Don't You Want Me

Background

The lyrics were inspired after the Human League's lead vocalist Philip Oakey read a photo-story in a teen-girl's magazine. Though the song had been conceived and recorded in the studio as a male solo, Oakey was inspired by the American musical romantic drama film A Star Is Born (1976), and decided to turn the song into a conflicting duet with one of the band's two teenage female vocalists. Susan Ann Sulley was then asked to take on the role. Until then, she and the other female vocalist, Joanne Catherall, had only been assigned backing vocals; Sulley says she was chosen only through "luck of the draw".

Musicians Jo Callis and Philip Adrian Wright created a synthesizer score to accompany the lyrics that was much harsher than the version that was actually released. Initial versions of the song were recorded but Virgin Records-appointed record producer Martin Rushent was unhappy with them. He and Callis remixed the track, giving it a softer, and in Oakey's opinion, "poppy" sound. Oakey hated the new version and thought it would be the weakest track on Dare, resulting in one of his infamous rows with Rushent. Oakey disliked it so much that it was relegated to the last track on side two of the album.

Before the release of the band's third studio album Dare (1981), three of its tracks—"The Sound of the Crowd", "Love Action (I Believe in Love)", and "Open Your Heart"—had already been released as successful singles. With a hit album and three hit singles in a row, Virgin's chief executive Simon Draper decided to release one more single from the album before the end of 1981. His choice, "Don't You Want Me", instantly caused a row with Oakey, who did not want another single to be released because he was convinced that "the public were now sick of hearing" the band and the choice of the "poor quality filler track" would almost certainly be a disaster, wrecking the group's new-found popularity. The band felt the track was "our sort of Des O'Connor song". Virgin were adamant that a fourth single would be released and Oakey finally agreed on the condition that a large colour poster accompany the 7" single, because he felt fans would "feel ripped off" by the "substandard" single alone.

The Human League often added cryptic references to their productions and the record sleeve of "Don't You Want Me" featured the suffix of "100". This was a reference to The 100 Club, a restaurant and bar in Sheffield.

Critical reception

In a contemporary review, Record World praised its "throbbing synthesized beat and sharp hook".

Today, the song is widely considered a classic of its era. In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, senior editor for AllMusic, described the song as "a devastating chronicle of a frayed romance wrapped in the greatest pop hooks and production of its year". Fellow English new wave musician Graham Parker praised the song, saying, "I just love that catchy chorus." Oakey still describes it as overrated, but acknowledges his initial dismissal was misguided and claims pride in the track.

Chart performance and sales

"Don't You Want Me" was released in the UK in 1981. The B-side was "Seconds", another track lifted straight from the Dare album. As with previous singles, a 12" version was also issued featuring the original version of "Don't You Want Me" and "Seconds" on the A-side, and an "extended dance mix" lasting seven-and-a-half minutes on the B-side. This mix is also featured on the remix album Love and Dancing that was released under the name of the League Unlimited Orchestra in 1982.

To the amazement of the band (and especially Oakey), the song entered the UK singles chart at number nine and rose to number one the following week, remaining there over the Christmas period for five weeks. It ultimately became the biggest-selling single to be released in 1981, and the fifth-biggest-selling single of the entire decade. Its success was repeated six months later in the US, with "Don't You Want Me" peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Billboard magazine ranked it as the sixth-biggest hit of 1982. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) the same year for sales of a million copies.

After the band scored a number of hits for Warner's East West label, the song was remixed and issued by Virgin as a CD, cassette and twelve-inch single on 16 October 1995. This version featured new remixes by Hooj Choons' Red Jerry and the German Eurodance group Snap!, and would peak at number 16 on the UK singles chart. The release coincided with the issue of the Human League's second Greatest Hits compilation album shortly afterwards (which featured the Snap! 7-inch remix).

As of November 2012, "Don't You Want Me" was the 23rd-best-selling single in the UK, with 1.55 million copies sold. On 23 March 2014, the song re-entered the UK singles chart at number 19 due to a social media campaign by fans of the Scottish football club Aberdeen. In 2017, it was reported to be the 43rd-most successful single in UK chart history with sales and streams combined.

In 2021, Viacom International Studios put into production a music chart programme titled The 80s Greatest Hits 1980–1989 for Channel 5 and asked the Official Charts Company (OCC) to provide the countdowns for the series, based on the best-selling singles for each year. When the 1981 episode was broadcast (now under the title of Britain's Favourite 80's Songs), "Don't You Want Me" was placed at number one, with the OCC now confirming it was the official best-selling song of 1981 with an estimated 1.15 million sales (previously the title had gone to "Tainted Love" by the English synth-pop duo Soft Cell, which now has been put in second place with 1.05 million sales).

Music video

In 1981, the Human League's record label Virgin were becoming aware that the music video was evolving into an important marketing tool, with MTV being launched that year. Virgin commissioned a promotional video for "Don't You Want Me".

The video for the song was filmed near Slough, Berkshire, during November 1981. Its theme is the filming and editing of a crime fiction film, featuring the band members as characters and production staff. It is a "making-of" video, and so both crew and camera apparatus appear throughout. It has at its core the interaction between a successful actress (also an assistant editor), played by Susan Ann Sulley, walking out on "film director" Philip Oakey on a film set.

