Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh were both working as computer programmers in 1977, and combined a love of pop music (such as glam rock and Tamla Motown) with avant garde electronic music. They acquired a Roland System 100 synthesizer and began to create music in their own rehearsal facility. Initially they formed a group called The Dead Daughters, which then became The Future with Adi Newton on vocals. Newton was soon dismissed and left to form the outfit Clock DVA. Ware and Marsh searched for a vocalist, but their first choice, Glenn Gregory (who would be the lead singer of their later band, Heaven 17), was unavailable. Ware instead decided to invite Philip Oakey, an old school friend, and a hospital porter at the time to join the band, "apparently by leaving a note stuck to his door". Oakey accepted the invitation, despite never having been in a band before. Shortly after, they decided to call themselves The Human League. A collection of demos from this period was released on CD in 2002, titled The Golden Hour of The Future, compiled by Richard X.
The original lineup of The Human League debuted in 1978 with the single "Being Boiled", a dark synth track that would later become extremely influential on later industrial musicians (namely Trent Reznor of the Nine Inch Nails). This single and it's follow-up "Empire State Human" were modest sucesses, however the group's albums - 1979's "Reproduction" and 1980's "Travelogue" - did not sell. This caused a rift in the band, and in 1980, Ian Marsh and Martyn Ware left the group.
Following the split of the original line-up, Phillip Adrian Wright (their live slide projectionist) fully joined the group and Oakey & himself released another flop single, "Boys and Girls". In order to fulfil their European tour commitments, they recruited bass player Ian Burden, and fronted the band with two singers, Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall, schoolgirls whom they had met in a Sheffield nightclub, and managed to complete the tour.
In 1981, Virgin Records paired them with former Stranglers producer Martin Rushent, and the first result was the single "The Sound of the Crowd", which saw them at last achieve success in the singles chart. Guitarist Jo Callis (formerly of The Rezillos) was now recruited to the band, and with Rushent at the helm, The Human League recorded their most successful album to date, "Dare!". It achieved huge success, fuelled by its further hit singles, "Open Your Heart", "Love Action" and most famously "Don't You Want Me", which reached number one in the UK charts during the Christmas of 1981 and was one of the biggest selling singles of that year, and it also charted at number one in the US during the summer of 1982. These three releases were accompanied by striking promo videos ("Love Action" based on the movie The Graduate). During their Dare! phase, the Human League were often associated with the New Romantic movement.
The band also had a number of other hits but their success faded towards the mid-1980s. Arguably, one problem was the length of time the band took to make a record. Dare! was followed by the six-song EP Fascination! (featuring hit singles "Mirror Man" and "Fascination") as a stopgap, and it took three years to release a full-length follow-up album, "Hysteria".
In 1985, outside of the Human League, Oakey scored a huge hit single in collaboration with one of his idols, synth pioneer Giorgio Moroder, with the single "Together in Electric Dreams", taken from the film soundtrack to Electric Dreams. The pair proceeded to record an entire album for Virgin, Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder, but this met with rather less success.
In 1986, the group found themselves in creative stagnation, struggling to record material to follow up on their previous success. Key songwriter Jo Callis departed, replaced by drummer Jim Russell, and Virgin paired the League up with cutting-edge American R&B producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The result was the "Crash" album. The album featured much material written by Jam and Lewis' team, and showcased their distinctive DX7-led sound, making it quite a departure from previous Human League material. It did provide an American number one single, "Human", but other singles made smaller chart impact.
The following tour saw keyboardist Neil Sutton join the line-up and also keyboardist/guitarist Russell Dennett. Since 1990, their resident engineer on and off stage has been David Beevers. Following Dennett's departure in 1996, Nic Burke has been his replacement for live work since 2001.
The Human League released a new album, Credo in March 2011.
Jam
The Human League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To feel the way I do
A sudden stranger
To everything I knew
All the years together
Now the days we are apart
New experiences
New sensation for the heart
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
Got to get some
To be alone was frightening
But I knew I had to stay
'Til all the dreamers came
To take my loneliness away
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
You've got to get some
If all our life is dancing
Then let's just let the music play
What good is crying?
