which was a minor hit in 1983 as was the decent, New Wave-y "Do You Compute?" Donnie was a huge, pleasant surprise to all of us back in the day. He was this short, skinny, nerdy-looking guy with black curly hair and looked like an accountant, not a Rock star, but he could play every instrument - he literally recorded his entire debut album by himself - and could scream like Joe Elliott of Def Leppard. Truly talented and unique.

Donnie Iris - talented and entertaining guy. I love this whole album.(Back in the Streets) and the one that followed (King Cool) which contained the hit "Love is Like a Rock" along with numerous other great songs. Iris fronted a band in the 1970s called the Jaggerz which had a cool hit "The Rapper." You should check them out.

In 1981 I named my daughter Leah because of this song, lol! It was more I really loved the way he sang the name more so than for the lyrics....

Donnie Iris was a part of Wild Cherry (PLay That Funky Music), but he joined after that had already been a hit.

Jamel should react to The Tubes “She’s a Beauty”

One of fave songs from 1981 charted here in Australia top 30

chords are catchy...lyrics and his voice.......banger!

One of my favorite songs ever!

Jamal, I went to High School with Donny, Lincoln High School, Ellwood City PA. He started out in western PA with a band call the Jaggerz. The hit song they had then was called “The Wrapper”. Hi was also in the band Wild Cherry... Play that funky thing. Check out Wild Cherry if you haven’t heard it yet✌🏼.

Please react to "Never Say Never" by Romeo Void. The story behind both the song and the lead singer is really amazing and even wholesome. She was a very unconventional lead singer for the time, and the band was promoted by Ric Ocasek of Cars fame.

Played all his own instruments, really cool!

Growing up in Northeast Ohio, we got to enjoy Michael Stanley Band and Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.

Now check out Love Is Like A Rock by Donnie Iris. Cool jams today! Donnie's got some range on him.

I seen his brother Lonnie the other day down at pants n nat!

I have met Donnie a few times. I used to sit next to his first cousin at work in Ellwood City PA. which is his hometown. Great Guy and well loved legend in Western PA and Eastern Ohio!

I literally named my daughter after this song 😊 she is now 25 and has 2 kids of her own and she is gorgeous .

Always liked the Geezer Butler style bass guitar riffs in this song.

Interesting piece of information; Donny Iris was with Wild Cherry right after their release of "Play That Funky Music".

Such a great jam. I worked with a girl named Leah that HATED this song after the fiftieth person to sing this at her. She's the only person I know that did.

I remember as a 19 year old when this song came out thinking ""oh my goodness this song rocks !! A no-name artist comes out with a song like this that I believe people will be listening to 50 years from now..And other new artist from 1981 were ,Aldo Nova -"Fantasy" , Red Ryder --Lunatic Fringe ... and one other comes to mind... Loverboy..""Turn me loose" ..All these must be reacted to.!!! Thanks Jamal for reacting to Donnie Iris.Never do I get tired of that song..

I admittedly come to the reactions that I already know but, it is nice to discover with you as well. That's the Spirit of it

I'm from Pittsburgh and Donnie hails from a little ways north of the city, I and all Pittsburghers will always regard him as our #1 Rock and Roll treasure. ❤️❤️❤️

I always imagined this was about a star-crossed couple (from his perspective of course), hopelessly attracted to each other but doomed for whatever reason...

I love this song so much! I was 11 when this came out. My Mom bought the record and we wore it out! Great reaction as usual, Jamel!

Not a huge 80's pop fan, but this one stands out above so many others.

Native Pittsburgher here, Donnie Iris is a treasure here in the Burgh!! Seen him many times over the years, so many good songs; he's criminally underrated, great band!! Other great songs, Agnes, King Cool, Sweet Merilee, Love is like a rock, That's the way love ought to be, Color me blue, Do you compute...and so many more.

Duuuuude great pick!!! I’m watchin this one!!