The video was said by Susan Ann Sulley to be "a take on The French Lieutenant's Woman, which was a film about making a film"; but the video's director, Irish-British filmmaker Steve Barron, who conceived the storyline, said he was influenced by the François Truffaut romantic comedy-drama film Day for Night (1973) and had "wanted to go one step further and try and make a film within a film within a film".

In a 1995 interview, Catherall mentioned that the car Jo Callis was driving had to be pushed into shot as he could not drive at the time, to which Sulley added: "he still can't!"

The video was released in December 1981.

Track listing

1981 release

• 7-inch vinyl (Virgin VS466)

1. "Don't You Want Me" – 3:57
2. "Seconds" – 4:59

• 12-inch vinyl (Virgin VS466-12)

1. "Don't You Want Me" – 3:57
2. "Seconds" – 4:59
3. "Don't You Want Me (dance mix)" – 7:30

1995 release

• CD (Virgin VSCDT1557)

1. "Don't You Want Me (Red Jerry 7" Remix)" – 3:43
2. "Don't You Want Me (Snap! 7" Remix)" – 3:58
3. "Don't You Want Me (Red Jerry 12" Remix)" – 6:11
4. "Don't You Want Me (Snap! 12" Extended Remix)" – 6:14
5. "Don't You Want Me (Red Jerry Dub Mix)" – 7:01
6. "Don't You Want Me (Original Version)" – 3:57

• 12-inch vinyl (Virgin VST1557)

1. "Don't You Want Me (Snap! 12" Extended Remix)" – 6:12
2. "Don't You Want Me (Red Jerry 12" Remix)" – 6:09

• Cassette (Virgin VSC 1557)

1. "Don't You Want Me (Red Jerry 7" Remix)" – 3:43
2. "Don't You Want Me (Snap! 7" Remix)" – 3:58
3. "Don't You Want Me (Red Jerry 12" Remix)" – 6:11
4. "Don't You Want Me (Original Version)" – 3:57

Charts

Weekly charts

1995 remixes

2014 re-entry

Year-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications

Mandy Smith version {{anchor|mandysmith}}

| B-side = If It Makes You Feel Good

• Jo Callis
• Philip Adrian Wright In 1989, the English pop singer and model Mandy covered this song under the title of "Don't You Want Me Baby". Released as a stand-alone single from her only studio album, Mandy (1988), it was also Smith's final single and became her only single to hit the UK top 75, peaking at No. 59.

Track listings

• CD single

1. "Don't You Want Me Baby"
2. "If It Makes You Feel Good"
3. "Don't You Want Me Baby" (Cocktail Mix)
4. "If It Makes You Feel Good" (Extended Version)

• 7-inch single

1. "Don't You Want Me Baby"
2. "If It Makes You Feel Good"

• 12-inch single

1. "Don't You Want Me Baby" (Cocktail Mix)
2. "If It Makes You Feel Good" (Extended Version)

Charts

The Farm version

| B-side = Obviously

• Jo Callis
• Philip Oakey
• Philip Adrian Wright The British band the Farm released a cover version of "Don't You Want Me" in October 1992 by label End Product that reached number 18 on the UK singles charts making it their third-highest chart single after 1990's "All Together Now" and "Groovy Train". It was produced by Mark Saunders and originally recorded for the NME charity album Ruby Trax.

An uncredited female singer sings lead vocal on the second verse, as sung by Susan Ann Sulley in the original version. The accompanying music video features former Manchester United footballer George Best mouthing along to the chorus.

Track listings

• CD single

1. "Don't You Want Me"
2. "Don't You Want Me" (Premier mix)
3. "Obviously"
4. "Groovy Train" (alternative mix)

• 7-inch single

1. "Don't You Want Me"
2. "Obviously"

• 12-inch single

1. "Don't You Want Me" (Premier mix)
2. "Don't You Want Me" (20K mix)
3. "Don't You Want Me" (Pickles Keef mix)
4. "Groovy Train" (alternative mix)

Charts

Alcazar version

• BMG
• Philip Oakey
• Philip Adrian Wright "Don't You Want Me" was recorded as a Eurodance song by the Swedish nu-disco group Alcazar, released internationally in 2002. The song was included in the European version of their debut studio album, Casino (2000) together with a few others. It was recorded in Stockholm at first, but when the band wanted it for a new pan-European single, a new version was made.

The single was released in Australia as a follow-up to the successful single "Crying at the Discoteque". The white 12-inch was released in Europe and distributed to DJs to get maximum airplay at the disco arenas.

"Don't You Want Me" is Alcazar's biggest hit in the United States with 15 weeks on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at #30.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Don't You Want Me" was filmed at Filmhuset in Stockholm, and was directed by Jesper Ganslandt. The video takes place in "Circus Alcazar" and is filled with horses, ducks, an evil parrot, acrobats, the Alcazar ballet (including a dog in a pink ballerina dress) and Annika Kjærgaard's boyfriend juggling with fire in the background. The video shoot took almost 23 hours.

