Songfacts®:

• After landing a huge hit with "Sister Christian" in 1984, Night Ranger's record company expected a ballad on every album. They complied until 1988, when they delivered their Man In Motion album ballad-less, forcing a show-down with their label, MCA, which responded by asking them to record "I Did It For Love," a song written by Russ Ballard, whose compositions include "I Know There's Something Going On" for Frida and "You Can Do Magic" by America.
  
  Night Ranger always wrote their own songs, so this one stung. Their sales had declined, so they had to suck it up and record the song as requested. It ended up being the lead single from the album and the only chart entry... also their last charting song until "Forever All Over Again" in 1997. "When your career is on the line, you compromise and go with it," drummer Kelly Keagy said in a Songfacts interview. "I'm glad we did, because that song is still out there getting played. It's been a blessing for the band."
• This is an "I love you too much to stay" song, with the singer knowing it's best for all involved to break it off, even though it hurts like hell. Sometimes you have to do it for love.
• Kelly Keagy sang lead on this one. Their bass player, Jack Blades, did the lead vocals on most Night Ranger songs, but Keagy was more than capable - he also sang lead on "Sister Christian."
• The music video was directed by Penelope Spheeris, best known for her punk rock documentary The Decline of Western Civilization. The video is filled with tight shots of the brooding band members, lots of pretty girls, and for some reason, footage of the televangelist Jim Bakker, who was embroiled in a scandal at the time.