Do You Compute, Injured in the Game of Love, Like A Rock..... great songs one and all. This guy is a legend in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

One of the greatest one hit wonders of all time... this song kills to this day!!!

The pride of Pittsburgh! Yeah I know he's not technically from Pittsburgh but Pittsburgh claims him! 😅

Love this song!! And donnie iris!! Saw a video from this past summer where a 78 year old Donnie iris rocked it live at a outdoor fair i believe!!! Sounded amazing. He really sounds so great 40 years later!!! Hats off to this very underrated singer, still rocking at age 78!!!!

He has another really nice song I used to love when it was played on the radio called “Do You Compute?”

I'm a long time Donnie Iris fan. Love this song, Love is Like a Rock, and the criminally underrated Sweet Merrilee. King Cool is another great song from the album of the same name.

Thank you Jamel, another OHW!! Love this song!!

finally, you got to brother donnie! for maximum 80s cheese (but a great power pop song) check out his vid "do you compute?"

This song is Donnie Iris's biggest hit song ever!!! It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the early spring of 1981.

Early 80s!!!! This song is a banger!!🔥🔥🔥🔥

This guy is worshiped in Pittsburgh. It was such a privilege to see someone who appreciates music hear a classic like this for the first time. What a great way to spend 8 minutes. A great song about that. Special connection. You have with a person even though you both know. It's never going to work out, here's chemistry, there's energy, but there's always some disaster right around the corner And ultimately, you both know it's a toxic situation in spite of that attraction. You really captured it.

Can you react to Billy Squier? You know a couple of them. Love the reactions Brother. 🙏🏼✌🏼👍🏼

I don't I ever knew who sang this until now.

This was such a great song. I remember when this was a super hot song. Brings back some great memories from the early 80s.

Yes and Yes!!! A hidden gem of a tune. One of my favs back in early high school, and the days of Magic vs Larry!

Awesome! Great song. He has some more too- "Love is Like a Rock" is excellent, as is "Do You Compute". His greatest hits CD is full of cool stuff.

One of my favorite songs ever! (yeah I’m a kid of the 70s and 80s LOL) For what it’s worth, I think it’s a real relationship. Don’t know if you’ve ever done “Into the Night” by Benny Mardones?

I loved the song from the moment I first heard it in the early 1980s. But this is the first time I've ever seen the music video....

He just performed this song live at his 80th birthday party, he still sounded incredible, it's on KZfaq check it out.

Nice pull. Haven’t heard this in decades!

This reminds me of " Trouble"by Lindsey Buckingham. Another great song.

Yes! I’m from his hometown Ellwood City, PA and he’s a legend around here! He never got huge, but he actually has a ton of great songs. Last time I saw him a few years back he still had that voice!

Wow, this was put out on my birthday! It's also one of my favorite songs I rediscovered. I can't remember it from back in the 80s at all. Even though this should have been all over the radio. Donnie had/has a great voice and the band... man... I dunno how they got so overlooked.

You should check out a live version where he’s a bit older. Pretty darn good!

Great song, Jamel!

This has to be my favorite song of the 1980's! This song always reminds of Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield. Both have great guitar hooks and came out around the same time. 1981..Ah, Memories ❤️

I didn't recognize the name of the song or the singer, but I sure remembered the song when it started playing. It reminds me of The Cars, so that's probably who I assumed sang it back in the day lol.

This is a goodie.

Love is Like a Rock from him next!

Pittsburgh is so proud of Donnie!! Great man for so many local charities and musicians. Legend.✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌

This guy , Donnie Iris, is still rocking today. He loves the music. Very underrated. Fantastic song. I’ve always thought it was about two people who just had a magnetic pull to each other, and they truly love each other, however whatever the circumstances the relationship just doesn’t work. But the feeling just won’t go away. Thanks for doing this great song. His song Agnes is pretty good too. Although I think Ah Leah was by far his best.