The Human League

Released: November 27, 1981

Songwriter: Jo Callis Philip Adrian Wright Philip Oakey

Producer: Martin Rushent The Human League

[Verse 1: Philip Oakey]
You were workin' as a waitress in a cocktail bar
When I met you
I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around
Turned you into someone new
Now five years later on you've got the world at your feet
Success has been so easy for you
But don't forget, it's me who put you where you are now
And I can put you back down too

[Pre-Chorus: Philip]
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
It's much too late to find
You think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

[Chorus: Philip]
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, ohh?
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, ohh?

[Verse 2: Susan Ann Sulley]
I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
That much is true
But even then I knew I'd find a much better place
Either with or without you
The five years we have had have been such good times
I still love you
But now I think it's time I live my life on my own
I guess it's just what I must do

[Pre-Chorus: Philip]
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't, don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
It's much too late to find
You think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

[Chorus: Philip]
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, ohh?
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, ohh?

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus Repeated Until Fade: Philip]
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, ohh?
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, ohh?

The Human League are a synth pop band from Sheffield, England, formed in 1977. They generated a string of synthesizer-backed dance pop hits throughout the 80s. David Bowie dubbed the group “the sound of the future” in 1981.

The band is best known for its third studio album released in 1981, Dare! The fourth single from Dare, “Don’t You Want Me,” catapulted to #1 in the UK and US.

Phil Oakey is the only core member of the group. The band’s first incarnation was as an arty all-male synthesizer group, composed of Oakey, Martyn Ware, and Ian Craig Marsh. In the 1980s, Ware and Marsh left the group after continued conflicts with Oakey—they went on to form Heaven 17.

more tracks from the album

Dare

From the albums

Dare (1981)
Greatest Hits (1988 Version) (1988)
Greatest Hits (1995 Version) (1995)
Like Omigod! The 80s Pop Culture Box (Totally) (2002)
50 Years Of The Greatest Hit Singles (2002)
Capital Gold ’80s Legends (2004)
He’s Just Not That Into You (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2009)
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Music From the Motion Picture) (2012)
Vi är bäst! (Musiken från Filmen) (2013)
Virgin Records: 40 Years of Disruptions (2013)
NOW That’s What I Call New Wave 80s [US] (2015)
101 No.1 Hits (2017)
NOW 100 Hits Sing-A-Long [UK] (2019)
Music is Universal: Kiki Classics for PRIDE (2021)
Music is Universal: 愛無界限 (2021)
NOW That’s What I Call hmv [UK] (2021)

The Human League popular songs

Don’t You Want MeThe Human League

The Human League

Dare