The Dignity of Labour
Encyclopedia
The Dignity Of Labour is a 12" vinyl record released in 1979
. The tracks were written and performed by The Human League
with the line-up Ware, Marsh and Oakey. It was released as the follow-up to their earlier single "Being Boiled
" (b/w "Circus of Death") on Fast Product Records, the label that the band released their early singles.
All four parts are instrumental pieces of electronic music, "The Dignity of Labour, Pts. 1-4". These are loosely tied together with a story depicting the construction of the Vostok 1
spacecraft, as well as the launch of the rocket and the pioneering Soviet
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
into space. The cover art depicts Gagarin, having just landed on earth, about to receive a medal of honour.
At the time of release, the record contained a free single on Flexidisc which featured a recording of the band members and Bob Last discussing whether or not to include a Flexidisc, the benefits and detractions of including a Flexidisc, and what the Flexidisc should contain (in homage to the film, Dark Star
). later they talk about Yuri Gagarin, Yuri Gagarin having tea after landing Vostok 1, individual as opposed to group effort and that eventually everyone dies.
"The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 1)" pays tribute to German bands such as Cluster and Harmonia. In "The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 2)" the Kraftwerk meets the TG.
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
. The tracks were written and performed by 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...
with the line-up Ware, Marsh and Oakey. It was released as the follow-up to their earlier single "Being Boiled
Being Boiled
"Being Boiled" is a song composed by Sheffield musicians Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, with lyrics by Philip Oakey, and recorded by them as The Human League...
" (b/w "Circus of Death") on Fast Product Records, the label that the band released their early singles.
All four parts are instrumental pieces of electronic music, "The Dignity of Labour, Pts. 1-4". These are loosely tied together with a story depicting the construction of the Vostok 1
Vostok 1
Vostok 1 was the first spaceflight in the Vostok program and the first human spaceflight in history. The Vostok 3KA spacecraft was launched on April 12, 1961. The flight took Yuri Gagarin, a cosmonaut from the Soviet Union, into space. The flight marked the first time that a human entered outer...
spacecraft, as well as the launch of the rocket and the pioneering Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961....
into space. The cover art depicts Gagarin, having just landed on earth, about to receive a medal of honour.
At the time of release, the record contained a free single on Flexidisc which featured a recording of the band members and Bob Last discussing whether or not to include a Flexidisc, the benefits and detractions of including a Flexidisc, and what the Flexidisc should contain (in homage to the film, Dark Star
Dark Star (film)
Dark Star is a 1974 American comedic science fiction motion picture directed by John Carpenter and co-written with Dan O'Bannon.-Backstory and plot:...
). later they talk about Yuri Gagarin, Yuri Gagarin having tea after landing Vostok 1, individual as opposed to group effort and that eventually everyone dies.
Track listing
- "The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 1)" – (4:21) — "The first part has the miners underground in Russia, digging up the coal to make steel"
- "The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 2)" – (2:46) — "The second part shows gantries being made from the steel, for Yuri Gagarin's spaceship."
- "The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 3)" – (3:49) — "The third part is an instrumental tribute to Yuri Gagarin."
- "The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 4)" – (3:49)
"The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 1)" pays tribute to German bands such as Cluster and Harmonia. In "The Dignity of Labour (Pt. 2)" the Kraftwerk meets the TG.