Human

"Human" is a song recorded by British synthpop band The Human League. It was released as the first single from their 1986 album Crash. The track was written and produced by US producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Background In 1985 the recording sessions for the Human League's fifth album were not going well; and the band did not like the results which was causing internal conflict. Virgin Records executives, worried by the lack of progress from their at-the-time most-profitable signing, suggested the band accept an offer to work with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who already had material to work with; and had expressed an interest in the band from their U.S. releases. Jam and Lewis had recently emerged as in-demand talent due to their success with Janet Jackson and her Control album. Of the ten songs on Crash, Jam and Lewis wrote three, "Human" being one of them. It is a mid-tempo ballad which lyrically is an exchange between a man and a woman in a relationship who have reunited after a separation. In the first two verses Philip Oakey is apologizing to his partner for being unfaithful during her absence, and in the song's breakdown Joanne Catherall's spoken-word confession reveals that she too was unfaithful. The song's title is derived from the chorus, in which both parties in the relationship explain that they are "only human" and "born to make mistakes". "Human" became the second million-selling number-one single for The Human League on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (after "Don't You Want Me") and their second chart-topper on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart (after "(Keep Feeling) Fascination"). Jam and Lewis' R&B-based production was also popular on American urban radio, bringing the Human League into the top ten of the U.S. R&B chart for the first time. In the UK, where R&B was less popular "Human" peaked at number eight in the UK singles chart. It was a welcome success for the Human League, who were starting to suffer from creative stagnation and a slight decline in fortunes after a hugely successful start to the 1980s. The music video for "Human" was filmed in London during June 1986, in a studio using Chroma key overlay. It is heavily stylized to give a 'water reflective' effect and blue hue throughout. In the first time that the band had been presented as a "Phil and the girls" trio, images of Oakey, Catherall and Sulley are constantly layered and blended. The video was conceived and directed by Andy Morahan. In 2003, a new video was created and released to promote the Chinese Whispers mix. This music video used the original footage of Oakey, Sulley and Catherall from 1986 and interlaced it with traditional Chinese imagery of silhouetted water grass, water lilies and Cantonese characters. It was subject of a U.S. MTV featurette which was introduced by Oakey and featured Ian Widgery talking about the creative process in the reworking of the original Human.

[Verse 1: Philip Oakey] Come on, baby, dry your eyes Wipe your tears Never like to see you cry Won't you please forgive me I wouldn't ever try to hurt you I just needed someone to hold me To fill the void while you were gone To fill this space of emptiness [Chorus: Philip Oakey] I'm only human Of flesh and blood I'm made Human Born to make mistakes [Verse 2: Philip Oakey] So many nights I longed to hold you So many times I looked and saw your face Nothing could change the way I feel No one else could ever take your place [Chorus: Philip Oakey] I'm only human Of flesh and blood I'm made Human Born to make mistakes (I am just a man) Human (Human) Please forgive me [Interlude: Joanne Catherall] The tears I cry aren't tears of pain They're all to hide my guilt and shame I forgive you, now I ask the same of you While we were apart, I was human too [Chorus: Philip Oakey] (Human Human) I'm only human Of flesh and blood I'm made (I am just a man) Human Born to make mistakes [Outro] (Human Human)