People Are Still Having Sex
Encyclopedia
"People Are Still Having Sex" is a song written and composed by American musician LaTour
and released as the first
single from his self-titled debut album LaTour (1991).
;" no matter how authority figures such as parents and counselors
try, and despite the risk posed by AIDS
, "nothing seems to stop them."
The song is built around an instrumental background and also includes a female voice speaking various lines. This voice also ends the song with the word "sex." An audio sample of a woman saying "Hello, lover" is taken from the 1987 horror film Evil Dead II
.
The track was written about the initial AIDS scare in the late 1980s. At the time, various media outlets were sensationalizing the disease with the solution many advocacy groups touted was to just not have any intimate relations at all.
LaTour wrote the song based on the notion that pure abstinence
was not the only answer and that something a bit more aggressive to educate the public needed to be done. The song rose to #1 on the Billboard dance charts and selective quotes have been used on the CDC's (Center for Disease Control) website.
and features various animated backgrounds, some of which relate to the song's topic. The video was conceived by H-Gun
. They were the company that created early videos by Nine Inch Nails
and Ministry
. LaTour's live face is seen at the left of the screen during his speaking parts, while animation occupies the rest of the screen.
The video of the song was featured on the animated MTV
series Beavis and Butt-head
, on the episode "Temporary Insanity," which aired on December 10, 1994.
LaTour
William LaTour, better known by his stage name LaTour and also known as "Bud" Latour, is an American singer, songwriter, and voice over artist...
and released as the first
single from his self-titled debut album LaTour (1991).
Song content
The song features a monologue expounding the narrator's observations that "people everywhere" are "still having sexSex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
;" no matter how authority figures such as parents and counselors
School counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
try, and despite the risk posed by AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, "nothing seems to stop them."
The song is built around an instrumental background and also includes a female voice speaking various lines. This voice also ends the song with the word "sex." An audio sample of a woman saying "Hello, lover" is taken from the 1987 horror film Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II
Evil Dead II, also known as Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, is a 1987 horror comedy film directed by Sam Raimi. It is a retcon sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead. The film was written by Raimi and Scott Spiegel, produced by Rob Tapert and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams...
.
The track was written about the initial AIDS scare in the late 1980s. At the time, various media outlets were sensationalizing the disease with the solution many advocacy groups touted was to just not have any intimate relations at all.
LaTour wrote the song based on the notion that pure abstinence
Abstinence
Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstention from alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical...
was not the only answer and that something a bit more aggressive to educate the public needed to be done. The song rose to #1 on the Billboard dance charts and selective quotes have been used on the CDC's (Center for Disease Control) website.
Music video
The song features animationAnimation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
and features various animated backgrounds, some of which relate to the song's topic. The video was conceived by H-Gun
H-Gun
H-Gun was an innovative film/animation consortium which started in Chicago and expanded to include a San Francisco studio.Their early videos included work for the band Ministry, LaTour, Nine Inch Nails, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Megadeth, Smashing Pumpkins, Killing Joke, Meat Beat Manifesto, Young...
. They were the company that created early videos by Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
and Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
. LaTour's live face is seen at the left of the screen during his speaking parts, while animation occupies the rest of the screen.
The video of the song was featured on the animated MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
series Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
, on the episode "Temporary Insanity," which aired on December 10, 1994.
Chart positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
15 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
35 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
1 |