Trisha Shetty (Editor)

What Is Love

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B-side
  
"Sing About Love"

Genre
  
Eurodance

Recorded
  
1992

Length
  
4:29

Released
  
8 May 1993 (Europe) August 1993 (US)

Format
  
7" single 12" single CD single cassette single

"What Is Love" is a song recorded by Trinidadian-German Eurodance artist Haddaway for his debut album, The Album. It was written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan (Dieter Lünstedt a.k.a. Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello (Karin Hartmann-Eisenblätter a.k.a. Karin van Haaren) of Coconut Records in Cologne. The song is recognizable by its refrain "What is love? Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me no more."

Contents

"What Is Love" peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and Germany and hit number one in 13 other countries. Debuting at number 87 on 28 August 1993, the song reached number 11 on the Hot 100 in the United States. The song also peaked at number 12 in Australia. By March 1994, worldwide sales of "What Is Love" had already reached 2.6 million.

Music video

The music video of "What Is Love" was directed by Volker Hannwacker.

Track listings

"What Is Love"
  1. "What Is Love" – 4:28
  2. "Sing About Love" – 3:12
  1. "What Is Love" Radio Edit 7" Mix – 3:57
  2. "What Is Love" Club Mix – 5:00
  3. "What Is Love" 12" Mix – 6:40
  4. "What Is Love" Tour De Trance Mix – 6:00
  5. "What Is Love" Refreshmento Extro Mix – 5:42
  1. "What Is Love" (7" mix) – 4:29
  2. "What Is Love" (12" mix) – 6:40
  3. "What Is Love" (club mix) – 5:02
  4. "Sing About Love" – 4:36
"What Is Love" – remix
  1. "What Is Love" (eat-this mix – radio edit) – 4:19
  2. "What Is Love" (refreshmento extro mix) – 3:52
  1. "What Is Love" – remix (eat-this mix) – 6:54
  2. "What Is Love" (tour de trance-mix) – 6:00
  3. "What Is Love" (7" mix) – 4:27
"What Is Love" – reloaded
  1. "What Is Love" – reloaded (video mix) – 3:16
  2. "What Is Love" – reloaded (reloaded mix) – 6:09
  3. "What Is Love" – reloaded (what is club mix) – 6:39
  4. "What Is Love" – reloaded (Jens O.'s hard remix) – 5:32
  5. "What Is Love" – reloaded (Nathan Jolly's NRG remix) – 6:48
  6. "What Is Love" – reloaded (radio edit) – 2:56
  7. "What Is Love" – reloaded (lunaris remix) – 6:21

Cover versions and sampling

  • In 2007, the song was covered by indie band The Gossip, with lead singer Beth Ditto changing the lyrics to "When Is Lunch?, Baby I'm Hungry, I'm Hungry, For More".
  • In 2009, singer and songwriter Diane Birch completely rearranged the song, that later was featured on Billboard magazine's Mashup Monday in 2010.
  • In 2010, Sharaya J sampled the chorus for her performance on Missy Elliott's European tour.
  • In 2010, Swedish boy band E.M.D. released a piano ballad version of "What Is Love" as the second single from their upcoming sophomore studio album Rewind.
  • In 2010, American rappers Eminem and Lil Wayne sampled the song for the single "No Love" from Eminem's seventh studio album, Recovery.
  • In 2013, it was covered by the band Foolstop in a rock style.
  • In 2014, Canadian singer Kiesza did a "piano-and-synth cover" of the song.

    • Klaas version

    In 2009, German DJ Klaas remixed the song under the title "Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9". This remix charted in several European countries.

    Lost Frequencies version

    In 2016, Belgian DJ Lost Frequencies released a cover titled "What Is Love 2016", as a single from his debut album Less Is More. It was actually already produced back in 2014 as a remix for Jaymes Young's cover version of "What is Love". This version was remaked for the album and became a hit a number of European singles charts and topped the Belgian Ultratop Official Singles Chart.

    Music video

    An official music video was released directed by Soulvizion. It features the Dutch professional basketball player Don Rigters who plays the role of David Rose, a basketball player who is severely injured trying to make a comeback to the game with encouragement from his girlfriend (played by Melissa Kanza), his three teammates (Alkenah Wansing, Jeroen Jansen and Lindy Chippendel) and by his basketball coach (played by J E Rigters).

    Track listing

    Armada / Mostiko, 7 October 2016
    1. "What Is Love 2016" – 2:52
    Armada / Mostiko, 28 October 2016
    1. What Is Love 2016" (Regi & Lester Williams Remix) – 4:21
    Lost & Cie / Armada, 11 November 2016
    1. "What Is Love 2016" (Regi & Lester Williams Remix) – 3:08
    2. "What Is Love 2016 (Regi & Lester Williams Extended Remix) – 4:10
    Armada / Mostiko, 6 January 2017
    1. "What Is Love 2016" (Mike Mago Remix) – 3:29
    2. "What Is Love 2016" (Zonderling Remix) – 3:11
    3. "What Is Love 2016" (Galactic Marvl Remix) – 2:54
    4. "What Is Love 2016" (Rose Remix) – 3:08
    5. "What Is Love 2016" (Mike Mago Extended Remix) – 5:49
    6. "What Is Love 2016" (Zonderling Extended Remix) – 4:27
    7. "What Is Love 2016" (Rose Extended Remix) – 4:08
    Weekly charts
    Year-end charts

    The song experienced a revival as the song from the Saturday Night Live "Roxbury Guys" sketches (later expanded into a movie called A Night at the Roxbury), where two brothers (played by Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell) frequently went to dance clubs with a third person (including actors such as Sylvester Stallone and Jim Carrey), credited as "Barhop". It was also used in the 2013 video game Saints Row IV.

    The song is featured prominently in the eleventh episode ("Life of Brian") of the television series My So-Called Life which originally aired on ABC television on November 10, 1994. A considerable portion of the song is played at a school dance in which Rickie Vasquez (Wilson Cruz) and Delia Fisher (Senta Moses) dance while various other characters look on.

    References

    What Is Love Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA