The Human League – Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love)
Tracklist
| A | Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love) | 10:09 | |
| B | Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love) (Instrumentals) | 11:10 |
Companies, etc.
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Virgin Records Ltd.
- Copyright © – Virgin Records Ltd.
- Published By – Dinsong Ltd.
- Published By – Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.
- Published By – Sound Diagrams
- Published By – Copyright Control
- Lacquer Cut At – The Town House
- Designed At – Ansell Sadgrove
- Pressed By – CBS Pressing Plant, Aston Clinton
Credits
- Design [Cover Design], Photography By – Adrian*, Philip*
- Layout, Coordinator – Ken*
- Producer – Martin Rushent, The Human League
- Written-By – Oakey*
- Written-By [Hard Times] – Callis*, Wright*
- Written-By [Love Action] – Burden*
Notes
℗ & © 1981 Virgin Records Ltd. (labels, back cover)
Part of the 'RED' series of issues by The Human League which was a short lived marketing plan to differentiate between styles of music of their releases. 'BLUE' was the other style.
'Produced By Martin Rushent And The Human League. Vocals, Synthesizers And Digital Drums. Cover design And Photography; Philip And Adrian. Layout And Co-ordination; Ken (At A.S.)'. (back cover, all in capitals)
'Hard Times': Published By Dinsong Ltd./Sound Diagrams (labels, all in CAPS)
'Love Action (I Believe In Love)': Published By Dinsong Ltd. (labels, all in CAPS)
There is a very similar UK release of this 12" single 'Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love)'. But in that case the 'TOWNHOUSE' mastering is only applicable to the A side of the vinyl. 'TOWNHOUSE' mastered both A and B sides on this release.
The other issue has a different runout stamp, and additional mastering engineer credit, to this UK pressing with the same catalogue number.
Part of the 'RED' series of issues by The Human League which was a short lived marketing plan to differentiate between styles of music of their releases. 'BLUE' was the other style.
'Produced By Martin Rushent And The Human League. Vocals, Synthesizers And Digital Drums. Cover design And Photography; Philip And Adrian. Layout And Co-ordination; Ken (At A.S.)'. (back cover, all in capitals)
'Hard Times': Published By Dinsong Ltd./Sound Diagrams (labels, all in CAPS)
'Love Action (I Believe In Love)': Published By Dinsong Ltd. (labels, all in CAPS)
There is a very similar UK release of this 12" single 'Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love)'. But in that case the 'TOWNHOUSE' mastering is only applicable to the A side of the vinyl. 'TOWNHOUSE' mastered both A and B sides on this release.
The other issue has a different runout stamp, and additional mastering engineer credit, to this UK pressing with the same catalogue number.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Matrix / Runout (Side A label): VS435-12a
- Matrix / Runout (Side B label): VS435-12b
- Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched / stamped. Variant 1): VS - 435 - 12 - A2 :⊃ C TOWNHOUSE
- Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched / stamped. Variant 1): VS - 435 - 12 - B1 TOWNHOUSE /\
- Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched / stamped. Variant 2): VS 435-12 A1 TOWNHOUSE
- Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched / stamped. Variant 2): VS 435-12 B1 TOWNHOUSE
- Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched / stamped. Variant 3): VS 435-12 A1 TOWNHOUSE
- Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched / stamped. Variant 3): VS 435-12 B2 TOWNHOUSE
- Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched / stamped. Variant 4): VS 435-12 A2 TOWNHOUSE :) C
- Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched / stamped. Variant 4): VS 435-12 B2 TOWNHOUSE C1 :) C
Other Versions (5 of 41)
View All| Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recently Edited | Love Action (I Believe In Love) (7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo) | Virgin | VS435 | UK | 1981 | ||
Recently Edited | Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love) (12", Maxi-Single, 45 RPM) | Virgin | 600485 | France | 1981 | ||
Recently Edited | Love Action (I Believe In Love) (12", 45 RPM) | Virgin | 600.438 | Netherlands | 1981 | ||
Recently Edited | Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love) (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Limited Edition) | Virgin, Virgin | VSX-1134, VSX 1134 | Canada | 1981 | ||
Recently Edited | Hard Times / Love Action (I Believe In Love) (12", 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo, Y - Terre Haute Pressing) | A&M Records, Virgin | SP-12049 | US | 1981 |
Recommendations
Reviews
- When they played this in the night clubs at the time, the 'glitch' part used to somehow go inside your head - really weird experience!
- Both sides consist of a suite of the semi-non album track "Hard Times" to the Dare track "Love Action", but each side is a different experience.
Side 1 begins with "Hard Times", this version I don't like very much, it just seems to monotone and sterile to me, as opposed to the cold yet human style of THL at the time. It then goes into a slightly extended version of the album cut of "Love Action", a sublime track that might've the high light of Dare.
Side 2 begins with yet again "Hard Times", but it's actually different this time. It's a different mix that I've heard refered to as a "Dub Mix", and I muh prefer it I the other version. It claims to be instrumental, but actually has vocals starting a bit after half-way into the track. It then goes into "Love Action", which is also somewhat different. It's mosty instrumental, and has some difference in the mixing, but stays in the style of the original. About 3/5ths into the track, it decides to glitch out and make you think your system is dying, with some distorted vocals while you're at it. Not as good as the original, but still interesting.
Both sides have their ups and downs, but each side has the best version of the opposite track , so it gives you something to look forward to and keeps it from getting stale.
4/5 - Edited 10 years agoThe segue of tracks A1-2 is very nice, as it adds a few more of the intro 'meow' loops to "Love Action"! We all know by now that the 'instrumental' version of Hard Times is actually a vocal, but a much improved mix (that ended up on Love and Dancing LP). The 3" CD single re-issue indexes 4 tracks, but plays as per the 12".
Great tracks from their greatest era, Love Action is a classic subversive pop song, those bleeps and noises were like nothing else the chart had heard. Classic!
