The Human League ‘Dare’ Turns 40 - Noise11.com
The Human League Dare

The Human League ‘Dare’ Turns 40

by Paul Cashmere on October 17, 2021

in News

The Human League’ Dare’ album turned 40 this week.

‘Dare’ was released on 16 October 1981. To date it is the biggest album for The Human League.

‘Dare’ reached no 1 in the UK and no 3 in Australia and the USA. The hits were:

The Sound of the Crowd (no 12 UK)

Love Action (no 3 UK, no 12 Australia)

Open Your Heart (no 6 UK, no 33 Australia)

Don’t You Want Me (no 1 UK, no 4 Australia, no 1 USA)

‘Dare’ was the third album for The Human League and first following the departure of founders Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh who then formed the British Electric Foundation and Heaven 17.

Following the departure of Ware and Marsh, Phil Oakey and Philip Wright recruited Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley to the line-up. The new Pop orientated line-up was then paired with producer Martin Rushent, who had been working with acts as diverse as The Stranglers to Shirley Bassey.

‘Dare’ injected much needed cashflow into Virgin Records. The company hadn’t had a real hit since ‘Tubular Bells’ eight years earlier. The success of ‘Dare’ saved then label owner Richard Branson from bankruptcy.

Dare tracklisting:

The Things That Dreams Are Made Of 4:14
Open Your Heart 3:53
The Sound of the Crowd 3:56
Darkness 3:56
Do or Die 5:23
Get Carter 1:02
I Am the Law 4:14
Seconds 4:58
Love Action (I Believe in Love) 4:58
Don’t You Want Me 3:56

NEW: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Crowded House perform at Rod Laver Arena 10 December 2024 photo by Winston Robinson
Crowded House Sentenced To One Night At Fremantle Prison

Crowded House are going to prison, Fremantle Prison in Western Australia to be exact.

3 days ago
Joe Camilleri Black Sorrows
Wilbur Wilde’s Message To The Punks Who Stole Joe Camilleri’s Guitars

Former Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons sax player Wilbur Wilde has a few words for the thieves who broke into the home of Joe Camilleri and stole thousands of dollars of equipment.

7 days ago
Duran Duran, SXSW. Photo by Ros O'Gorman.
Sabrina Carpenter and Duran Duran Collaborate

Sabrina Carpenter surprised her fans when she brought out Duran Duran during her BST Hyde Park show on Sunday.

July 8, 2025
Joe Camilleri Apia Good Times 2021 photo by Noise11
Joe Camilleri’s Vintage Guitar Collection Stolen

Joe Camilleri’s home in regional Victoria has been broken into and the thief has taken nine of his prized guitars.

July 5, 2025
Dog Trumpet Live Forever
Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty Go Track By Track Through Dog Trumpet’s ‘Live Forever’

On 11 July 2025 Dog Trumpet will release their ninth album ‘Live Forever’.

July 4, 2025
Colin Hay performs at the Recital Centre in Melbourne on 11 February 2018. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Colin Hay To Release Man @ Work Volume 2

Men at Work’s Colin Hay has made a sequel to his 2003 solo album ‘Man @ Work’ where he re-recorded his Men At Work and solo songs.

July 4, 2025
John Paul Young One Foot In Front
John Paul Young’s Long Out of Print ‘One Foot In Front’ To Be Reissued

‘One Foot In Front’, John Paul Young’s long unavailable 1983 album, is getting a re-release through Andrew McNeice’s MelodicRock Classics.

July 3, 2025