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Victoria Clements

English 1201

November 8, 2021

What Is Love

Jaymes Young's cover of “What Is Love” gives new life to Haddaway's original

version while still sharing the same theme of what is love, however Young's version is

more understandable to the younger audience. Haddawys original version was made in

19993 while Young’s version was made in 2019. “What is love” is the basis of both music

videos, both men wondering what love really is. Haddaway's version centers on many

woman love interests but mainly one that catches his attention. Young’s version is about

the loss of his wife whom he loved dearly.

The original music video created by Haddaway includes many women-like

sculptures along with many women dancing around or near him. There is one dancer

that stands out from the rest because she is holding a bouquet of flowers and is the only

one seen in a cape. The pair exchange some tension-filled encounters leading up to a

point where the woman pulls Haddaway closer to plant a kiss on his cheek. Haddaway is

later seen alone as if an electric current is going through his whole body. The kiss that

the two shared could be reasoning to the electricity that seemed to go from head to

toe. The tension between them is extremely noticeable but so is Haddaway's wish to not

get hurt.

The remix version created by Jaymes Young only includes one woman, his wife.

They are seen driving in the car together when another car crashes into the driver's side
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killing his wife. After leaving the hospital he visits his wife's grave. Since her death the

music video depicts memories that the two shared on the beach and in the bathroom.

It's as if he can't escape the painful memories of her. Both music videos show two

different ways love has gone but one is truly sad and many people's worst fear. No one

would want to lose the person they were supposed to spend the rest of their lives with

at such a young age.

Life experiences are what allow the audience to understand the context of the

two different music videos while using pathos. Paths was used many times to get

emotions out of people and connect them to what they are listening to and watching.

People feel empathetic for a man that has been widowed; they can sympathise with his

pain. It makes the readers understand why he would ask the question what is love

because what is love if it can be taken away so undeserving at any time. This connection

is what makes the two videos different. There is a deeper bond to be made with a man

that lost his world instead of a man that doesn't want to get hurt by a new love interest.

The relationship between the two versions is that for anyone, love can be scary

one shows how it's scary to get into a romantic situation and one shows how it's

devastating to lose that relationship. In life it can be scary to pursue the one you think

you love but it also shows you that it's better to have the memories of the person that

made you happy than to have never tried at all. Young’s version shows a man that is

filled with grief but the memories of his late wife and the adventures they shared

together will always be there. The two moods of the songs are quite different since the

first one is more spunk and upbeat while the second has a sad love song vibe. He sings
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in such a soft tone and pleads for answers. While the first man sings his questions and

shouts that he does not want to get hurt.

This generation relates more with sad, deep, intorcet songs that are written on

loss. The latest version capitalizes on that fact that almost everyone has gone through

the pain of losing a loved one making it stand out more than the original loud edgy

version. One version shows fear of new relationships while the other shows sadness of

losing the love of his life. They are two very different videos with the same lyrics

showing how some words can have more than one meaning. Everything is open to the

viewer's interpretation in connection with their own life experiences.

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Works Cited

CoconutMusicGermany, director. What Is Love. YouTube, YouTube, 18 June 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEXWRTEbj1I. Accessed 8 Nov. 2021.

Jamesbond007ptit, director. What Is Love. YouTube, YouTube, 27 Apr. 2019,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIvvHKp0JNI. Accessed 8 Nov. 2021.