Heart Like a Wheel (song)

Infobox Single |
Name = Heart Like a Wheel


Artist = The Human League
from Album = Romantic?
B-side = "Rebound"
Released = October, 1990
Format = 7", 12", CD Maxi single
Recorded = Genetic Sound Studio 1990
Genre = Synthpop
Length = 4:30
Label = Virgin Records
Writer = Jo Callis, Eugene Reynolds
Producer = Martin Rushent
Last single = "Love Is All That Matters" (1986)
This single = "Heart Like a Wheel" (1990)
Next single = "Soundtrack to a Generation" (1990)

"Heart Like a Wheel" is a song by the British synthpop group The Human League. It is taken from the "Romantic?" album of 1990.

Background

"Heart Like a Wheel" was the first single to be taken from the Human League's "Romantic?" album of 1990. It was written by former band member Jo Callis with Eugene Reynolds (of The Rezillos) and features vocals by Philip Oakey, Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley; with the synthesizer skills of Neil Sutton. It was recorded at Genetic Sound Studios during 1990 and produced by Martin Rushent who was reconciled with the band after an eight year gap.

The song is a return to the overtly political lyrics that the Human League sometimes do, but dressed up to a poppy hook that makes it palatable to the public. Whereas "The Lebanon" of 1984 was the Human League’s view of the Israeli Invasion of Southern Lebanon and subsequent civil war, "Heart Like a Wheel" is a commentary on U.S. military imperialism. Callis's lyrics are suitably vague using references such as "sell your soul to a holy war". At a time when Jihad was all but unheard of in the West, it went of over the heads of most of the song's listeners. Ironically 11 years events later '9/11, then Iraq and Afghanistan would make the song seem written for that epoch. Although it is rarely something the band dwell on allowing people to read what they want into the lyrics.Windle, Rob: League-Online [http://www.league-online.com/biography1.html] ]

Released in the UK in October 1990, "Heart Like a Wheel" disappointed in that it only reached number 29 in the charts. The band then put all their hopes into the next single "Soundtrack to a Generation" from "Romantic?" but the band's popularity had begun to nosedive.

A decade after the release, the record became much more popular than it was at the time, featuring in a number of third party remixes including some by William Orbit. Also the band frequently play the song live, as it is a very live-friendly track and although not one of their 'greatest hits'; it is still very popular with audiences. Oakey also now often explains the political message to the audiences usually describing it "an anti-war song".

Promotional video

The music video for "Heart Like a Wheel" was commissioned by a now weary Virgin Records who were, in 1990, seriously losing interest in the band. The video directed by Andy Morahan was cheaply shot in a blue-lit studio with graphic spinning wheel and spark effects. Although the band tried hard, the studio set bore no relation to the lyrical content and only succeeded in reinforcing the song as 'bubblegum' pop in the minds of the public. Philip Oakey had by now rebelled against the 'male model look he was 'forced' to adopt during "Crash" and had taken to wearing biker’s leathers. He had also returned to his lopsided hair style of 1981. But now in his mid 30s the look was derided by the media at the time. The girls, Sulley and Catherall however, who were now in their late 20s and in their prime, had shed the awkward schoolgirl look of the 1980s.

References

External links

* http://www.the-black-hit-of-space.dk/heart_like_a_wheel.htm
* http://www.league-online.com/hlaw1.html