Laibach Share Cover of Foreigner’s 'I Want To Know What Love Is'

Laibach have shared “I Want To Know What Love Is", a 3-track release featuring their interpretation of Foreigner’s track, out now on Mute. “I Want To Know What Love Is”, which follows their recent interpretations of “Strange Fruit” and “White Christmas”,  has been performed as an encore on the Slovenian provocateurs Opus Dei Revisited tour, which continues in Feb/March. The track, well documented through countless social media posts by bewildered and enthralled attendees, has sparked the first -a Laibach-a-long- as audiences join in with the classic track.

Listeners curious as to what led this track to be plucked from middle-of-the-road radio, and placed alongside reworked versions from Laibach’s 1987 international breakthrough album Opus Dei, might look for clues in the recent trilogy of releases. “Strange Fruit”, another highlight from the current shows, was refracted to examine how tyranny, hatred and murder pervades in human history as well as today. “White Christmas” examined the vacuum that the joyous holiday can intensify within those ‘without’ and the magnification of loss that it creates.

Is there a further clue in the name of the band who originally sang “I Want To Know What Love is”? Perhaps a demand for understanding, empathy and acceptance is not what would be expected from a band known for its challenging and complex treatise. But then again, in the current world there is little that could be more challenging and complex than achieving peace and love.

Irony is a word often used by people clamoring to understand and explain Laibach, but across the three versions on the single you get a sense of a simplicity and pleasure pervading through these new interpretations. The arrangement by Laibach and their Slovenian collaborators, Silence, and the mix by famed Grammy-winning US producer Marc Urselli (Nick Cave, Foo Fighters, Lou Reed, U2), don’t waver, but instead play things straight and true throughout. 

After stating “Love Is Still Alive” on the EP of the same name in 2023, Laibach proves it now with this song. They ask their audience to show them love and you can hear for yourselves, on the Extended Mix included on the single, the heartfelt response they receive back.

LAIBACH – OPUS DEI TOUR:

2025:

2/7/2025 - Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
2/8/2025 - Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
2/16/2025 - Krakow, Kwadrat, PL
2/18/2025- Ostrava, Barrak, CZ
2/19/2025 - Vienna, Arena, AT
2/20/2025 - Jena, F-Haus, DE
2/21/2025 - Sittard, Poppodium Volt, NL
2/22/2025 - London, Islington Assembly Hall, UK
2/23/2025 - Manchester, Ritz, UK
2/24/2025 - Southampton, The 1865, UK
2/25/2025 - Bristol, Trinity Centre, UK
2/27/2025 - Lausanne, Les Docks, CH
2/28/2025 – Bologna, Link, IT
3/1/2025 - Nova Gorica, SNG Nova Gorica, SI
3/4/2025 - Skopje, Macedonian Philharmonic, MK
3/5/2025 - Athens, Gazarte, GR
3/6/2025 - Sofia, Pirotska 5, BG
3/7/2025 - Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO 
3/8/2025 - Beograd, Dom Omladine, RS
3/21/2025 -  Maribor, Narodni dom, SI

Photo courtesy of Laibach