Life (Haddaway song)

"Life" (known as "Life (Everybody Needs Somebody to Love)" in the US) is a song by Trinidadian-German Eurodance artist Haddaway. Written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan (Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello, the song was released on 30 July 1993 as the second single from Haddaway's debut album, The Album (1993), and the follow-up to his successful debut single, "What Is Love". The song peaked at number one in Finland, Israel, Spain and Sweden. And within the top 5 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Switzerland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Life" reached the top spot. Another CD maxi were produced at the end of that year containing new remixes (one of them was made by Bass Bumpers). By March 1994, "Life" had sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.[1]

"Life"
Single by Haddaway
from the album The Album
Released30 July 1993 (1993-07-30)
RecordedMetalworks (Mississauga, Ontario)
GenreEurodance
Length4:18
LabelCoconut
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Dee Dee Halligan
  • Junior Torello
Haddaway singles chronology
"What Is Love"
(1993)		 "Life"
(1993)		 "I Miss You"
(1993)
Music video
"Life" on YouTube

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis complimented Haddaway's "passionate, urgent delivery" on the song.[2] Larry Flick from Billboard felt that "although there is no denying the stylistic similarity to Haddaway's huge "What Is Love", this single gains its own strength through a fun, sing-along chorus and warmly upbeat lyrics. Added pleasure comes from Haddaway's assured voice."[3] He also wrote that it "does have a chorus that instantly sticks to the brain".[4] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report noted that the singer "delivers an early Christmas present. "Life..." comes complete with a melody as compelling as his debut smash".[5] A reviewer from Kingston Informer viewed it as "brilliant".[6] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said, "The new track aims to repeat this same formula and does so just about."[7] Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that "variations on a theme have always been bona fide recording tricks and subsequently "Life" will be "What Is Love?" Part II."[8]

Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five, describing it as "a bouncy, commercial Euro-house track which will have little appeal to club cognoscenti but will delight the mainstream audience." He added, "It won't be as big as "What Is Love?" (few records are) but should safely reach the Top 10."[9] John Kilgo from The Network Forty found that it is "familiar in sound" to his debut single, noting further that "this tune will research phenomenally, following in the heels of its predecessor."[10] Reading Evening Post's reviewer felt it "provides strong evidence to suggest that Haddaway won't be a one-hit wonder", adding that "he sounds like Seal".[11] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update deemed it a "simple Teutonic pop bounder".[12] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits gave it one out of five, calling it "an uninspired plodder which recycles the synth tune from Snap's "Rhythm Is a Dancer" and ponders the notion that "Life will never be the same/Life is changing"."[13]

Chart performance

"Life" peaked at number one in Finland, Spain and Sweden as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In addition, the single reached number two in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. It was a top-five hit also in Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number six on 3 October 1993, after three weeks on the UK Singles Chart.[14] It stayed at that position for two weeks. On the UK Dance Singles Chart, it reached number two. Outside Europe, "Life" reached number one in Israel and on the Canadian RPM Dance chart, number five on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, number 14 in Zimbabwe, number 15 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was awarded with a gold record in Austria and Sweden, while in Germany, it received a platinum record for 500,000 units sold.

Music video

The accompanying music video of "Life" was partly inspired by the German 1927 movie Metropolis by Fritz Lang. Haddaway plays a scientist and inventor, like Rotwang in the movie. He designs a dancing robot, the Maschinenmensch, shaped like a woman. He tries to give life to it and manages to transform it into a real woman. They then dance to the rhythm, with the woman following Haddaway's movements. In the end, he takes off her helmet. She opens her eyes and he kisses her.[15] The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.[16]

Track listings
  • CD maxi
  1. "Life" (Radio Edit) — 4:18
  2. "Life" (12" Mix) — 6:00
  3. "Life" (Club Life) — 6:13
  • Cassette single
  1. "Life" — 4:18
  2. "Life" (Instrumental) — 4:18
  • CD maxi – Remixes
  1. "Life / Remix" (Mission Control Mix) — 7:00
  2. "Life" (Bass Bumpers Remix) — 5:55
  3. "Life" (Radio Edit) — 4:15

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[56] Gold 25,000*
Germany (BVMI)[57] Platinum 500,000^
Sweden (GLF)[58] Gold 25,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Europe 30 July 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Coconut [27]
United Kingdom 13 September 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Logic [59]

References
  1. Ellie Weinert (26 March 1994). Casebook: Haddaway. Billboard. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  2. F. Promis, Jose. "Haddaway - The Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. Flick, Larry (11 December 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  4. Flick, Larry (4 December 1993). "Dance Trax: Forget Ingenue-ity: Nerissa Is Taking Control" (PDF). Billboard. p. 31. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  5. Sholin, Dave (3 December 1993). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  6. "I Miss You by Haddaway". Kingston Informer. December 17, 1993. page 5.
  7. Masterton, James (19 September 1993). "Week Ending September 25th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  8. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 14 August 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  9. Jones, Alan (21 August 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  10. Kilgo, John (3 December 1993). "Mainstream: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 22. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  11. "Haddaway Life". Reading Evening Post. 10 September 1993. page 43.
  12. Hamilton, James (18 September 1993). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 6. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  13. Doyle, Tom (15 September 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  15. "Haddaway - Life [Official Video]". YouTube. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  16. "Station Reports > MTV Europe/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 18 September 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  17. "Haddaway – Life". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  18. "Haddaway – Life" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  19. "Haddaway – Life" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  20. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2393." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  21. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2379." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  22. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 2 October 1993. p. 14. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  23. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 9 October 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  24. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 October 1993. p. 30. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  25. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  26. "Haddaway – Life" (in French). Les classement single.
  27. "Haddaway – Life" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  28. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (09.09.1993 – 15.09.1993)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  29. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Haddaway". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  30. 2 weeks at No. 1 (28 July 1993 & 3 August 1993)
  31. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 42. 16 October 1993. p. 18. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  32. "M-1 TOP 40". M-1.fm. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  33. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Haddaway" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  34. "Haddaway – Life" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  35. "Haddaway – Life". VG-lista.
  36. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  37. "Haddaway – Life". Singles Top 100.
  38. "Haddaway – Life". Swiss Singles Chart.
  39. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 25 September 1993. p. 26. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  40. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 11 September 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  41. Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
  42. "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 February 1994. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  44. "Haddaway – Life / Remix". Singles Top 100.
  45. "Haddaway – Life / Remix". Swiss Singles Chart.
  46. 1993 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at Archived 24 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
  47. "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
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  49. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  50. "Single top 100 over 1993" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  51. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  52. 1993 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 13 February 2008)
  53. "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.
  54. "The RM Club Chart 93" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 25 December 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  55. "The RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  56. "Austrian single certifications – Haddaway – Life" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  57. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Haddaway; 'Life')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  58. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  59. "Single Releases". Music Week. 11 September 1993. p. 23.
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