I'm going to jam my life away
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Where you used to
Jam
Jam
Jam
Jam
Starting over
To feel the way I do
A sudden stranger
To everything I knew
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
Got to get some
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
Got to get some
Jam
Jam
Jam
Jam
The lyrics of The Human League's song "Jam" speak about the experience of starting over, feeling like a sudden stranger to everything the singer knew. Despite the fear of being alone, the singer knows they have to stay until the dreamers come to take their loneliness away. The chorus, "Jam, got to get some jam," is repeated throughout the song, with the lyrics changing in each verse. The repeated phrase could be interpreted as a metaphor for enjoyment, pleasure, or even success.
The lines "If all our life is dancing, then let's just let the music play / What good is crying? I'm going to jam my life away" suggest a desire to live in the moment and enjoy life to the fullest. The final repetition of the chorus suggests that despite the singer's desire to move forward, they will eventually return to where they started.
Overall, the lyrics of "Jam" suggest a sense of restlessness, a desire for change and new experiences, and a willingness to take risks to find happiness. The repeated chorus could be interpreted as a call to action, a reminder to seek out joy and excitement in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Starting over
The singer has to start again from scratch.
To feel the way I do
The singer has strong feelings about something.
A sudden stranger
The singer feels like a stranger in a new place or situation.
To everything I knew
The artist is experiencing a new world.
All the years together
The artist had been in a relationship for a long time.
Now the days we are apart
The singer's relationship has come to an end, leaving them alone.
New experiences
The singer is having experiences they have never had before.
New sensation for the heart
The artist's experiences are emotional and affecting.
But you know that you will go back
The artist is aware they will eventually return to where they came from.
Where you used to
The place that the artist will eventually return to.
Jam
The singer wants to participate in dance or music.
Got to get some jam
The artist feels an intense desire to participate in dance or music.
To be alone was frightening
The singer is scared of being alone.
But I knew I had to stay
Despite the fear of being alone, the singer decided to stay anyway.
'Til all the dreamers came
The singer was waiting for people that shared their dreams to show up.
To take my loneliness away
The artist hopes their company will cure their loneliness.
If all our life is dancing
The artist sees dancing as a metaphor for life.
Then let's just let the music play
The singer is suggesting to stop thinking about life and just let it happen.
What good is crying?
The singer believes that crying doesn't accomplish anything.
I'm going to jam my life away
The artist intends to fully participate in dance and music for the rest of their life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ADRIAN WRIGHT, IAN CHARLES BURDEN, JIM RUSSELL, PHIL OAKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LifeonPlants
After all these years I still remember the lyrics just like I did when I would play this song over and over again on my walkman!!!!
Synthpopfreak
One of the best from these producers, my GOD heavens, still rocking it!
Andrew JS
I wish the band would sing this live at their concerts.
Synthpopfreak
one of my favorite among the large music library of The Human League ever...!!! AMAZING...Thanks!!
Porfle Popnecker
Far and away the best song of theirs that I ever heard.
Geraldo Barbosa
Crash is the fifth studio album by British synthpop band The Human League, released on 8 September 1986. Crash would provide the band with their second US number-one single, "Human", the same year. It was produced by the American production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who also wrote several tracks.............Fonte: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_(The_Human_League_album)
Give it up for Jackson Hts. own, Mr. Randy Watson
I was driving from LA to Vegas today and was pulling out some old CDs I hadn't heard in ages. This was one of them. I forgot how awesome it was. I must have played this song half a dozen times alone, lol. Peace.
Lk T
One of their biggest tunes.
Gillybean
Hated this for ages as it sounded like Phil's shopping list but LOVE it now. I actually choose to listen to it. Track
4 on Crash (nerd alert!)
A proper feel good track.
Woahh woahh woahh woahhh.... Xxx
Kidwaryod Production
I love the word that you say "Sounded like Phil's shopping list" it's very funny.
For me, along with "Money" this is the best song on this album. it have a great music sound and pattern especially when you listened it on CD/Vinyl/Cassette it boosted the greatness of sound a lot.