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Love Action (I Believe in Love)
Encyclopedia
"Love Action" is a song by the British synthpop
group The Human League
, released as a single in the UK in July 1981. It peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart
, the band's first Top 10 success.
The song was written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey
and keyboard player Ian Burden
and features lead vocal by Oakey and female backing vocals by Susanne Sulley (now Susan Ann Sulley) and Joanne Catherall
, analogue synthesizers by Jo Callis
, Philip Adrian Wright and Ian Burden
. Drum machines, sequencing and programming were provided by producer Martin Rushent
. One of the most notable synth sounds on the recording makes use of the pitch-to-voltage converter and envelope shaper on the Roland System 700 modular synth. Jo Callis' guitar strumming was fed into the synth and used to shape and trigger the sounds, producing an unusual choppy, strumming synth patch.
album to be released in advance of the album itself in 1981. It was released as a double A-side single with the non-album track "Hard Times". Some copies of the single were mispressed, with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
's "Souvenir
" as the A-side. In the US, both "Love Action (I Believe in Love)"/"Hard Times" made the dance charts twice, in 1981, the tracks first peaked at number thirty-seven, and one year later, re-entered the dance chart and peaked at number fifty-seven .
The song is a semi-autobiographical account of Oakey’s relationships. Oakey often refers to himself and at one point uses the lyric "this is Phil talking." The line was inspired by Iggy Pop
's line "Jesus, this is Iggy". The Human League had previously supported Iggy Pop live. Oakey borrows from another of his influences and the title "Love action (I Believe in Love)" is named after the Lou Reed
song "I Believe in Love". The song contains another cryptic reference to Lou Reed in the lyric, "I believe what the old man said". Oakey, speaking in 1982 said, "no one ever asks me who the old man is... it's Lou (Reed)."
The single was designated 'Red' on the Human League’s short lived, self imposed labeling system of 'Blue' for pop songs and 'Red' for dance tracks.
The single made number 3 in the UK charts and placed The Human League in the forefront of media attention. It also renewed Virgin Records' faith in the band and guaranteed the release of the album that was to become Dare, just four months later.
The song was sampled in the UK hit single from dance duo Utah Saints
in the mid-1990s and by George Michael
for his politically charged 2002 hit "Shoot the Dog
."
It was featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
.
The song was used for an episode of Skins
in 2009
Originally the song was released without a promotional video; at the time promotional videos were still rare, very expensive and only very high-profile bands received them. At this point the Human League were not sufficiently marketable to warrant the expense of a video.
In 1982, for the U.S. release of "Love Action", a video was shot retrospectively. The storyline is loosely based on the 1968 film The Graduate
. The opening scene is an exact copy of the church scene from the film with Oakey taking Dustin Hoffman's
role. The majority of the video was filmed on a derelict South London
council estate. Most of the female camera time goes to Joanne Catherall, in a wedding dress for the first half. Susan Ann Sulley threw a temper tantrum in her main scene throwing objects around a flat. She accidentally managed to score a direct hit on the camera and a production crew member with a flying lamp. She momentarily broke character and cringed as she realizes she had just hit one of the crew.
12"
3" CD (re-issue)
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
group The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
, released as a single in the UK in July 1981. It peaked at number three in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, the band's first Top 10 success.
The song was written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
and keyboard player Ian Burden
Ian Burden
Ian Charles Burden was a keyboard player with the English synthpop band, The Human League, from 1981 up to 1989....
and features lead vocal by Oakey and female backing vocals by Susanne Sulley (now Susan Ann Sulley) and Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall is an English singer; best known as one of the two female vocalists of the veteran English synthpop band The Human League.Born and raised in Sheffield, England...
, analogue synthesizers by Jo Callis
Jo Callis
Jo Callis is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band, The Rezillos , and post-punk band Boots For Dancing before joining The Human League.-Biography:Callis was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art...
, Philip Adrian Wright and Ian Burden
Ian Burden
Ian Charles Burden was a keyboard player with the English synthpop band, The Human League, from 1981 up to 1989....
. Drum machines, sequencing and programming were provided by producer Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
. One of the most notable synth sounds on the recording makes use of the pitch-to-voltage converter and envelope shaper on the Roland System 700 modular synth. Jo Callis' guitar strumming was fed into the synth and used to shape and trigger the sounds, producing an unusual choppy, strumming synth patch.
Background
"Love Action (I Believe in Love)" was the second of three songs from the DareDare (album)
Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
album to be released in advance of the album itself in 1981. It was released as a double A-side single with the non-album track "Hard Times". Some copies of the single were mispressed, with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
's "Souvenir
Souvenir (song)
"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and released as the first single from their 1981 album Architecture & Morality...
" as the A-side. In the US, both "Love Action (I Believe in Love)"/"Hard Times" made the dance charts twice, in 1981, the tracks first peaked at number thirty-seven, and one year later, re-entered the dance chart and peaked at number fifty-seven .
The song is a semi-autobiographical account of Oakey’s relationships. Oakey often refers to himself and at one point uses the lyric "this is Phil talking." The line was inspired by Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
's line "Jesus, this is Iggy". The Human League had previously supported Iggy Pop live. Oakey borrows from another of his influences and the title "Love action (I Believe in Love)" is named after the Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
song "I Believe in Love". The song contains another cryptic reference to Lou Reed in the lyric, "I believe what the old man said". Oakey, speaking in 1982 said, "no one ever asks me who the old man is... it's Lou (Reed)."
The single was designated 'Red' on the Human League’s short lived, self imposed labeling system of 'Blue' for pop songs and 'Red' for dance tracks.
The single made number 3 in the UK charts and placed The Human League in the forefront of media attention. It also renewed Virgin Records' faith in the band and guaranteed the release of the album that was to become Dare, just four months later.
The song was sampled in the UK hit single from dance duo Utah Saints
Utah Saints
Utah Saints is a dance band based in Leeds, England. The music is produced by Jez Willis and Tim Garbutt, who are joined on-stage by other musicians whenever the band plays live...
in the mid-1990s and by George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
for his politically charged 2002 hit "Shoot the Dog
Shoot the Dog
"Shoot the Dog" is a single by the singer-songwriter George Michael, released as the second single from his album, Patience, though released a year and a half prior to the album. The song is an anti-George W. Bush song. Released on 29 July 2002, it peaked at number one in Denmark and number twelve...
."
It was featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a 2006 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
.
The song was used for an episode of Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
in 2009
Promotional video
In 1982, for the U.S. release of "Love Action", a video was shot retrospectively. The storyline is loosely based on the 1968 film The Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Mike Nichols. It is based on the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay was by Buck Henry, who makes a cameo appearance as a hotel clerk, and Calder...
. The opening scene is an exact copy of the church scene from the film with Oakey taking Dustin Hoffman's
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
role. The majority of the video was filmed on a derelict South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
council estate. Most of the female camera time goes to Joanne Catherall, in a wedding dress for the first half. Susan Ann Sulley threw a temper tantrum in her main scene throwing objects around a flat. She accidentally managed to score a direct hit on the camera and a production crew member with a flying lamp. She momentarily broke character and cringed as she realizes she had just hit one of the crew.
Track listing
7"- "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" - 3:50
- "Hard Times" - 4:53
12"
- "Hard Times" - 4:53
- "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" - 5:06
- "Hard Times" (Instrumental) - 5:45
- "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" (Instrumental) - 5:23
3" CD (re-issue)
- "Hard Times" - 4:53
- "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" - 5:06
- "Hard Times" (Instrumental) - 5:44
- "Love Action" (Instrumental) - 5:23