Perhaps we can infer something from the Haddaway song itself.
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
In this first iteration of the refrain, Haddaway expresses a mixed, tragic, and confused sentiment. In the first sentence Haddaway seems to offer a simple philosophical question, much like the OP posted here. However, upon reaching the second line, the audience begins to suspect tht rather than simply intellectual curiosity, there is a single, real, painful, and currently occurring experience from whence this existential question has arisen. The author has experienced pain at the hands of either a small child, or more likely, their lover or object of their desire. The first "baby don't hurt me" potentially could indicate that due to the authors' feelings the "baby" in question (hereafter referred to as "the girl") has the capability to hurt the author, presumably because of the author's strong feelings towards the girl. The second "don't hurt me" followed by the "no more" indicates that not only is hurting the author a possibility given his feelings towards the girl at this point, but it is a reality, one that has already occured.
Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me
No more
What is love?
Yeah
In this stanza, the author repeats his request to not be hurt, his question, and ends with a "Yeah." Presumably this yeah indicates that he will expound on his situation presently, and emphasizes the strength and conviction of his worries.
I don't know why you're not fair
The author here indicates that the girl is not acting responsibly, and she "owes" him something, or that the balance is somehow uneven.
I give you my love, but you don't care
We learn here that the author is presumably in pain because of unrequited love. Whereas his feelings are strong towards her, she does not feel the same. As Roots mentioned:
According to roots' definition, the love the author experiencing is not "genuine."
So what is right and what is wrong?
This sudden descent into morality indicates that the authors' entire intellectual capability is shaken, to the degree that he is unsure of "right and wrong". Perhaps he is contemplating violence, towards himself or her. Perhaps he is wondering if he should leave her alone or follow his own love as a true and "valid" feeling and descend into "impossible love" as Roots has indicated here:
I think the author would agree that it is indeed "stressful."
Gimme a sign
Given that the girl has made it clear that this is unrequited love, the author's desperate plea to "gimme a sign" is asking for some reason, any reason to continue down this stressful and painful path of loving someone who doesn't love you.
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
The author repeats the refrain twice more to emphasize his conundrum. Clearly, his reality is being shattered by this. I think
@just4fun can relate:
If the love is unrequited, then the question we must ask is, why does the author blame the girl for "hurting him" as if his pain is her choice? Perhaps
@User#8628 can shed some light on this paradox:
So it's painful to stay away, and yet it's painful to keep trying to get something which you cannot. A conundrum indeed! The author is damned if you do, damned if you don't.
(Woah-woah-woah, oh, oh)
(Woah-woah-woah, oh, oh)
A sudden musical interlude from a female singer. The audience must wonder - is this the girl of the story? Is Haddaway banging an Uggo to get over the girl in question? Is it a supportive female friend? Or an unrelated character here to witness the unfolding of more drama? We will never know.
Oh, I don't know, what can I do?
What else can I say, it's up to you
The author begins to come to terms with the fact that he has no true recourse and everything is up to the girl's decision. Unfortunately for him it seems she has already decided.
I know we're one, just me and you
I can't go on
The author indicates that he knows he and the girl are "one" - presumably as in, one body, one soul, one essence. They are so alike as to, by all reasonable inference, be drawn inseparably together. Since this has not happened, the author is having an emotional, moral, and philosophical meltdown. The author's strong wording indicates it is his belief that he doesn't merely
suspect, he
knows they are one, if only she could see it. Roots has more to say related to this:
The author believes that he and the girl are destined to healthy love, however, she cannot see it and thus is "hurting him".
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
The author is repeating himself at this point. It seems his logical functions may be overridden by desire to drive home this point.
(Woah-woah-woah, oh, oh)
(Woah-woah-woah, oh, oh)
Again, the mysterious female singer appears. Who is she? Are there any clues?
What is love?
What is love?
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
We are indeed reaching the realm of "obsession and addition" as the author repeats the refrain for the sixth and seventh time in less than a minute.
I want no other, no other lover
This is our life, our time
The author renounces all future or current other lovers, dedicating himself to the girl now and forever exclusively. Will she reciprocate? Does he imagine that this will help him? Perhaps he has cheated in the past and this is his pledge to be true in the future.
We are together I need you forever
Is it love?
Is the author "together" with the girl, as in a relationship? Perhaps they have had a long and fruitful relationship - even involving travel, marriage, or other major milestones, and now she is waning in interest yet he remains firm, or stronger than ever. Nonetheless, forever is a very long time, and "need" is a strong word. Without her will he cease to exist?
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
The author keeps repeating himself here, perhaps hoping that repetition is convincing to the girl in question.
Yeah, yeah, (woah-woah-woah, oh, oh)
(Woah-woah-woah, oh, oh)
One would imagine that if he "wants no other" and if they are "together" then perhaps he should have not had this woman sing on the track, lest the girl he desires think him unfaithful. Seems like a classic oversight here. Or - perhaps it is purposeful. He suspects that the presentation of another woman will spark feelings of jealousy and ignite the passions of the girl and drive her into his arms.
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
What is love?
Another four times for the refrain. Even for Eurodance this is getting repetitive. Let's check out the thoughts of the OP on the matter:
We already have expressed doubts about the author's ability to refrain from violence - either directed towards himself, towards her, or to other perceived threats, and have established that he is going to be in pain for the forseeable future either if he keeps trying for this impossible love, or if he gives up and stays clear of this woman. Thus, the author has indicated that Jbagz is correct, he is acting both contrary to one's safety and self-interest.
We are left with a melancholic feeling, and a curiosity about what may happen in the future to this character. We have no real sense of her feelings on the matter besides the fact that she "doesn't care". Does she have another lover? Is she simply not into him? Did she used to be, but something he did or didn't do turned her off of him? We are left with more questions than answers, and the author used most of the 3 minutes of the song repeating himself in a manner akin to bashing his head against the wall to the synthy rhythms rather than provide more context. It's understandable, given that he's hurt, but we are left curious and a little sad (or even worried for the health of one or both characters in the story). This places the tune firmly at the "towards the end of the night" rotation, when everybody in the club is nice and drunk and feeling somewhat wistful. This certainly is not a song to pound shots to, but rather one to dance the small hours of the night to. Presumably, the lack of desire to end the night alone will spur the crowd into finding a mate so as not to feel existentially alone.
Haddaway himself
mentions:
“People always ask me about what I meant,” he writes to Flavorwire. “I meant that ‘what is love’ needs to be defined by everyone by his own definition. It’s unique and individual. For me, it has to do with trust, honesty, and dedication.”
It seems that Haddaway agrees with some of the conclusions of this thread himself, and his song was indeed an attempt to illustrate the complex and personal nature of love.