In their latest video, the folks over at Postmodern Jukebox have teamed up again with Casey Abrams (American Idol) to bring us an unlikely pairing that works surprisingly well by performing Haddaway’s 1993 song “What is love” in a style akin to the Isley Brothers. The song, as you likely remember, was made famous by Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan’s head-bobbing Butabi brothers in SNL sketches and subsequent feature film A Night at the Roxbury.
Taking on the challenge to make the song listenable once again, PMJ gives it an Isley Brothers twist by performing it like the classic call and response tune “Shout” that was featured in the comedy classic Animal House. That relationship to the film isn’t lost on the PMJ team as they work in a few nods to the Delta’s party scene both lyrically and in all out mayhem toward the end of the song. What’s impressive is how an otherwise annoying pop song like “What Is Love” works so well when performed in a different style. It’s perhaps not as effective as what PMJ did with Nickelback, but breathing new life into a song like Haddaway’s Eurodance anthem is still an admirable accomplishment. And just because we’re feeling a bit evil today, let’s take a listen to the original to contrast just how good PMJ’s version is and demonstrate how the song never really left your brain. It’s there forever. We all have to deal with it.
Sheesh. Music videos in the ’90s were an extra special level of bananas.
What are your favorite PMJ songs? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
Image: Paramount Pictures
