The Lebanon (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Lebanon" is a song by the British Synthpop
group The Human League
. Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey
and keyboard player Jo Callis
, it was recorded at Air studios between 1983-1984. Originally an album track on Hysteria
, it was released as a single in the UK and the U.S. and was the first single to be released from that album.
with a follow up album to equal the enormous international success of Dare
. The band had taken up residence in the £1000 a day Air Studios; they were there a full year and were agonizing (and arguing) over every note of every track.
"The Lebanon" was a radical departure from what was accepted as the soft synthpop sound of the Human League and could almost be described as rock
. The track opens with a heavy bass guitar riff by Ian Burden
before launching into some high tempo keyboards. The use of guitars by the band was not lost on music critics, who brought up the "no guitars rule" that the band originally had in 1981.
The lyrics were an attempt to make a political statement on the Lebanese civil war
which had been exacerbated by Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon of 1982.
It was suggested that The Human League were too 'lightweight' to make heavy political comment and "should stick to pop and love songs". They were criticized at the time for being banal and "out of their depth". Later in 2007 the lines "Before he leaves the camp he stops, He scans the world outside, And where there used to be some shops, Is where the snipers sometimes hide" would be described as the ninth-worst lyrics ever in an anti-award called 'Taxing Lyrical'
Oakey takes the criticism in very good humour and is actually proud of the worst lyrics award. Human League singer Susan Ann Sulley justifies the song, saying that it was because they "wanted to speak up for the little people, It's what we do, we speak up for the little people". She goes on to say that the band just wanted to say something about the situation in Lebanon at the time and was not trying to be political for the sake of it. The band even managed to offend the subjects of the song, as they used the title "The Lebanon" which is considered by the Lebanese to be the Israeli term for the country not the correct "Lebanon".
"The Lebanon" was released as a UK single in April 1984. It failed to make the impact expected by the band and Virgin Records in the charts after the number two success of "(Keep Feeling) Fascination
", only reaching number 11 in the UK Singles chart
. Because it is a very 'concert friendly' track it has been played by the band live frequently ever since its release and is nearly always on their set list to this day.
for the song was filmed in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
, UK in April 1984. The video at first sight appears to be filmed at a Human League concert with the band playing live on stage. The concert was in fact staged and was filmed in takes as the band mimed to playback. The audience were invited extras and bit part dancers were placed in the front of the stage. This is very noticeable when the camera pans onto the audience where certain extras desperately try to play up for their 'shot at fame'.
Even though it was a faux concert, the band's appearance on stage is notable for its layout and behaviour. The three vocalists are in a straight line at the front of the stage, a very energetic, hyperactive Susan Sulley on the left, a serious Philip Oakey in the centre and a cool, laid back, sashaying Joanne Catherall
on the right, with the instrumentalists to the rear. This arrangement and personality traits can still be seen today when the band plays live.
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
group The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
. Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
and keyboard player Jo Callis
Jo Callis
Jo Callis is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band, The Rezillos , and post-punk band Boots For Dancing before joining The Human League.-Biography:Callis was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art...
, it was recorded at Air studios between 1983-1984. Originally an album track on Hysteria
Hysteria (Human League album)
Hysteria is the fourth album by the British synthpop band The Human League, released in May 1984. Following the worldwide success of their 1981 album Dare, the band struggled to make a successful follow-up and the sessions for Hysteria were fraught with problems...
, it was released as a single in the UK and the U.S. and was the first single to be released from that album.
Background
The song was conceived, written and recorded at a time when the band was under considerable pressure to provide Virgin RecordsVirgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
with a follow up album to equal the enormous international success of Dare
Dare (album)
Dare is the third studio album from British synthpop band The Human League.The album was recorded between March and September 1981 and first released in the UK on 20 October 1981, then subsequently in the U.S...
. The band had taken up residence in the £1000 a day Air Studios; they were there a full year and were agonizing (and arguing) over every note of every track.
"The Lebanon" was a radical departure from what was accepted as the soft synthpop sound of the Human League and could almost be described as rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. The track opens with a heavy bass guitar riff by Ian Burden
Ian Burden
Ian Charles Burden was a keyboard player with the English synthpop band, The Human League, from 1981 up to 1989....
before launching into some high tempo keyboards. The use of guitars by the band was not lost on music critics, who brought up the "no guitars rule" that the band originally had in 1981.
The lyrics were an attempt to make a political statement on the Lebanese civil war
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
which had been exacerbated by Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon of 1982.
It was suggested that The Human League were too 'lightweight' to make heavy political comment and "should stick to pop and love songs". They were criticized at the time for being banal and "out of their depth". Later in 2007 the lines "Before he leaves the camp he stops, He scans the world outside, And where there used to be some shops, Is where the snipers sometimes hide" would be described as the ninth-worst lyrics ever in an anti-award called 'Taxing Lyrical'
Oakey takes the criticism in very good humour and is actually proud of the worst lyrics award. Human League singer Susan Ann Sulley justifies the song, saying that it was because they "wanted to speak up for the little people, It's what we do, we speak up for the little people". She goes on to say that the band just wanted to say something about the situation in Lebanon at the time and was not trying to be political for the sake of it. The band even managed to offend the subjects of the song, as they used the title "The Lebanon" which is considered by the Lebanese to be the Israeli term for the country not the correct "Lebanon".
"The Lebanon" was released as a UK single in April 1984. It failed to make the impact expected by the band and Virgin Records in the charts after the number two success of "(Keep Feeling) Fascination
(Keep Feeling) Fascination
" Fascination" is a dance song performed by British synthpop group The Human League. It was composed by Jo Callis and Philip Oakey....
", only reaching number 11 in the UK Singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Because it is a very 'concert friendly' track it has been played by the band live frequently ever since its release and is nearly always on their set list to this day.
Promotional video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song was filmed in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK in April 1984. The video at first sight appears to be filmed at a Human League concert with the band playing live on stage. The concert was in fact staged and was filmed in takes as the band mimed to playback. The audience were invited extras and bit part dancers were placed in the front of the stage. This is very noticeable when the camera pans onto the audience where certain extras desperately try to play up for their 'shot at fame'.
Even though it was a faux concert, the band's appearance on stage is notable for its layout and behaviour. The three vocalists are in a straight line at the front of the stage, a very energetic, hyperactive Susan Sulley on the left, a serious Philip Oakey in the centre and a cool, laid back, sashaying Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall is an English singer; best known as one of the two female vocalists of the veteran English synthpop band The Human League.Born and raised in Sheffield, England...
on the right, with the instrumentalists to the rear. This arrangement and personality traits can still be seen today when the band plays live.