What Is Love (song)

"What Is Love"
Single by Haddaway
from the album Haddaway
B-side "Sing About Love"
Released May 8, 1993
Format CD single, CD maxi
Recorded 1992
Genre Eurodance, house
Length 4:29 (album version/7" mix)
Label Coconut
Writer(s) Dee Dee Halligan / Junior Torello
Producer Dee Dee Halligan / Junior Torello
Haddaway singles chronology
"What Is Love"
(1993)		 "Life"
(1993)

"What Is Love" is the title of a song recorded by Eurodance artist Haddaway. It was written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan (Tony Hendrik/Dieter Lünstedt) and Junior Torello (Karin Hartman-Eisenblätter) of Coconut Records in Cologne. Recorded in the early 1990s, it later experienced a revival as the song from the Saturday Night Live "Roxbury Guys" sketches, 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". These sketches were later made into the 1998 feature film A Night at the Roxbury but the "Barhop" role was dropped during the production of the film.

The song peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and Germany, but it reached number one in 13 other countries, all of them European or Asian. The song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and number 12 in Australia. The song is currently the 75th best-selling single of all time in Germany.[1]

The song was used in a 2011 TV advertising campaign for British clothing retailer Next, pushing it into the UK iTunes Store chart top 100.

Contents

Track listings

"What Is Love"
CD single / 7"
  1. "What Is Love" – 4:28
  2. "Sing About Love" – 3:12
CD maxi - France
  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
CD single - France
  1. "What Is Love" (eat-this mix - radio edit) – 4:19
  2. "What Is Love" (refreshmento extro mix) – 3:52
CD maxi
  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
CD maxi
  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

Charts and sales

Peak positions

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[2] 12
Austrian Singles Chart[3] 1
Belgian Singles Chart 1
Canadian Singles Chart[4] 17
Dutch Top 40[5] 1
European Singles Chart 1
Finnish Singles Chart 1
French SNEP Singles Chart[6] 1
German Singles Chart[7] 2
Irish Singles Chart[8] 1
Italian Singles Chart 1
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[9] 48
Norwegian Singles Chart[10] 1
Spanish Singles Chart 1
Swedish Singles Chart[11] 2
Swiss Top 100 Singles Chart[12] 1
UK Singles Chart[13] 2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[14] 11
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[14] 4
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[14] 15
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[14] 6
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[14] 9
Chart (1993)1 Peak
position
Swiss Singles Chart[15] 15
Chart (2003)2 Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[16] 49
Danish Singles Chart[17] 20
Dutch Mega Top 100[18] 100
German Singles Chart[7] 51
Swiss Singles Chart[19] 92

1 "What Is Love" - remixes
2 "What Is Love" - reloaded

Year-end charts

Chart (1993) Position
Austrian Singles Chart[20] 3
Dutch Top 40[5] 2
Swiss Singles Chart[21] 2
UK Singles Chart[22] 8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[23] 82
Chart (1994) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[24] 97

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
Austria[25] Platinum October 19, 1993 30,000
Germany[26] Platinum 1993 500,000
Sweden[27] Gold July 19, 1993 10,000
UK[28] Gold July 1, 1993 400,000
U.S.[29] Gold November 9, 1993 500,000

Chart successions

Preceded by
"Informer" by Snow		 Norwegian VG-Lista number one single
22/1993 – 29/1993 (8 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat
Preceded by
"All That She Wants" by Ace of Base		 Austrian number one single
May 9, 1993 – July 4, 1993 (9 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat
Preceded by
"Mr. Blue" by René Klijn		 Dutch number one single
May 15, 1993 – June 19, 1993 (6 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You (UB40 song)" by UB40
Preceded by
"Tribal Dance" by 2 Unlimited		 Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single
June 12, 1993 – July 24, 1993 (6 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"Can't Help Falling in Love With You" by UB40
Preceded by
"Informer" by Snow		 Swiss number-one single
June 13, 1993 – July 11, 1993 (5 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat
Preceded by
"No Limit" by 2 Unlimited		 French SNEP number-one single
July 17, 1993 – August 14, 1993 (5 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"Darla dirladada" by GO Culture

