Human

Type: song; single

Released: 11 August 1986

Written by: James Harris III / Terry Lewis

Produced by: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

Single release
A. Human 3:45
 * 7" VS 880

B. Human (instrumental) 3:45

A. Human (extended version) 5:00
 * 12" VS 880-12

B1. Human (accapella version) 2:00

B2. Human (instrumental version) 5:00

Sleeve
Human is the first Human League release to feature the trio of Oakey/Catherall/Sulley only on the front cover. Other members of the band - Burden / Wright / Russell are featured in smaller black and white portraits on the rear of the sleeve together with similar close-ups of Jam and Lewis.

The artwork and labels also feature a new typeface, which remains unique to this release. The group name also drops the definite article, i.e 'Human League' as with previous Hysteria-era releases. Full name 'the Human league' was however re-adopted for the album and subsequent single releases.

Versions and availability
There are basically four vocal versions of the song (including the accapella version) and two instrumental versions.

Video & TV
A promo video featuring just Oakey/Catherall/Sulley was made for the single and is commercially available. Two different BBC TV performances of the song are included on the DVD of the deluxe version of A Very British Synthesizer Group (2016), one on Top of the Pops and one on chat show Wogan. Both performances also featured keyboard player Ian Burden and drummer Jim Russell on stage with the vocal trio.

The single featured twice on TOTP, firstly as a "breaker" on 21/08/86 and then the following week on 28/08/86 when the song was already at no. 10 in the UK charts. This latter performance was introduced by Janice Long and John Peel.