Life (Haddaway song)

"Life" (known as "Life (Everybody Needs Somebody to Love)" in the US) is a song recorded by the Trinidadian-German Eurodance artist Haddaway. It was released on November 5, 1993 as the second single from his debut album, The Album. It was written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan (Dieter Lünstedt a.k.a. Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello. The song peaked at number-one in Finland, Greece, Israel, Spain and Sweden. And within the top 5 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, 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
B-side"Remix"
Released5 November 1993
Recorded1992 at Metalworks Studios in 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 in his review of The Album.[2] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote 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 added that it "does have a chorus that instantly sticks to the brain".[4] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented that Haddaway "delivers an early Christmas present. "Life..." comes complete with a melody as compelling as his debut smash, "What Is Love."[5] Kingston Informer called the song "brilliant".[6] Music & Media commented that "variations on a theme have always been bona fide recording tricks and subsequently Life will be What Is Love? Part II."[7] The Network Forty wrote that the song is "familiar in sound" to "What Is Love" and noted further that "this tune will research phenomenally, following in the heels of its predecessor."[8] Reading Evening Post said that "Life" "provides strong evidence to suggest that Haddaway won't be a one-hit wonder". They added that on the song, "he sounds like Seal".[9]

Chart performance

"Life" managed to make an impact on the charts on several continents, becoming a major hit. It went to number-one in Finland, Greece, Spain and Sweden as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In addition, the single reached the Top 5 in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 6 on October 3, 1993,[10] after three weeks on the UK Singles Chart. It stayed at that position for two weeks. Outside Europe, "Life" reached number-one also in Israel and on the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban Chart, number 5 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play, number 14 in Zimbabwe, number 15 on the Canadian Singles Chart and number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was awarded with a gold record in Austria and Sweden, with a sale of 15,000 and 10,000 singles sold. In Germany, it received a platinum record for 500,000 units sold.

Music video

The 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 dance to the rhythm, with the woman following Haddaway's movements. In the end, he takes off her helmet. She then opens her eyes and he kisses her. The video was uploaded to YouTube in August 2012. As of August 2020, it has got more than 13 million views.[11]

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 and sales

References
  1. Ellie Weinert (March 26, 1994). Casebook: Haddaway. Billboard. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
  2. "Haddaway - The Album". AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  3. "Billboard: Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  4. Flick, Larry (December 4, 1993). "Dance Trax: Forget Ingenue-ity: Nerissa Is Taking Control" (PDF). Billboard. p. 31. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  5. Sholin, Dave. "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  6. "I Miss You by Haddaway". Kingston Informer. December 17, 1993. page 5. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  7. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. August 14, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  8. "Mainstream: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. December 3, 1993. p. 22. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  9. "HADDAWAY Life". Reading Evening Post. September 10, 1993. page 43. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 75 03 October 1993 - 09 October 1993". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  11. "Haddaway - Life [Official Video]". YouTube. August 9, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  12. "Australian-charts.com – Haddaway – Life". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Haddaway – Life" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Haddaway – Life" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2393." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  16. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2379." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  17. "Top 10 Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
  18. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 9 October 1993. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  19. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  20. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  21. "Lescharts.com – Haddaway – Life" (in French). Les classement single.
  22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Haddaway – Life". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  23. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (09.09.1993 – 15.09.1993)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Haddaway". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  25. Israel Top-30: 2 weeks at No. 1 (28.07.1993 & 03.08.1993)
  26. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 42. 16 October 1993. p. 18. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  27. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Haddaway" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  28. "Dutchcharts.nl – Haddaway – Life" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  29. "Norwegiancharts.com – Haddaway – Life". VG-lista.
  30. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  31. "Swedishcharts.com – Haddaway – Life". Singles Top 100.
  32. "Swisscharts.com – Haddaway – Life". Swiss Singles Chart.
  33. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  34. Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved August 22, 2008)
  35. "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box (1994-02-19). Retrieved 19 February 2018.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  37. "Swedishcharts.com – Haddaway – Life / Remix". Singles Top 100.
  38. "Swisscharts.com – Haddaway – Life / Remix". Swiss Singles Chart.
  39. 1993 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at Archived 2010-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved August 22, 2008)
  40. "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  41. "1993 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  42. "Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  43. "Single top 100 over 1993" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  44. "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  45. 1993 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch Archived 2013-11-05 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved February 13, 2008)
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  47. Austrian certifications ifpi.at Archived 2010-02-01 at WebCite (Retrieved August 22, 2008)
  48. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Haddaway; 'Life')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved August 22, 2008.
  49. Swedish certifications Ifpi.se Archived 2012-05-21 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved September 11, 2008)
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