Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure

Song: "Don't You Want Me" - The Human League, Dare (1981)

I hate the idea of guilty pleasures. They irritate me on many levels, both practical and philosophical. At the end of the day, though, I simply don't want to be ashamed of things I enjoy. So, as I expound upon my love for the Human League, understand that there is no guilt attached.

Liking the Human League can be considered part of the hipster party line, assuming you're talking about their early, "Being Boiled"-era singles and albums. Those recordings are cornerstones of early electronic music and are discussed with hushed tones and reverence. But then two-thirds of the band left, leaving singer Phil Oakley with the Human League name and not much else. How many bands can you think of that have survived when the songwriters just up and leave? A year later, though, Oakley would be laughing, as Dare and its associated singles wrecked havoc on the pop world. In a nutshell, this is why I adore "Don't You Want Me." It's one of those rare moments when futurist experimentation and total mainstream success collided into a perfect nugget of music. On one hand, it can be seen as a devious and brilliant coup for music snobs, when something this cold and jarring can sell millions of copies. But that ignores the fact that it redefines what "catchy" can mean. Even with Oakley's oddly flat voice, the song is irrepressibly fun, culminating in a chorus that refuses to be forgotten. The New Wave hits from the 1980s have not been treated fairly by history, getting relegated into the category of novelty hits and nostalgia. It's time we reclaim these songs for the good of pop music everywhere.

(30 Days List)