Track listing

• CD single

1. "Almighty Radio Edit" – 3:27
2. "Almighty Club Mix" – 7:25
3. "Project Eden Remix" – 7:34
4. "Earth Club Anthem" – 10:24
5. "Wild Cowboys Radio Mix" – 3:38

Charts

References

References

1. (12 April 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 1981".
2. (2004). "Popular Music Genres: An Introduction". Routledge.
3. Olivier, Bobby. (12 April 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 1981".
4. Classic Pop Staff. (27 March 2025). "Top 40 synth-pop songs".
5. "New Wave Music Songs". AllMusic.
6. (14 November 1981). "News: Human League single".
7. "The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981".
8. Lane, Daniel. (27 June 2013). "Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time!". [[Official Charts Company]].
9. "Anglomania: The Second British Invasion".
10. Westbrook, Caroline. (25 July 2015). "The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut". Metro.
11. (22 July 2022). "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".
12. Interview – ''Smash Hits'' Magazine – December 1981
13. Martin Rushent speaking on UK Channel 4 Documentary "Top 10 Electro Pioneers" BBC – 27 November 2001
14. (9 January 2016). "TOP OF THE POPS ( THE STORY OF 1981 )".
15. "Human League Biography". League-online.com.
16. Smash Hits Magazine December 1981
17. (20 February 1982). "Hits of the Week".
18. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Dare! – The Human League | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic.
19. Himes, Geoffrey. ""GP: Rock's Last Angry Man Reflects on Life after the Rumour," by Geoffrey Himes".
20. "Rolling Stone 1983". Rolling Stone.
21. Virgin Records 1995 cat: VSCDT 1557/724389318524
22. Virgin Records 1995 cat: VSC 1557
23. (14 October 1995). "New Releases: Singles".
24. British Hit Singles and Albums (Guinness 19th Edition) Guinness World Records Limited; 20Rev Ed edition {{ISBN. 978-1904994107 (2 June 2007)
25. [https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-uks-official-chart-millionaires-revealed__20459/ The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed] Official Charts 19 September 2017
26. "Viacom International Studios UK".
27. "Britain's Favourite 80's Songs".
28. Simpson, Dave. (13 December 2021). "'I never worked in a cocktail bar': How the Human League made Don't You Want Me".
29. "Steve Barron Interview".
30. ''[[The Beatbox]]'', RTE Television, February 1995 (promotion for "Tell Me When")
31. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien.
32. "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
33. (23 June 2012). "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Infodisc.fr.
34. (2008). "The Irish Charts – Search charts". [[Irish Recorded Music Association]].
35. (19 August 2016). "Israel Singles Charts 1987-1995".
36. "Classifiche". [[Musica e dischi]].
37. Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (H)". Rock.co.za.
38. "The Human League – Chart history". Billboard.
39. The Human League. "The Human League – Awards". AllMusic.
40. (December 2, 1995). "Top National Sellers".
41. "Official Charts > Human League". [[Official Charts Company.
42. (23 March 2014). "The Human League's Don't You Want Me tops Official Scottish Singles Ch". Officialcharts.com.
43. "Official Charts > Official Singles Chart Top 100: 23 March 2014 – 29 March 2014". The Official UK Charts Company.
44. "The Official Top 50 best-selling songs of 1981".
45. (3 January 1983). "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". [[Kent Music Report]].
46. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada".
47. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1982".
48. "Top Selling Singles of 1982 - The Official New Zealand Music Chart". [[Recorded Music NZ]].
49. "Top Selling Singles of 1982 - The Springbok Music Chart". SA Rock Charts.
50. "Top 100 Hits of 1982/Top 100 Songs of 1982".
51. "The UK's biggest selling singles of all time". Official Charts Company.
52. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart".
53. Pennanen, Timo. (2021). "Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021". Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava.
54. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for 'Mandy' (from irishcharts.ie)". Imgur.com (original source published by Fireball Media).
55. "Classifiche". [[Musica e dischi]].
56. "Official Charts > Mandy Smith". The Official UK Charts Company.
57. (3 October 1992). "New Releases: Singles".
58. Breihan, Tom. (Jun 5, 2020). "The Number Ones: The Human League's "Don't You Want Me".
59. "The Farm are all together now but for how long?". Metro.
60. "The Farm ARIA chart history to 2024". ARIA.
61. "The Irish Charts – Search by Artist: The Farm".
62. (7 November 1992). "Top 50 Airplay Chart".
63. (24 October 1992). "Top 60 Dance Singles".
64. Steffen Hung. "Alcazar – Don't You Want Me". australian-charts.com.
65. "Alcazar – Don't You Want Me". ultratop.be.
66. Steffen Hung. "Alcazar – Don't You Want Me". finnishcharts.com.
67. "Classifiche". [[Musica e dischi]].
68. Steffen Hung. "Alcazar – Don't You Want Me". dutchcharts.nl.
69. Steffen Hung. "Alcazar – Don't You Want Me". swedishcharts.com.
70. Steffen Hung. "Alcazar – Don't You Want Me". hitparade.ch.
71. (June 2016). "Dance Club Songs".