BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979
“I Don’t Depend on You” is a disco-influenced song by the British synthpop group The Human League released under the pseudonym The Men. It was released as a single in the UK in February 1979, but failed to chart. It was written by Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh; was produced by Colin Thurston and featured guest backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike (who later worked with Pink Floyd ).
After hastily signing the Human League in 1978 it became apparent to Virgin Records that the band were not very profitable, with none of their releases under Fast Records making any impact on the charts. Virgin began putting pressure on the group to justify their large advance signing fee. Pressure was put on Ware, Oakey and Marsh to abandon their no traditional instruments rule and use conventional instruments in an attempt to be more commercial and sell more records. Ware reluctantly agreed but insisted that any material recorded this way should be released under a pseudonym to ensure that it wasn’t confused with the pure electronic sound of The Human League. “I Don’t Depend on You” was the only product of this compromise with Virgin. It was recorded with the addition of session musicians and was released under the name The Men. The song also features the synth riff from debut single Being Boiled towards the end of the track. Afterwards the band were able to record tracks in their original style for Virgin. Before any further conventional style records could be recorded, the original Human League had split; Oakey then took the new reformed band down a different commercial and pop route.
Later, it would be commented on that in recording “I Don’t Depend on You” – two years prior to the arrival of schoolgirl vocalists Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall – Oakey, Ware and Marsh had already produced a Human League Mk 2-style track complete with commercial pop sound: Oakey’s vocal with female backing (with Katie Kissoon and Lisa Strike providing the backing vocals).
The B-side, titled “Cruel”, is simply a remix of “I Don’t Depend on You” without Oakey’s vocals. “I Don’t Depend on You” received little promotion or airplay and did not chart. Re-releases on albums now credit the track as The Human League aka ‘The Men’.
SIDE A:
I Don’t Depend On You 4:31
SIDE B:
Cruel (Instrumental) 4:41
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – VS 26912
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1979
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop, Disco, Funk
CREDITS:
Management – Tunenoise Ltd*
Photography By – Mackertich*
Producer – Colin Thurston, The Men
Written-By – Marsh*, Ware*, Oakey*
Find the 12″ on DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Never heard of this, even back in the day. Thanks for sharing your rip!
I always loved this track as a great punctuation in League history. I only know about it coz of the CD re-issues. As for the actual song, I think if it was done by anyone else I probably wouldn’t give it the time of day, but as a little-known document of a prototype Human League Mk2 it’s fantastic. Bonus info: UK dance troup Hot Gossip did a cover of this song in 1981. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TkWvfI80bIM …along with another half album’s worth of other Mk1 Human League covers. It’s bizarre until you find out BEF (ie Ware and Marsh) were the producers.… Read more »
Thanks for this rarity Paul.. I remember hearing it at a few venues when I was a mere lad in Mid Wales, and hadn’t heard it since as it wasn’t included on my Travelogue CD (also UK)..
Great stuff!
Cheers for that!
Rich
🙂 Thanks!!
You’re welcome CL 🙂
Paul what a pleasure. I hear more music here at Burning that I would have never heard during my whole life, because of the stifling surroundings I grew up in the 70s & 80s, and oldies radio (or the best CD compilations of the era I find) just lack the imagination to stray this far off the standard playlists. This tune made my weekend Paul, thank you! Your music has really enriched my life, Burning is a digital archive for the ages, that ideally would be passed down to future generations after we are gone (if they had the ability… Read more »
Dear Nathan Alan, As I noted on several occasions, Paul has the best audience!! What you wrote about him and his site gave me chills; it was so beautifully put down into words. DjPaulT certainly touches lives and your post brilliantly and gorgeously encapsulates what Paul has done throughout the years. His deft touch with the audio rips and write-ups and lovely sleeve scans has become my sanctuary and my school as well because Paul has introduced so many favorites I could never have fathomed without his phenomenal dedication to the archiving and preservation of lost audio recordings. He is… Read more »
It’s good to see you Nathan. Some many of my readers come and go it’s always nice when they come back. I often remember names and wonder where that person is. Thank you so much for your very thoughtful comment. Welcome back! 🙂
Amazing… Thank you Paul, I only recently came across a 12″ of this gem and was trilled, now once again the thrill continues. This really structurally does sound like the beginning of The Human League as we know them, with content that vaguely foreshadows “Don’t you Want Me” but as a one off with real instruments it is an oddity much like Pet Shop Boys 7″ version of “A Man Could Get Arrested.” I hope there will be more of the likes of these fine humans in the future.
Definitely more humans coming in the future Joey :0
too bad the cd transfer is brick walled. Paul’s rip is amazing.
On my 1988 Travelogue CD (UK Virgin CDV 2160) it scores DR14 using loudness-war.info’s foobar2000 plugin, same as Paul’s rip. On both All The Best from 2012 and the “2003 remaster” (CDVR 2160) it scores a sad DR9, showing some peak distortion and slight pumping. A crap job indeed, but it’s far from bricked – it doesn’t hit digital full scale, not even using 8 times oversampling. I’m not aware of any version scoring worse than that.
Thanks for the cover art (I already had the tracks on my “Travelogue” CD)
you’re welcome.
Wow, this has taken me by surprise Paul, I didn’t know about this track by The Human League (under an alternative name).
Great Post and catchy tune.
Thank you John 🙂
Awesome entries this week. Thanks!!
Thank you Mike C. 🙂
What a “Thrill-tastic” record for a Friday!! Oh Paul, you come up with the coolest slices of vinyl for our ear consumption. Like S’n’D called your site, “Paul’s Treasure Planet” I fully agree. You introduce mighty fine sonics to an appreciative audience.
Have a wonderful weekend Paul!!!
Jeff
Thanks! Jeff have a great weekend 🙂
Didn’t know about this early song by The Human League. I love it. Thanks Paul.
You’re welcome Daniel 🙂
i’ve been listening to this song a lot lately.
very cool electro-funk from the early human league.
thanks paul.
later
-1
You’re welcome -1 🙂
Love it Paul.
Thanks! Omar 🙂
Man, I haven´t heard that one for ages. What a great song to remember and to find on Paul´s treasure planet. I was just heading out for a fun Friday night, and “Depend” will accompany me in my new car.
Thank you, Pual, and have a great weekend.
S´n´D
That should read “Paul” but maybe you guessed that 🙂
You’re welcome S´n´D hope your Friday night was a blast 🙂