How The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” Became an 80s Classic Despite Phil Oakey’s Doubts

It’s a song that reached the Top 5 all over the world and went to #1 in 8 different countries. It was also one of the early warning shots of the Second British Invasion. and the Human League frontman Phillip Oakey had only learned how to play an instrument months before And although Don’t you Want Me has gone down in history as one of the most pivotal tracks of the 80s, singer Phil Oakey actually hated it. Hoping that no one would ever hear it, he made sure it was the last track on the album and begged his label not to release it. But it wasn’t enough. The song was pure pop gold and they weren’t going to pass on a surefire hit. It’s the story of one of the greatest new wave songs ever by one of the most influential synth pop bands of the 80s... NEXT on the Professor of Rock.

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