Human – Human League | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#1); 1986
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
By taking their name from a science fiction game, perhaps the members of Human League unwittingly hit upon the underlying absurdity of the music business.
After all, what could be more farfetched than an electro-pop band from Sheffield, England being produced by urban legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, whose forte was working with Janet Jackson and the S.O.S. Band? Although League members usually wrote the group’s songs, Jam and Lewis composed Human.
Since singer Phil Oakey’s style leaned toward the mechanical, the producers worked with him extensively during the session in order to get a more intimate delivery.
This, coupled with the lyrical female twist on a typical male’s tale, created a captivating track that gave Jam and Lewis, in addition to Janet Jackson’s When I Think Of You, their second #1 hit as producers. Likewise, Human was the Human League’s second #1, their first having been Don’t You Want Me.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- James Harris III
- Terry Lewis
Lyrics Written by:
- James Harris III
- Terry Lewis
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).