(Keep Feeling) Fascination
Encyclopedia
" Fascination" is a dance song
performed by British synthpop
group The Human League
. It was composed by Jo Callis
and Philip Oakey
.
The song involves lead singer Philip Oakey
bouncing alternate verses between female co-vocalists Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall
, but also in a rare vocal role Jo Callis
.
It was released in the UK on 17 April 1983 as a non-album single, where it went to number 2 in the UK singles chart. It was later released as a single in the U.S, where it was also incorporated into the band's stop gap EP
Fascination!
. The single reached number 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
, and was their first number 1 single on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The EP Fascination! (which is often confused with the single) contained two versions of "(Keep Feeling) Fascination:" the extended mix and an improvisation
, both different from the single version.
The B Side of the single, "Total Panic," appears to be an early instrumental
version of "Don't You Know I Want You," which would appear on their next album Hysteria.
The single was designated 'Red' on the Human League’s short-lived, self-imposed labeling system of 'Blue' for pop songs and 'Red' for dance tracks.
for "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" was filmed in a semi-derelict area of Newham
, London
which was due for demolition and redevelopment as part of the widescale redevelopment of Docklands and East London which took place in the early 1980s. The central theme of the video was based on a red dot
on a map
, which in turn is a real red dot on the ground. The red dot highlights a single house on the apex of a street where the band is playing the song in the front room, which is painted entirely grey.
Filmed before the widespread use of CGI
for the video, the house (which was 1 First Avenue, London E13 8AP) and surrounding area (Junction of 1st Avenue and 3rd Avenue) encompassed by the red dot were completely painted red, including a nearby car. The opening scenes establish the landscape from a map before zoom
ing through the front window of the "red" house, as the band starts the song. The video was conceived and directed by Steve Barron
, who directed most of the Human League's early 1980s music videos. The band's scenes were all filmed in a studio; Susan Ann Sulley says that the house was still occupied by a family during the painting and filming of the external scenes. The house remained red for a couple of weeks before finally being demolished in mid 1983.
Dance song
The expression dance song has the following meanings that basically relate dance to the song.*A danceable song; see dance music, dancing music.*A song concerning itself almost entirely with a particular dance...
performed by British synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
group The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
. It was composed by Jo Callis
Jo Callis
Jo Callis is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band, The Rezillos , and post-punk band Boots For Dancing before joining The Human League.-Biography:Callis was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art...
and Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
.
The song involves lead singer Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey
Philip Oakey is an English composer, singer, songwriter and producer.He is best known as the lead singer, frontman and co-founder of the famous English synthpop band The Human League. He has also had an extensive solo music career and collaborated with numerous other artists and producers...
bouncing alternate verses between female co-vocalists Susan Ann Sulley and Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall
Joanne Catherall is an English singer; best known as one of the two female vocalists of the veteran English synthpop band The Human League.Born and raised in Sheffield, England...
, but also in a rare vocal role Jo Callis
Jo Callis
Jo Callis is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band, The Rezillos , and post-punk band Boots For Dancing before joining The Human League.-Biography:Callis was educated at the Edinburgh College of Art...
.
It was released in the UK on 17 April 1983 as a non-album single, where it went to number 2 in the UK singles chart. It was later released as a single in the U.S, where it was also incorporated into the band's stop gap EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Fascination!
Fascination!
Fascination! is an EP released by British synthpop band The Human League in 1983. The EP was issued by Virgin Records as a stop-gap release in between the albums Dare! and Hysteria....
. The single reached number 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and was their first number 1 single on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The EP Fascination! (which is often confused with the single) contained two versions of "(Keep Feeling) Fascination:" the extended mix and an improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
, both different from the single version.
The B Side of the single, "Total Panic," appears to be an early instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
version of "Don't You Know I Want You," which would appear on their next album Hysteria.
The single was designated 'Red' on the Human League’s short-lived, self-imposed labeling system of 'Blue' for pop songs and 'Red' for dance tracks.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" was filmed in a semi-derelict area of Newham
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
which was due for demolition and redevelopment as part of the widescale redevelopment of Docklands and East London which took place in the early 1980s. The central theme of the video was based on a red dot
Dot
- Typography :* Full stop, also called period in American English, used as a sentence terminator and as a decimal separator in numerals - Typography :* Full stop, also called period in American English, used as a sentence terminator and as a decimal separator (decimal point) in numerals -...
on a map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
, which in turn is a real red dot on the ground. The red dot highlights a single house on the apex of a street where the band is playing the song in the front room, which is painted entirely grey.
Filmed before the widespread use of CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
for the video, the house (which was 1 First Avenue, London E13 8AP) and surrounding area (Junction of 1st Avenue and 3rd Avenue) encompassed by the red dot were completely painted red, including a nearby car. The opening scenes establish the landscape from a map before zoom
Zoom lens
A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length can be varied, as opposed to a fixed focal length lens...
ing through the front window of the "red" house, as the band starts the song. The video was conceived and directed by Steve Barron
Steve Barron
Steven "Steve" Barron is a director and producer, best known for directing the films Coneheads , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the innovative music videos for a-ha's "Take on Me" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"....
, who directed most of the Human League's early 1980s music videos. The band's scenes were all filmed in a studio; Susan Ann Sulley says that the house was still occupied by a family during the painting and filming of the external scenes. The house remained red for a couple of weeks before finally being demolished in mid 1983.
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
Popular culture
- The song features in the 2002 videogame Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
as part of the New WaveNew Wave musicNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
radio station Wave 103. - The song also features in the films Fever PitchFever PitchFever Pitch: A Fan's Life is the title of a 1992 autobiographical book by British author Nick Hornby. The book is the basis for two films: Fever Pitch was released in 1997, and Fever Pitch in 2005...
(2005), and You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
(2008). - A cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song, recorded by Rob CrowRob CrowRobertdale Rulon "Rob" Crow, Jr. is an American singer and multi-instrumentalist from San Diego, California known for the long list of bands and projects he is associated with, mostly in the genres of indie rock and math rock...
(of PinbackPinbackPinback is an indie rock band from San Diego, California, currently signed to Temporary Residence Ltd. The band was formed in 1998 by singers, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Armistead Burwell Smith IV and Rob Crow. Tom Zinser, Chris Prescott, and Mario Rubalcaba have all contributed drums...
), features in the 2010 commercial for Kingsford Charcoal.
- A cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song, recorded by OV7OV7OV7 is a Latin pop group from Mexico that formed in May of 1989 but it was until the early 1990s as the would begin to make their mark. With over 22 years of career and have had several hits in the Latin American charts.The group disbanded in 2003...
Mexican Group Pop, features in the 2001 in the album Siete Latidos
- A remix of the song appears in a 2010 VerizonVerizon CommunicationsVerizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
advertisement for the Samsung Fascinate smartphone. - A brief audio clip was featured in an episode of Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
.
External links
- http://www.the-black-hit-of-space.dk/keep_feeling_fascination.htm