HUMAN LEAGUE - ALL I EVER WANTED

Released: July 23, 2001

Charts: UK: #47 

“All I Ever Wanted” is a synth-pop track by the Human League, released as the lead single from their 2001 album “Secrets”. Featuring the classic band structure of Philip Oakey’s baritone lead vocals with backing harmonies from Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley, the song adheres to the signature Human League sound. Notably, Sulley was credited under her married name, Susan Gayle, leading to some confusion among fans who speculated she had been replaced. Released in July 2001, the single marked the band’s latest major-label release but peaked at a modest #47 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Human League, after signing with Papillon Records (a subsidiary of the Chrysalis Group), recorded “Secrets”, their first studio album since 1995's “Octopus”. The lead single, “All I Ever Wanted,” was backed by a professionally produced music video, raising expectations for a successful return, much like their “Octopus” era, but Papillon’s indecision over the release date led to delays and uncertainty, even frustrating frontman Philip Oakey, who was left unsure of the single’s actual release timing.

The single was eventually released on July 23, 2001, but logistical issues meant that many UK stores didn’t receive copies on launch day, causing fans to struggle to find it. Initial midweek charts showed the single positioned within the top 30, but as stores sold out of limited stock, it dropped in ranking. This distribution mishap resulted in the single peaking at only number 47 in the UK charts, where it lingered briefly before falling off. Despite fans' criticisms, Philip Oakey defended Papillon Records, acknowledging the label’s substantial investment in “Secrets”. However, the disappointing release left the band privately devastated. In 2003, after the collapse of Papillon Records, a follow-up single from Secrets, "Love Me Madly?," was released privately by Michiel Van Bokhorst's Nukove Records, a company set up especially to release Human League records.

The music video was filmed on a minimal set designed to evoke a science fiction theme. Like previous Human League videos, it had no narrative, featuring only Philip Oakey, Joanne Catherall, and Susan Ann Sulley dressed in black against a stark, futuristic white background. To address concerns over the band's age, the filmmakers used bright lighting and high exposure to give a youthful appearance. This technique suited Oakey's and Catherall's darker features, but it resulted in Sulley, with her blonde hair and fair complexion, appearing overexposed throughout the video.