Before we start, I have to say a sad farewell to Mrs. Bonnie Tyler. May she rest in peace.
Bonnie passed away on July 8, 2026, after complications from an illness she was being treated for in a Portugal hospital. She had just celebrated her seventy-fifth birthday one month (to the day) earlier.
Fun fact: Ace Of Base popularized the song, Don't Turn Around in the 90's, but it was originally recorded as a B-side by Tina Turner for her single, Typical Male in 1986. Bonnie Tyler would then record her own version of the song in 1988 for her studio album, Hide Your Heart. That album would be retitled to Notes From America when released in the USA.
Okay, now back to today's post.
Third times the charm? Maybe. So far, my journey through The Human League has been lackluster at best. I've found no new tunes to add to my shuffle list, and candidly, have been quite bored with what I've been hearing.
When I last left off on the history of the band, founding members Ian Craig Marsh, and Martyn Ware departed the group over musical direction disagreements with singer, Philip Oakey. While Marsh and Ware wanted to stay true to their original roots, Oakey in turn was leaning more towards a commercial new wave sound. Though their manager, Bob Last attempted to reconcile the trio, it was ultimately agreed that Oakey could continue performing as The Human League, but that in doing so, he would need to pay the other two members one percent of the royalties from the next album. Further, in doing so, he remained under contract with Virgin Records, assuming all of the band's debt. Ware and Marsh would go on to create Heaven 17 with Glenn Gregory, who was actually their first choice as singer for The Human League.
Word quickly began to spread that the group had broken up, and was ultimately finished. One reporter would even go so far as to state that all of the talent had departed. Rude.
It was mere days before a scheduled tour was to occur, leaving Oakey scrambling for backup singers. Deciding he needed a female to match the higher ranger of Ware, he and his girlfriend frequented clubs in the area, looking for anyone who could fit the bill. He found this in Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley, who were dancing together at the Crazy Daisy Nightclub. Finding out they were both friends, and only seventeen, he decided to hire them both, so that they could look after each other on the tour. For final approval, he also visited their parents, and got not only their approval, but permission from the schools they were attending at the time.
Lastly, Ian Wright was brought in to fill the gap as synthesizer player. With the lineup complete, the tour was successfully completed. Based on its success, and the girl's professionalism, Oakey and Last offered them a full time role in the group.
Things, however, were not well for the band. Heavily in debt to Virgin Records, both Oakey and Wright new they needed a hit. For this, they knew they needed a musician, and found this in Ian Burden. They released the single Boys And Girls, which reached number 47 in the UK, and restored some faith from the label in them.
Producer Martin Rushent was brought in to guide them on further singles, and under him, they released, The Sound Of The Crowd, which would become their first top forty UK hit, peaking at number twelve. Feeling the group could utilize the talents of another musician, Jo Callis was then brought into the fold as their sixth member. This was followed by the single, Love Action (I Believe in Love), which outperformed their previous, peaking at number three in the UK. This surge in popularity caused their first two albums to start selling again, and both would chart for the first time, eventually going gold.
Another top ten would follow with the single, Open Your Heart, and then came the 1981 studio album, Dare, their most successful to date. It would reach number one in the UK, stay their for four weeks, and in total spend seventy-seven weeks on the charts.
For Dare, the group had recorded what Oakey referred to as a weak filler track. That song, Don't You Want Me, was selected by the label to be released as a single, which Oakey fought against, claiming it would damage the band's reputation. Overruled, a music video was also put into production. That little throw away track would skyrocket to number one. It would also become their first to chart in the USA, also reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
The band headed out on a massive international tour, with Dare being the first of their albums released in the USA by A&M Records. The Human League had just achieved their breakthrough. But perhaps that's another good stopping point. For now, let's dive into 1984's Hysteria.
Things actually start off pleasantly, with I'm Coming Back and I Love You Too Much sounding like a different band than previous albums. With track three, Rock Me Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again (Six Times), I found myself enjoying it.
The Lebanon, and Don't You Know I Want You, were decent tracks, but for the most part, everything else fell into relative background music. As a whole, the album wasn't as interesting as I hoped it would be. Especially after such a massive start. Still, better than what I expected.
It's interesting how a group can start out, be kind of blah, but then with a lineup shift, skyrocket into legacy status. I can't help but wonder how the original members feel in that scenario. It's kind of like changing lanes when yours isn't moving, just for the lane you just departed to start moving, and your new lane to stop. It makes you wonder, "Oh, was I the problem?" In this case, I can't help but ponder if Ware and Marsh were like, "Oh, we were the ones who stunk the band up." I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking it.
The problem with a successful album is that the label then wants you to follow up with something bigger and better. This put immense pressure on the band, and they struggled to come up with material. To fill the gap, their label released the EP, Fascination! in 1983, which contained the top ten hit, (Keep Feeling) Fascination, and the minor hit, Mirror Mirror. Hysteria was finally completed and released in 1984, but would under perform, producing no hits in the USA. It did, however, fare better in the UK, where The Lebanon, and Life On Your Own.
It was at this point in my historical search of the band that it finally dawned on me where I was more familiar with the name Philip Oakey...
Following Hysteria, Oakey would work with a personal idol to him, Giorgio Moroder, to record the single, Together In Electric Dreams for the soundtrack to the film, Electric Dreams. It would become another hit for him. This would lead them to record the album, Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder, for Virgin Records. However, it would not be as successful.
That's a nice positive note for things to end on. Tomorrow I wrap up my 80's adventure through The Human League with 1986's Crash.
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