What Is Love was released in 1993 by Haddaway, a Trinidadian-German singer, and became a major Eurodance hit across Europe and the United States. Its second life came through Saturday Night Live's Roxbury Guys sketches and the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury, where characters bobbed their heads in unison to the track in clubs and cars. That visual gag carried into early internet videos and modern edits, so the chorus alone now signals cheesy romance, awkward club confidence, and perfectly timed head-bobbing without needing the full song.
About this sound
What Is Love is the iconic Haddaway dance hook used in memes and edits for romantic fails, head-bobbing jokes and nostalgic 90s party moments.
This clip captures the instantly recognisable chorus hook from Haddaway's What Is Love, built around the repeated question sung over a pulsing Eurodance beat. The vocal is earnest and dramatic while the synth rhythm stays bouncy and relentless, which is exactly why it lands as comedy in edits. Dropped over someone swaying, overthinking a crush, or bobbing their head in sync with friends, it turns a simple reaction into a full 90s club scene. The contrast between the pleading lyric and the upbeat production makes even awkward or lovestruck moments feel theatrically funny.
