HUMAN LEAGUE – TELL ME WHEN

Llançament: 26 de desembre de 1994  

Llistes: Regne Unit: #6, EUA: #31  

"Tell Me When" és un single de Human League llançat el dia de Boxing Day de 1994 i que va entrar a les llistes al gener de 1995. Escrita per Philip Oakey i Paul Beckett, la cançó va ser el primer senzill del setè àlbum de la banda, “Octopus”. Produïda per Ian Stanley, antic teclista i compositor de Tears for Fears, la cançó va marcar el retorn de la banda al top 10 del Regne Unit per primera vegada des del 1986, assolint el sisè lloc, i va ajudar a que l'àlbum “Octopus” arribés al número 6 en la llista d'àlbums.

Originalment, la cançó havia estat escrita per a un projecte paral·lel entre Oakey i Beckett, anomenat “Fast Arithmetic”. Es va gravar en forma de demo el 1991, però mai es va completar. Finalment, va convertir-se en el primer senzill de Human League sota East West Records després de deixar Virgin Records el 1992. La cançó va ser un retorn a les llistes per a la banda, que molts donaven per desapareguda després del fracàs de l'àlbum “Romantic?” del 1990. Va esdevenir el seu èxit més gran des de "(Keep Feeling) Fascination", que va assolir el número 2 a les llistes del Regne Unit el 1983.

El tema explora les experiències de diferents persones amb l'anhel i les relacions. Parla de tres persones: Kelly, que ha buscat l’amor sense èxit durant anys; Billy, que va sentir-se confús amb l’amor de ben jove; i el mateix narrador, que vivia content amb la seva solitud, sense preocupar-se gaire pel tema. Això canvia quan una trobada inesperada porta el narrador a experimentar amor i anhel, passant de l’apatia a preguntar-se: "Digues-me quan podré tornar-te a veure".

Aquesta cançó va ser l’últim senzill de Human League en arribar al top 10, fins a la data d’avui.

HUMAN LEAGUE – TELL ME WHEN

Released: December 26, 1994

Charts: UK: #6  US: #31

 “Tell Me When” is a 1994 single by The Human League, released on Boxing Day of 1994, charting in January of 1995. The song was written by Philip Oakey and Paul Beckett, and was the first song released from the band's seventh album, “Octopus”. The song was produced by former Tears for Fears keyboardist and songwriter Ian Stanley and returned the band to the UK top ten for the first time since 1986, making number six in the UK and helping “Octopus” to #6 in the album chart.

The song was originally written for an aborted side project between writers Phil Oakey and Paul Beckett called “Fast Arithmetic”. It was recorded by the duo in 1991, but never got further than demo form. It ended up as Human League's first single under East West Records, following their departure from Virgin Records in 1992. The song proved both a return to form and a return to the charts for the band, who many assumed had split up after the failure of 1990’s “Romantic?” It became the band’s biggest hit since 1983’s “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” made #2 in the UK charts.

The song’s theme explores different people’s experiences with longing and relationships. It concerns three people, “Kelly”, “Billy” and the unnamed singer. Kelly had searched fruitlessly for love for years, Billy seemed confused by love early on in his life, and Oakey's own singer was happy in his solitude, unbothered with all the fuss. That changes when a random encounter leads the singer to love and longing, going from apathy to asking “Tell me when I can see you again”.

The song proved to be Human League's final top ten hit to date.