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'Don't You Want Me' by The Human League
Did you know?
The song that almost never was – "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League – became one of the most successful singles of the 1980s, despite its own lead singer fighting against its release. This synth-pop classic topped charts on both sides of the Atlantic and helped usher in the Second British Invasion of American pop music.
What makes the song's success even more remarkable is its humble origins. Lead singer Philip Oakey found inspiration in an unlikely place: a photo-story in a teenage girl's magazine. He transformed this simple story into a dark tale about power dynamics between two people – specifically, a man who discovers a cocktail waitress, helps make her a star, and then watches their relationship crumble.
The song's iconic duet structure wasn't part of the original plan. After seeing "A Star Is Born," Oakey decided to transform his solo piece into a back-and-forth dialogue, recruiting Susan Ann Sulley – one of the band's teenage backup singers – through what she called "luck of the draw." This decision would prove pivotal to the song's success.
The recording process itself was full of peculiar moments. Oakey recorded his vocals in the studio bathroom for better acoustics, while band member Jo Callis would occasionally reach through the window to flush the toilet, adding an element of chaos to the sessions. The song's famous guitar-synth melody was actually the result of a happy accident when the studio computer played the line half a beat out of time.
Technologically, "Don't You Want Me" was groundbreaking. It was the first number-one hit in both the UK and US to feature the revolutionary Linn LM-1 drum machine, a device that would later become a favorite of artists like Prince and would help define the sound of 1980s pop music.
The song's timing couldn't have been better. Released in late 1981, it coincided with the launch of MTV, which was desperate for content and heavily featured British music videos. The cinematic video, directed by Steve Barron (who would later direct a-ha's "Take On Me," and more notably "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits), was inspired by French New Wave cinema and depicted a film-within-a-film concept that helped set new standards for music video creativity.
Despite its massive success – becoming the UK's best-selling single of 1981 and reaching number one in multiple countries – Oakey remained skeptical. He had initially fought against its release, considering it a "poor quality filler track" and worried it would ruin the band's credibility. He only agreed to its release if the single came with a large color poster to give fans better value for money.
The song's legacy continues to evolve. It has sold over 1.56 million copies in the UK alone, making it one of the most successful singles in British chart history. It's been covered numerous times, used in advertisements (much to the band's chagrin), and even adapted by football fans. In 2022, Rolling Stone recognized its enduring influence by including it in their "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time."
Perhaps most importantly, "Don't You Want Me" helped establish synthesizer-based pop as a legitimate commercial force. At a time when the Musicians' Union was trying to ban synthesizers out of fear they would put traditional musicians out of work, the song's success helped prove that electronic music was the future, not just a passing fad. The Dare! album (which this song is a part of) was recorded entirely without traditional instruments.
The Human League was asked to perform on the American music show Solid Gold where they were to perform this song with the famous Solid Gold Dancers The band refused for the seemingly simple reason that they had their own dancers.
While Oakey has since admitted to being proud of the track, he maintains it's "not a love song, but a nasty song about sexual power politics." This complexity beneath its catchy exterior perhaps explains its enduring appeal – it's both a perfect pop song and a darker commentary on fame, power, and relationships.
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