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The document compares the songs 'What Is Love' by Haddaway and James Young. It breaks down the music videos and lyrics of each song, finding that both depict a man unable to be with his lover, though for different reasons - one due to being led on, the other after losing his lover. The document analyzes the similarities and differences between the songs and videos.

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41 views4 pages

Document42 1

The document compares the songs 'What Is Love' by Haddaway and James Young. It breaks down the music videos and lyrics of each song, finding that both depict a man unable to be with his lover, though for different reasons - one due to being led on, the other after losing his lover. The document analyzes the similarities and differences between the songs and videos.

Uploaded by

api-582865339
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Blake Sheppard

Lisa Cook

English 1201

October 3, 2021

I will be comparing the songs " What Is Love" by Haddaway and James

Young. Both songs are about a man who is in love with a woman but cannot have

her. As you hear multiple times throughout the song and obviously in the title "

What is love" gives you a good idea about the song. Both Haddaway and Young

are simply confused and frustrated due to them not being able to have the girl

they want. It is also repeated many times throughout the song "baby don't hurt

me, don't hurt me, no more", implying that they have suffered a great deal

because of this woman. I will be breaking down several parts of each song

including the music videos, why each man can't be with the woman, and the

similarities and differences between each song.

Starting off with artists Haddaway's video, it is a very dark depicted video

with a depressing sort of vibe. Haddaway's version is also very upbeat and fast

tempo. There is a woman in Haddaway's video that appears a lot, possibly

representing the woman he is talking about. This woman is shown doing magic
and is also depicted as a vampire, sucking blood out of artist Haddaway's neck.

This could imply the woman acts like a sort of leech towards Haddaway, she takes

what she wants but never actually gives him the time of day. It also shows what

seems to be the woman teasing Haddaway, which again would add to the

narrative that she is just holding him on a string. I think this video gives a pathos

appeal, because as you watch it you really feel for Haddaway and the lyrics he is

expressing.

James Young version of " What Is Love" is a much slower, monotone

version of the song. Combined with the lyrics of the song, Young's tempo and

slow pace makes a lot more sense to me. At the beginning of the music video, it

shows a man and woman riding together in a car. The scene ends in a car accident

and cuts to the man walking alone, without the woman, in a busy city street. It

then shows the same man cut up and bloody attending a funeral service. The

video now leads me to believe that the woman in the car was his girlfriend or wife

and died in the accident. It follows showing the man really struggling throughout

his life without her, crying alone and even breaking things while he mourns her

death. The video shows the man seeing his past wife in his mirror, during

everyday trips, as he can't seem to get her out of his head. It then shows the man

on a beach with a different woman, and he seems to be enjoying his time,


laughing and smiling. Then again, he sees his wife again in a reflection off the

water at the beach, bringing all his emotions back to the surface. The video ends

after that, with the man waking up on a train. The man has a very confused and

panicked look on his face when he awakes, leading you to believe that it was all a

dream.

As you see, both videos depicted a man who could not have their lover, but

for completely different reasons. I ultimately think both videos give a pathos

appeal. As you watch and listen to each song you really begin to feel for each of

the characters not being able to be with the person they love. I would say the

audience for each video varies. For Haddaway's version I would say the audience

would be anyone who feels they are not being treated fairly in a relationship.

Someone who feels they are being taken advantage of or not receiving the same

type o love they are giving. For James Young's version, I would say the audience

would be someone who is mourning a close loved one. It can be so hard to get

over someone who has passed or even someone who isn't in your life anymore,

and this video could help someone understand they aren't the only ones.

Both videos carry a very strong and thoughtful message. I think both artists

have had situations in their life that reflect these videos. They did a great job
really depicting their own emotions in the lyrics and videos, and I think that's

what makes each one of them special.

Citations

bonD. “What Is Love - Jaymes Young (Cinematic Video).” YouTube, 27 Apr. 2019,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIvvHKp0JNI. Accessed Sept. 26, 2021.

CoconutMusicGermany. “Haddaway - What Is Love [Official].” YouTube, 18 June

2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEXWRTEbj1I. Accessed Sept. 26, 2021

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