"Love Action (I Believe in Love)" | ||||
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Single by The Human League | ||||
from the album Dare | ||||
B-side | "Hard Times" | |||
Released | 27 July 1981 | |||
Format | 7", 12", 3" CD single (re-issue) | |||
Recorded | Genetic Studios, Reading, England | |||
Genre | Synthpop, new wave | |||
Length | 3:51 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Writer(s) | Philip Oakey, Ian Burden | |||
Producer(s) | Martin Rushent | |||
The Human League singles chronology | ||||
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"Love Action (I Believe in Love)" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League, released as a single in the UK in July 1981. It became the band's first Top 10 success, peaking at number three in the UK Singles Chart.
The song was written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and keyboard player Ian Burden. It features lead vocal by Oakey, female backing vocals by Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall, and analogue synthesizers by Jo Callis, Philip Adrian Wright and Ian Burden. Drum machines, sequencing and programming were provided by producer Martin Rushent and his then Engineer and Programmer David M. Allen. One of the most notable synth sounds on the recording makes use of the pitch-to-voltage converter and envelope shaper on the Roland System 700 modular synth. Jo Callis' guitar strumming was fed into the synth and used to shape and trigger the sounds, producing an unusual choppy, strumming synth patch.
Some copies of the single were mispressed, with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's "Souvenir" as the A-side.
"Love Action (I Believe in Love)" was the second of three songs from the Dare album to be released in advance of the album itself in 1981. It was released as a double A-side single with the non-album track "Hard Times". In the US, "Love Action (I Believe in Love)"/"Hard Times" made the dance charts twice: in 1981, the tracks first peaked at number thirty-seven, and one year later, re-entered the dance chart and peaked at number fifty-seven.
The song is a semi-autobiographical account of Oakey’s relationships. Oakey often refers to himself and at one point uses the lyric "this is Phil talking." The line was inspired by Iggy Pop's line "Jesus, this is Iggy". The Human League had previously supported Iggy Pop live. Oakey borrows from another of his influences and the title "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" is named after the Lou Reed song "I Believe in Love". The song contains another cryptic reference to Lou Reed in the lyric, "I believe what the old man said". Oakey, speaking in 1982 said, "no one ever asks me who the old man is... it's Lou (Reed)."