Billboard #1 Hits: #517: ‘Don’t You Want Me’- The Human League. July 3, 1982. #1 for 3 weeks in Billboard Hot 100.
- Single: ‘Don’t You Want Me’- The Human League
- Record Company- Virgin
- Genre: Synthpop
- Written by Jo Callis, Philip Oakley, Philip Adrian Wright
- Time: 3;57
- B-side:’Seconds’
- Album-Dare
- Grade: A+
- Peaked at #1 3 weeks in Billboard Hot 100. #1 in UK Singles Chart. #1 in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Norway.
‘Don’t You Want Me’ was the Christmas #1 in the UK in 1981- it took a little longer to break in the US- what is really odd about this single is- it became The Human League’s biggest hit- and a ground breaking hit at that- but it was the fourth single released from their third album- Dare. This single really got the snythpop movement in the 80’s going. Lead singer- Philip Oakley was inspired to write the song from a photo-story in a teen girls magazine- but was also inspired by the movie A Star Is Born. When the song was finished- Oakley hated the sound and it was relegated to being the final song on side 2 of the album.
slicethelife 
It’s a good’n with a fun video. There was a time when music videos were quality works of art.
remember when there was excitement about videos?
Yes! The ones I remember from the beginning were aha’s Take On Me and Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing.
Great song. They were/are an interesting band.
I thought Phil Oakey was one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen. I loved that song.
I liked it much better at the time than I do now, though I have to admit it’s a catchy pop tune.
Loved this song, and still do! One of my favorites from the 80s.