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.
WXJL Tonight
The Human League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A long, long time ago
Before staff levels dropped
They used to listen to the radio
And listen to the DJ's talk
About the songs they didn't know
As if it really mattered
I don't want you to go tonight
Ten thousand watts of power
News headlines on the hour tonight
Our music beats the best
You just don't need the rest tonight
Once I couldn't care at all
But I can feel the ratings fall tonight
And 20 years ago
No-one seemed to care
The people must have known
The DJ's role was only there
To fill in space between the songs
That talk of love and other things
As if they didn't matter
Automatic stations came
And sent them all away
And now I'm left alone
I haven't got a word to say
And you're the one who makes the choice
To turn me on or turn me off
But now it really matters
Hit-pick or phone-in show
I don't want you to go tonight
Ten thousand watts of power
News headlines on the hour tonight
Our music beats the best
You just don't need the rest tonight
Once I couldn't care at all
But I can feel the ratings fall tonight
Hit-pick or phone-in show
I don't want you to go tonight
Ten thousand watts of power
News headlines on the hour tonight
Our music beats the best
You just don't need the rest tonight
Ten thousand watts of power
News headlines on the hour tonight
The Human League's song "WXJL Tonight" reflects on the past and highlights the changes that have occurred in the world of radio broadcasts. The lyrics depict a time long ago before staff levels dropped where people used to listen to the radio and enjoyed hearing DJ's talk about songs they did not know. The lyrics suggest that at one point, people did not seem to care about the DJ's role in filling in space between songs that talk about love and other things. However, the DJ's role becomes significant and matters to the singer when the automatic stations came and sent them all away, leaving the singer alone, with nothing to say.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase, "I don't want you to go tonight, ten thousand watts of power, news headlines on the hour tonight, our music beats the best, you just don't need the rest tonight." The repetition emphasizes that despite the changes in the world of radio broadcasts, the singer wants the listener to stay tuned to their show because their music is the best, and they provide essential news updates on the hour.
Overall, the lyrics of "WXJL Tonight" showcases the evolution of radio broadcasting and how essential it was to people, especially in the past.
Line by Line Meaning
The way it was in the past
Reflecting on how things used to be in the radio industry many years ago
A long, long time ago
Emphasizing that the past that is being discussed occurred a significant time ago
Before staff levels dropped
Pointing out that the decline in staff numbers played a role in the changes to the radio industry
They used to listen to the radio
Describing the original purpose of individuals who tuned into the radio
And listen to the DJ's talk
Highlighting the importance of the role of the DJ in the past
About the songs they didn't know
Noting that the DJs talked about songs that the listeners were not familiar with
As if it really mattered
Pointing out that despite the DJs talking about unfamiliar songs, it did not have a significant impact on the listeners
Hit-pick or phone-in show
Referring to the types of radio programs that were popular at the time
I don't want you to go tonight
Addressing the listener of the song and pleading with them not to change the station
Ten thousand watts of power
Describing the high level of signal strength that the radio station has
News headlines on the hour tonight
Promising listeners that they will receive regular news updates throughout the night
Our music beats the best
Asserting that the radio station's music is superior to other options available to listeners
You just don't need the rest tonight
Reinforcing the idea that the radio station is the only option that the listener requires on this particular night
Once I couldn't care at all
Acknowledging that the singer did not previously place significant value on the success of the radio station
But I can feel the ratings fall tonight
Noting that the singer is now concerned about the decline in ratings for the radio station
And 20 years ago
Further emphasizing the time frame being discussed in the song
No-one seemed to care
Suggesting that issues within the radio industry were not given much attention at the time
The people must have known
Speculating that the general public was aware of the changes taking place in the radio industry
The DJ's role was only there
Implying that the function of the DJ was not as significant as it once was
To fill in space between the songs
Explaining the restricted role that DJs played in contemporary radio programming
That talk of love and other things
Noting the type of content that was discussed by DJs to fill airtime on the radio
As if they didn't matter
Emphasizing that the topics being discussed on-air were of little consequence to listeners
Automatic stations came
Describing the advent of radio broadcasting being automated
And sent them all away
Illustrating that the introduction of automated radio broadcasting led to the decline of jobs for DJs
And now I'm left alone
Indicating that the singer is feeling isolated as a result of the changes to the industry
I haven't got a word to say
Expressing a sense of powerlessness and lack of control over the situation
And you're the one who makes the choice
Addressing the listener of the song directly and emphasizing their role in choosing which radio station to listen to
To turn me on or turn me off
Implying that the decision made by the listener will determine the future success of the artist's job as a DJ
But now it really matters
Highlighting the increased importance and significance of the listener's decision on the artist's career
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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