The Lebanon (song)

"The Lebanon" is a song by the British synthpop group the Human League, released as a single in April 1984. Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and keyboard player and guitarist Jo Callis, it was the first single from the band's fourth album Hysteria. It was recorded at AIR Studios in 1983-84.

"The Lebanon"
Single by the Human League
from the album Hysteria
B-side"Thirteen"
Released24 April 1984[1]
Recorded1983–1984
StudioAIR Studios
Length3:37 (single), 5:05 (album), 5:53 (extended)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Philip Oakey and Jo Callis
Producer(s)Chris Thomas and Hugh Padgham
The Human League singles chronology
"(Keep Feeling) Fascination"
(1983)		 "The Lebanon"
(1984)		 "Life on Your Own"
(1984)
Audio sample
  • file
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Music video
"The Lebanon" on YouTube

Background

The song was conceived, written and recorded at a time when the band were under considerable pressure to provide Virgin Records with a follow-up album to equal the enormous international success of Dare. The band was recording in the £1,000-per-day AIR Studios, where they remained for a full year, frequently arguing with each other.[2]

The lyrics were a statement on the Lebanese civil war, which had been exacerbated by the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982. In a television interview, band member Philip Adrian Wright commented that Oakey's lyrics were written specifically about the Sabra and Shatila massacre.[3] Singer Susan Ann Sulley said that the band "wanted to speak up for the little people" and say something meaningful about the situation in Lebanon.[4] The band were criticised as banal and "out of their depth,"[5] but in a retrospective review, AllMusic journalist Andy Kellman wrote that the song "looks atrocious on paper but sounds fantastic."[6][7]

"The Lebanon" was released as a single in the UK in April 1984. It failed to replicate the success of the band's previous singles "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" and "Mirror Man", only reaching #11 on the UK Singles chart[8] and #64 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's lowest-charting single in the U.S.[9] The track is frequently played by the band live.

Promotional video

The music video for the song was filmed in the Theatre Royal, London in March 1984. The video appears to be filmed at a Human League concert with the band playing live on stage, but the concert was staged and the band mimed to the music. The audience were invited extras and dancers placed in the front of the stage.[2]

Critical reception

Upon its release, Andy Strike of Record Mirror described the song as "a grower" and added that it is "heavier than the League's last couple of singles". He commented, "Jo Callis rediscovers his guitar and adds a U2/Public Image Ltd riff to the normal synth and deep throat backing."[10]

Track listing
7-inch vinyl (Virgin VS 672)
  1. "The Lebanon" – 3:45
  2. "Thirteen" – 4:10
12-inch vinyl (Virgin VS 672-12)
  1. "The Lebanon" – 5:52
  2. "Thirteen" – 5:00
  3. "The Lebanon (Instrumental)" – 5:07

References
  1. "League on Lebanon" (PDF). Record Mirror. 21 April 1984. p. 4. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  2. Human League Biography - www.League-online.com/Bio
  3. "The Human League (Adrian Wright) - Interview". YouTube. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  4. Susan Ann Gayle Interview 2005 Virgin Records (Best Of DVD)
  5. No 1 Magazine 1984
  6. Kellman, Andy (16 July 2011). "Hysteria - The Human League : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  7. "Worst lyrics of all time revealed!". Nme.com. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  8. "Artist Chart History - The Human League". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  9. "The Human League - Chart history". Billboard.com. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  10. Strike, Andy (28 April 1984). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 14. ISSN 0144-5804.
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