music.wikisort.org - Composition

"The Lebanon" is a song by the British synthpop group the Human League, released as a single in April 1984. Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and keyboard player and guitarist Jo Callis, it was the first single from the band's fourth album Hysteria. It was recorded at AIR Studios in 1983-84.

"The Lebanon"
Single by the Human League
from the album Hysteria
B-side	"Thirteen"
Released	24 April 1984[1]
Recorded	1983–1984
Studio	AIR Studios
Length	3:37 (single), 5:05 (album), 5:53 (extended)
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Philip Oakey and Jo Callis
Producer(s)	Chris Thomas and Hugh Padgham
The Human League singles chronology
"(Keep Feeling) Fascination" (1983) "The Lebanon" (1984) "Life on Your Own" (1984)
Audio sample
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Music video
"The Lebanon" on YouTube

Background

The song was conceived, written and recorded at a time when the band was under considerable pressure^{[by whom?]} to repeat the enormous international success of their previous album, Dare. The band was recording in the £1,000-per-day AIR Studios, where they remained for a full year, frequently arguing with each other.[2]^{[better source needed]}

The lyrics were a statement on the Lebanese civil war, which had been exacerbated by the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982. In a television interview, band member Philip Adrian Wright commented that Oakey's lyrics were written specifically about the Sabra and Shatila massacre.[3] Singer Susan Ann Sulley said that the band "wanted to speak up for the little people" and say something meaningful about the situation in Lebanon.[4] The band were criticised^{[by whom?]} as banal and "out of their depth,"[5] but in a retrospective review, AllMusic journalist Andy Kellman wrote that the song "looks atrocious on paper but sounds fantastic."[6][7]

"The Lebanon" was released as a single in the UK in April 1984. It failed to replicate the success of the band's previous singles "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" and "Mirror Man", only reaching #11 on the UK Singles chart[8] and #64 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's lowest-charting single in the U.S.[9] The track is frequently played by the band live.^{[citation needed]}

Promotional video

The music video for the song was filmed in the Theatre Royal, London in March 1984. The video appears to be filmed at a Human League concert with the band playing live on stage, but the concert was staged and the band mimed to the music. The audience were invited extras and dancers placed in the front of the stage.[2]

Track listing

7-inch vinyl (Virgin VS 672)

1. "The Lebanon" – 3:45
2. "Thirteen" – 4:10

12-inch vinyl (Virgin VS 672-12)

1. "The Lebanon" – 5:52
2. "Thirteen" – 5:00
3. "The Lebanon (Instrumental)" – 5:07

References

На других языках

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- [en] The Lebanon (song)

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[ru] The Lebanon

«The Lebanon» (рус. «Ливан») — сингл британской синтипоп-группы The Human League, изданный в 1984 году лейблом Virgin Records. Сингл был издан в США и Великобритании задолго до выхода альбома Hysteria.

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