What Is Love (Haddaway song)

"What Is Love"
Single by Haddaway
from the album The Album
B-side "Sing About Love"
Released
  • 8 May 1993 (Europe)
  • August 1993 (US)
Format
Recorded 1992
Genre Eurodance[1][2]
Length 4:29
Label Coconut
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
  • Dee Dee Halligan
  • Junior Torello
Haddaway singles chronology
  • "What Is Love"
  • (1993)

"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. Recorded in the early 1990s, it later 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".

The song peaked at no. 2 in the United Kingdom and Germany, but it ranked higher at no. 1 in 13 other countries. Bowing at no. 87 on 28 August 1993, the song reached no. 11 on the Hot 100 in the United States. The song also peaked at no. 12 in Australia. By March 1994, worldwide sales of "What Is Love" had already reached 2.6 million.[3]

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

Weekly charts

Original version

Chart (1993–94) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 12
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 1
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[7] 1
Canada (RPM 100 Hit Tracks)[8] 17
Canada (RPM Dance)[9] 2
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 1
France (SNEP)[12] 1
Germany (Media Control Charts)[13] 2
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 1
Italy (FIMI)[15] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 48
Norway (VG-lista)[19] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[20] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[23] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 11
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[24] 9
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[24] 6
US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[24] 15
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[24] 4
US Cash Box[25] 9

What Is Love – Remix

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 15
Spain (AFYVE)[20] 4

What Is Love – Reloaded

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[27] 49
Denmark (Tracklisten)[28] 20
Germany (Media Control Charts)[29] 51
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 100
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 92

Other reissues

Chart (2008) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Digital Songs[24] 68
Chart (2012) Peak
position
Denmark (Tracklisten)[32] 20

Year-end charts

Chart (1993) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[33] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[34] 3
Canada (RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks)[35] 2
Germany (Media Control Charts)[36] 2
Italy (FIMI)[37] 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[41] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[42] 82
Chart (1994) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[43] 97

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[44] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[45] Platinum 50,000x
Germany (BVMI)[46] 3× Gold 750,000^
Sweden (GLF)[47] Gold 25,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Gold 400,000^
United States (RIAA)[49] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Order of precedence
Preceded by
"No Limit" by 2 Unlimited		 French number-one single
17 July 1993 – 14 August 1993 (5 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Darla dirladada" by GO Culture
Preceded by
"In Your Eyes" by Niamh Kavanagh		 Irish Singles Chart number-one single
25 June 1993 – 9 July 1993 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes
Preceded by
"All That She Wants" by Ace of Base		 Italian number one single
19 June 1993 – 10 July 1993 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"All That She Wants" by Ace of Base
Belgian Ultratop 50 Flanders number one single
15 May 1993 – 19 June 1993 (6 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Ain't Nothing to It" by Def Dames Dope
Belgian VRT Top 30 Flanders number one single (first run)
22 May 1993 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Informer" by Snow
Austrian number one single
9 May 1993 – 4 July 1993 (9 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat
Preceded by
"Informer" by Snow		 Norwegian number one single
22/1993 – 29/1993 (8 weeks)
Swiss number-one single
13 June 1993 – 11 July 1993 (5 weeks)
Belgian VRT Top 30 Flanders number one single (second run)
12 June 1993 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Cose della vita" by Eros Ramazzotti
Preceded by
"Mr. Blue" by René Klijn		 Dutch Top 40 number one single
15 May 1993 – 19 June 1993 (6 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40
Single Top 100 number-one single
15 May 1993 – 19 June 1993 (6 weeks)
Preceded by
"Tribal Dance" by 2 Unlimited		 Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single
12 June 1993 – 24 July 1993 (7 weeks)
Preceded by
"Sad but True" by Metallica		 Finnish number-one single
18 March 1993 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Onpa kadulla mittaa" by Kolmas Nainen
Preceded by
Five Live by George Michael and Queen with Lisa Stansfield		 Spanish number-one single
7 August 1993 (1 week)
28 August 1993 – 11 September 1993 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Five Live by George Michael and Queen with Lisa Stansfield
"Life" by Haddaway

Cover versions and sampling

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.

