The Human League ‘Dare’ Turns 40

The Human League’ Dare’ album turned 40 this week.

‘Dare’ was released on 16 October 1981. To date it is the biggest album for The Human League.

‘Dare’ reached no 1 in the UK and no 3 in Australia and the USA. The hits were:

The Sound of the Crowd (no 12 UK)

Love Action (no 3 UK, no 12 Australia)

Open Your Heart (no 6 UK, no 33 Australia)

Don’t You Want Me (no 1 UK, no 4 Australia, no 1 USA)

‘Dare’ was the third album for The Human League and first following the departure of founders Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh who then formed the British Electric Foundation and Heaven 17.

Following the departure of Ware and Marsh, Phil Oakey and Philip Wright recruited Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley to the line-up. The new Pop orientated line-up was then paired with producer Martin Rushent, who had been working with acts as diverse as The Stranglers to Shirley Bassey.

‘Dare’ injected much needed cashflow into Virgin Records. The company hadn’t had a real hit since ‘Tubular Bells’ eight years earlier. The success of ‘Dare’ saved then label owner Richard Branson from bankruptcy.

Dare tracklisting:

The Things That Dreams Are Made Of 4:14
Open Your Heart 3:53
The Sound of the Crowd 3:56
Darkness 3:56
Do or Die 5:23
Get Carter 1:02
I Am the Law 4:14
Seconds 4:58
Love Action (I Believe in Love) 4:58
Don’t You Want Me 3:56

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