All I Ever Wanted (The Human League Song) - Background

Background

The Human League had recently signed to Papillon Records, a subsidiary of the Chrysalis Group. Papillon were set up to capitalize on so called 'heritage acts' (bands with a large and established fan base) and the Human League were to become their headline band. However the label was in financial difficulties as previous releases had failed to realize Papillon Records' investments and Chrysalis were unwilling to further invest. The band recorded the studio album Secrets, their first since Octopus in 1995. "All I Ever Wanted" was to be the first single from the album and with a professional promotional music video filmed the single was expected to enter high up the UK charts heralding another return to form for the Human League similar to Octopus six years previously. Although keenly anticipated, Papillon dithered over the release date, with even Oakey stating he didn't know when the single would be eventually released.

The uncertain release date for "All I Ever Wanted" prompted worries from some in the industry that Papillon Records may have been having problems and there was also little in the way of advance promotion for the single for the public, save a token advertisement in UK's tabloid Red Tops.

To compound the problem in the UK, both BBC Radio 1 and 2 (who have a virtual monopoly on national airplay) refused to playlist the single. Alex Jones-Donnely, head of music programming for BBC Radio 1 claimed that the audience would not be able to 'connect' with the Human League's new single adding that it was too 'retro'. It was also claimed that with Oakey in his late 40s and the girls (Susan Sulley and Joanne Catherall) both 39, the group didn't meet Radio 1's self-imposed demographic target audience of teenagers and 20-somethings. Philip Oakey was stoical in the face of such hostility simply responding that "it was their station, they can play what they want". Ironically, Radio 1 and 2 have played the band's 2011 singles "Night People" and "Never Let Me Go".

The single was finally released on July 23, 2001, but it soon became apparent that Papillon lacked the distribution power and the will to promote the single. Most stores in the UK didn't get the single on the crucial first day of release and many fans reported problems across the country. Despite this, midweek chart figures had the single down as a hit within the top 30 but as limited stocks sold out - the single dropped. The distribution chaos sealed the single's fate and the single scraped into the UK charts at number 47, it remained at the lower end of the charts for a further two weeks before disappearing. It was the first time that the premier track from a Human League studio album had failed to make the top 20. Philip Oakey was also quick to defend Papillon Records against criticisms regarding the lack of promotion responding that the label had spent much time, effort and money on the recording of Secrets, but privately the band were devastated. Worse was yet to come with the subsequent failure of the entire album due in no part to the winding up of Papillon Records by Chrysalis mid-issue.