Chart (2009) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[58] 37
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[59] 13
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[60] 9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[61] 41
France (SNEP)[62] 5
Germany (Media Control Charts)[63] 60
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[64] 49

References

  1. ↑ Raberg, Leif (9 February 2008). "First Full dress rehearsals in Gothenburg are over". Esctoday.com. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Weiss, Jeff (22 June 2010). "Review: 2 1/2 stars for Eminem's 'Recovery'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2014. Haddaway's "What Is Love," the Eurodance ballad mocked in the "Saturday Night Live" skits and spinoff movie.
  3. ↑ Weinert, Ellie (26 March 1994). "Casebook: Haddawa". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media) 106 (13): 58. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Haddaway – What Is Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Haddaway – What Is Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "What Is Love – HADDAWAY" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 23 January 2014. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 1
  8. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 58, No. 17, November 06 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Dance/Urban – Volume 58, No. 8, September 04 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media): 37. 10 July 1993. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  12. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Haddaway – What Is Love". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  14. ↑ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "SINGOLI – I NUMERI UNO (1959-2006) (parte 4: 1990-1996)" (in Italian). It-charts.150m.com. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Haddaway - What Is Love search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Haddaway – What Is Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Haddaway – What Is Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  21. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  22. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  23. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1993-07-03" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 "Haddaway – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  25. ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending OCTOBER 30, 1993 at the Wayback Machine (archived 10 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love - Remix". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  27. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Haddaway – What Is Love - Reloaded" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  28. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love - Reloaded". Tracklisten. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  29. ↑ "Single – Haddaway, What Is Love – Reloaded" (in German). Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  30. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl – Haddaway – What Is Love – Reloaded" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  31. ↑ "Haddaway – What Is Love – Reloaded – hitparade.ch" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  32. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Haddaway – What Is Love". Tracklisten. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1993" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  34. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  35. ↑ "Dance/Urban – Volume 58, No. 23, December 18, 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  36. ↑ "Jahrescharts – 1993" (in German). Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  37. ↑ "I singoli più venduti del 1993" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  38. ↑ "Single Top 100 over 1993" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  39. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  40. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  41. ↑ Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony (2004). The Complete Book of the British Charts: Singles and Albums (3rd ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-8444-9058-5.
  42. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1993". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  43. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1994". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  44. ↑ "Australian Fun Countdowns – Accreditation Awards". Australian Fun Countdowns. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  45. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Haddaway – What Is Love" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Haddaway in the field Interpret. Enter What Is Love in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  46. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Haddaway; 'What Is Love')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  47. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  48. ↑ "British single certifications – Haddaway – What Is Love". British Phonographic Industry. Enter What Is Love in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  49. ↑ "American single certifications – Haddaway – What Is Love". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  50. ↑ Price, Simon (2 September 2007). "Interpol/The Gossip, Reading Festival". The Independent. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  51. ↑ "Diane Birch In Concert". NPR. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  52. ↑ "Diane Birch covers Haddaway’s "What Is Love?"". Loft965.com. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  53. ↑ "Diane Birch De-Clubs "What Is Love"". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  54. ↑ "Sharaya @ Bamboo Mamaia – 16 iulie 2010 – HD video 5a". YouTube. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  55. ↑ "EMD cover Haddaway’s ‘What Is Love’!". Scandipop. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  56. ↑ "Foolstop – What Is Love (Haddaway Rock Cover)". YouTube. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  57. ↑ Daw, Robbie (23 April 2014). "Kiesza Covers Haddaway’s "What Is Love": Watch The Video For Her Rendition Of The ’90s Classic". Idolator. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  58. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  59. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  60. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  61. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  62. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  63. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  64. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Klaas meets Haddaway – What Is Love 2K9". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 23 January 2014.

External links