Alexis Brooking

ENG 1201

Prof Reynolds

2/20/2022

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“What is Love” by Haddaway was released in 1993 and was a huge dance hit. Twenty

years later, in 2013, Jaymes Young released his spin on the song “What Is Love” with a whole

different feel. Although both pieces have the same name, they are two polar opposites.

Haddaway created a one-hit-wonder electronic dance song, the music video depicting him trying

to win the heart of a vampire. Jaymes Young’s version is about grief using a tear-jerker tempo

that puts a different meaning on the lyrics.

Haddaway created the original song “What Is Love” with his producers twenty-nine years

ago in about a day and a half and recorded it shortly after. He explained that the melody only

took him about 45 minutes to complete, and the entire structure of the song was done the day

after that. Haddaway said it was pretty easy to create, as he and his producers were trying to

create something that had not been done before. In interviews, the artist showed that the lyrics

had real meaning to him, and love to him was honesty and trust. James Young would create a

new take to the 90s classic in years to come.

Although the songs, if you only look at the lyrics, look the same, they do not have the

same moods. In the original version, the music video takes place in a castle where the love

interest is introduced as a vampire. Women are shown around the castle dancing while

Haddaway sings his hit song. In the 2013 version by Young, the music video starts with him and
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his wife in a car seconds before a car crash, and then the song begins with Jaymes in a hospital.

Haddaway’s video seems to be a dance party video in a castle, while Young’s version takes on a

more serious tone. The song and video are about his life after the death of his significant other

after all. It is clear how different the songs and music videos are from one another right off the

bat.

Additionally, the claims of the two songs are different. Haddaway’s claim relates to the

pain of loving someone when they do not love you back, but Young’s claim has to do with the

hardship of losing a loved one to death. Because of this, listeners can interpret the lyrics very

differently in both versions. In the original, when it says, “baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no

more,” while the vampire is biting him, using symbolism to show the woman breaking his heart.

Also, the vampire refuses his flowers and plays Haddaway. In Jaymes Young’s music video,

when he sings those same lyrics, it shows Jaymes thinking back to the good times he had with

his wife while crying and hitting things with a sledgehammer in extreme pain. The two songs

and videos are different in their claims because Haddaway uses more symbolism while Young

portrays grief in a raw fashion.

Another considerable difference between the two is the genre of music that they are.

Haddaway’s is considered dance/electronic, while Young’s is alternative/indie and pop. That

alone is evidence of a huge difference! Since these songs have different claims and main ideas, it

makes sense that they would use different styles of music to get their ideas across. Haddaway put

a great beat over grueling lyrics while Young used slower, more melancholy tunes to put together

a song made to provoke emotion. Consequently, both of the songs attract different audiences.
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Indie music is more popular now than during the 90s when the original “What is Love” was

released. Because of this, Young’s version is more prevalent among younger audiences, although

there are still younger people who listen to 90s music and prefer it. Haddaway’s version was

made to be a 90s hit, so many people who grew up in the 90s and those with parents from the 90s

like the original.

Both songs and their music videos use pathos to tell their stories. First of all, the lyrics of

both songs have an emotional meaning behind them. They can be relatable to some, and they

show a negative situation that will most likely make the listeners feel sorry for the singer or think

about their own hard times. The original music by Haddaway makes the audience feel for him

because the vampire, who is his love interest, is constantly hurting him and refusing his romantic

gestures. Although this part of the video is disguised behind dancing and craziness, the story is

still there for the audience to understand. Jaymes Young’s music video was very different, as the

story was not disguised. His video was almost hard to watch with all of the tears and heartache.

The two songs and videos are so different in using pathos because Haddaway uses more

symbolism while Young shows how grief can look in real life.

Even though both of these songs use the same lyrics and melody, there is no question that

they were made with different purposes in mind. Haddaway wanted to make something that had

never been created before, and he wanted his song to have real meaning to which listeners could

relate. Jaymes Young wanted to make a song to show people real grief. Also, the intended

audiences were very different for each. The original version attracted people who grew up in the

90s and their children, while Young’s was for modern audiences. Both had emotional value and
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used pathos in different fashions, but overall, they were both incredible songs that will not be

forgotten.