Haddaway's hit story - What Is Love (1992)
"What is love? Baby don't hurt me! Don't hurt me! No more…” – in the dashing 90s, this composition tore apart all the dance floors! Curiously, "What Is Love" is one of those few songs that do not become obsolete over the years, but only acquire a new generation of listeners! But... in fact, under the groovy melody, there is a much deeper lyrics about broken love.
Making a hit
The authors of the hit were producer Tony Hendrick and Miss Junior Torello. When the song was ready, the question arose before its creators: who, in fact, will give it the proper sound? In the end, the choice fell on Haddaway. It's just that once Hendrik accidentally heard Nestor's recording in the basement of the Coconut studio, and fell in love with his voice...
By that time, a native of Trinidad worked as a dancer and choreographer, writing and recording his own tracks in his spare time.
In his interview, Nestor Haddaway said:
“... As soon as I heard this thing, I realized that it was going to be a resounding success! And me too, of course! And so it happened: “What Is Love” is remembered and loved to this day ... It became a fairly popular hit, and I am grateful to fate that this song came to me! I am very happy, and even with the passage of time I still want to perform it ... "
In addition, Haddaway noted that the recording of the track was very easy and fast:
“... We just took advantage of fresh ideas for that time, and tried to do something that no one else had done before us. The recording came out surprisingly fast, easy ... It took me about fifty minutes, no more, to melody! On the structure of the song, in general, we spent a day and a half ... "
The meaning of the song...
The composition is performed on behalf of a hopelessly in love, rejected guy... The lyrical hero of Haddaway begs his beloved to return to him. But ... all in vain.
The performer himself in his interview shared the following thoughts on this subject:
“I believe that each person decides for himself what love is ... This is a very unique, individual feeling. And it is directly related to trust, sincerity, devotion ... In any case, this is my opinion!
Release and achievements
"What Is Love" was released in Europe as a single in the spring of 1993. In the United States, it appeared only at the end of summer ... The incendiary song about a broken heart became a top leader in 13 countries at once!
Just a year after its release, the single went gold with over 2.5 million copies sold!
Music video
An original music video was later shot for "What Is Love". The director was Volker Hannwacker. The action takes place in an old castle… Together with Haddaway, there are half-naked vampire dancers in the video!
Cover version of singer Kiesza!
In 2014, singer Kaiza performed her own version of "What Is Love". It turned out to be a very beautiful and melodic ballad ...
In an interview, the girl explained:
“I have always loved this song! It evokes the warmest and most pleasant feelings in me ... "What Is Love" makes me move, dance! But one day I realized how deep and depressing the lyrics of this seemingly incendiary song ... And I thought: “How could I not notice?” This song has a very sweet yet sad story… I just decided to let it be told!”