Cover versions and sampling

References

  1. ^ Best-selling singles of all time in Germany Musicline.de (Retrieved May 17, 2009)
  2. ^ ""What Is Love", Australian Singles Chart". Australian-charts. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  3. ^ ""What Is Love", Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  4. ^ [1] Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada
  5. ^ a b "Single top 100 over 1993" (in Dutch) (PDF). Top40. http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201993.pdf. Retrieved 15 April 2010. 
  6. ^ ""What Is Love", French Singles Chart" (in French). Lescharts. http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  7. ^ a b "Haddaway singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Haddaway/single. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  8. ^ "Irish Singles Chart, database". Irishcharts. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  9. ^ ""What Is Love", New Zealand Singles Chart". Charts.org.nz. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  10. ^ ""What Is Love", Norwegian Singles Chart" (in Norwegian). Norwegiancharts. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  11. ^ ""What Is Love", Swedish Singles Chart" (in Swedish). Swedishcharts. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  12. ^ ""What Is Love", Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Hitparade. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  13. ^ ""What Is Love", UK Singles Chart". Chartstats. http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=20884. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  14. ^ a b c d e "Haddaway singles, Billboard". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p83198/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  15. ^ ""What Is Love - Remix", Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Hitparade. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?key=2634&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  16. ^ ""What Is Love - Reloaded", Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love+-+Reloaded&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  17. ^ ""What Is Love - Reloaded", Danish Singles Chart" (in Danish). Danishcharts. http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love+-+Reloaded&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  18. ^ ""What Is Love - Reloaded", Dutch Mega Top 100" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love+-+Reloaded&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  19. ^ ""What Is Love - Reloaded", Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Hitparade. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Haddaway&titel=What+Is+Love+-+Reloaded&cat=s. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  20. ^ "1993 Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. http://www.austriancharts.at/1993_single.asp. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  21. ^ "1993 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Hitparade. http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=1993. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 
  22. ^ The Complete Book Of British Charts by Warwick/Kutner/Brown
  23. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1993. Retrieved 2010-08-27. 
  24. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1994. Retrieved 2010-08-27. 
  25. ^ "Austrian certifications, database" (in German). Ifpi. http://www.ifpi.at/?section=goldplatin. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  26. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('What+Is+Love')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=What%2BIs%2BLove&strInterpret=&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  27. ^ "Swedish certifications, 1987-1998" (in Swedish). Ifpi. http://www.ifpi.se/wp-content/uploads/guld-platina-1987-1998.pdf. Retrieved 11 September 2008. 
  28. ^ "UK certifications, database". Bpi.co.uk. http://www.bpi.co.uk/. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  29. ^ "U.S. certifications, database". Riaa. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  30. ^ Simon Price (2 September 2007). "Interpol/The Gossip, Reading Festival". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/interpolthe-gossip-reading-festival-463808.html. Retrieved 16 December 2009. 
  31. ^ "Diane Birch In Concert". NPR. 2009-06-26. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105783310. Retrieved 2011-02-04. 
  32. ^ Name * (2009-07-27). "Diane Birch covers Haddaway’s “What Is Love?” « LOFT965". Loft965.com. http://loft965.com/2009/07/27/diane-birch-covers-haddaways-what-is-love/. Retrieved 2011-02-04. 
  33. ^ Up for Discussion Jump to Forums (2010-03-08). "Diane Birch De-Clubs "What Is Love"". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/column/mashupmondays/diane-birch-de-clubs-what-is-love-1004073392.story#/column/mashupmondays/diane-birch-de-clubs-what-is-love-1004073392.story. Retrieved 2011-02-04. 
  34. ^ http://www.scandipop.co.uk/?p=3651

External links

Haddaway
Albums
Haddaway · The Drive  · Let's Do It Now · All the Best: His Greatest Hits · My Face · Love Makes · Best of Haddaway: What Is Love · Pop Splits
Singles
"What Is Love" · "Life" · "I Miss You" · "Rock My Heart" · "Fly Away" · "Catch a Fire" · "Lover Be Thy Name" · "What About Me" · "Who Do You Love" · "You're Taking My Heart" · "Deep" · "Love Makes" · "What Is Love Reloaded" · "Spaceman" · "Missionary Man" (feat. Della Miles) · "Follow Me" · "I Love the 90's" (feat. Dr Alban) · "What Is Love 2k9" (feat. Klaas) · "You Gave Me Love"
E.M.D.
Studio albums
Singles