Love Action (I Believe In Love)

Album: Dare! (1981)
Charted: 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is a semi-autobiographical account of vocalist Phil Oakey's relationships. Oakey's lyric, "I've been a husband and a lover too" alludes to how he'd been unfaithful to his then-wife. He explained to Mojo: "It was a celebration of the hope that people could be more open about their sex lives."
  • The song is titled after Lou Reed's Rock and Roll Heart track "I Believe in Love." The lyric, "I believe what the old man said", is also a reference the former Velvet Underground singer. Oakey, speaking to Smash Hits in 1982 said, "no one ever asks me who the old man is... it's Lou (Reed)."
  • George Michael's 2002 political satire "Shoot The Dog " was based around "Love Action." The Utah Saints 1993 UK Top 10 hit, "Believe In Me" also sampled this song.
  • This was the second of three songs from Human League's Dare! album that was released in advance of the album itself in 1981. It was made available in the UK on July 27, 1981 and became the band's first Top 10 success.
  • Dare! was the very last album that the legendary music journalist Lester Bangs ever heard. The run-out grooves of side two were playing in his New York apartment when his body was discovered.

Comments: 1

  • Pedro from PortugalDare was a very good and commercial album. But "Open your heart" is missing here. For the ones who don't like "commercial" music, hits songs, "Open your heart" is the great music of the album. At least to me and many of my friends
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Jon Anderson

Jon AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Jon Anderson breaks down the Yes classic "Seen All Good People" and talks about his 1000 Hands album, which features Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, Ian Anderson, and many other luminaries.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."