Human League, 'Do or Die', on O.T.T.

Human League performing 'Do or Die' on the first edition of OTT (Over The Top), the late night adult spin-off from Tiswas. Shown live on 2 January 1982 (Central Television's second day of broadcasting).

[@francescxavierbulto9848]

13 years old and at my grandmothers, pestered her to let me stop up to watch them. Never realised I would spend the rest of my life following them around Europe til this day.

[@dazauto1400]

Ian Burden the unsung hero of Human Leagues golden era.

[@iggydip]

and Jo Callis

[@functio1]

Funny how, even in '82, everyone in the audience looks like they're from the 1970s whilst Phil and co' look like they're from the future :D

[@halenbud]

The Crowd Was Hit In The Face With New Wave! Bam!

[@functio1]

@@halenbud The Human League are waaaay before New Wave ;)

[@pigknickers]

Yes, I was there. Things were better. It was a wonderful wonderful time and there is nothing now that has the magic. This was the start of the new age and it felt very special indeed.

[@mickyday2008]

I watched this live when it was on the telly. Fantastic then and fantastic now.

[@viennacat1]

Absolute gem of a performance. The whole package is just awesome. Phil, the girls, the sound, lots and lots of energy and a really exciting performance.

[@dennishough3709]

I know 10 years is a long time....But I agree with you!!

[@silentscreenvamp]

One of my favorite HL songs and this version is fantastic. Just love Phil's French braid action, too. Discreet and dapper.

[@cosmeticcarrepair]

What a superb live performance from all of them.

[@NadaCero]

Those girls were very beautiful in the ‘80s

[@senorverde09]

I love how knackered Joanne looks in the end. She's like, "Thank God this is over!" However, Susan is flaunting her good looks off! :)

[@sheyda212]

omg the blush ,the hair cuts ,the sound it genius !

[@mysteron0101]

OMG the memories just come flooding back listening to this.. Human League still sound awesome..

[@ralucagymnast]

Phil Oakey was such an expert on the visual side of the Human League; he had an idea in his head of EXACTLY how they should look: what they were to wear etc., When you look at the cover of Dare, you can see immediately WHY he picked Joanne and Susanne when he saw them dancing together at the Crazy Daisy night club all those years ago.

[@pauleyles9536]

And it couldn't of happen 2 a nicer pair of sweet ❤️ s ie Queens Joanne Catherall ❤️ (my favourite Human League sweet ❤️ 4 ever coming in2 my love life and 4 the best night ever of my life. And 4 making a dream come true 4 me 2 meet them) Susan Sulley ❤️ and King Philip Oakey 2. The Human League r Ace. And Queen Joanne Catherall Sweet ❤️ I will always love u 2 sweet ❤️ s and king Philip Oakey 2 4 ever being so understanding 2 the way that I am,4 ever making a dream come true 4 me 2 meet up with u3 ✨. And Queen Joanne Catherall Sweet ❤️ I really think that u have got some magic powers inside your sweet ❤️. 2 wards me.

[@Katehowe3010]

@@pauleyles9536 What a remarkably insightful critique of The Human League, and this performance!

[@pauleyles9536]

@@Katehowe3010 I will always be a mega big Human League fan . I even think that my favourite Human League sweet ❤️ 4 ever ie Queen Joanne Catherall ❤️ has got some magic powers inside her Sweet ❤️ 2wards me.

[@Katehowe3010]

@@pauleyles9536 You're a lovestruck looney, but that's no crime!

[@Katehowe3010]

@@pauleyles9536 Also, why are you up at this hour? Are you an insomniac like myself?

[@mickyday2008]

Back again. I love it

[@datrahardaway3347]

love this song 1982 i love the eighties my favorite music decade

[@chrisbennett606]

Datra Hardaway same here as I was only 11 years older

[@chrisbennett606]

Datra Hardaway are you single ?

[@radosawkaraszewski4474]

After 30 years it still sounds good!

[@harrymay2528]

I remember staying up past my bedtime to watch this - great show and some excellent bands on the show. But with the Human League being on it was a must watch for us Sheffield folk. Top tune as well.

[@rogerhoward7498]

A classic time in modern British pop music on Television, where not just the song mattered, but how you performed the song on Television mattered also. It was a performance like this, that made The Human League British Pop Music Icons. It wasn't just the performance, history was being made of this new British Pop music with the new progressions of the Keyboard Synthesiser.

[@user-yc5um2pl5v]

Fantastic performance - so raw and unpolished, this sound that's just about to fall apart yet Phil somehow manages to keep together with his all-conquering voice, and everyone's having fun while trying to do this serious-sounding song. Every detail is great (apart from idiotic comments at the end), probably my favourite performance by them :)

[@placebohead68]

DARE ... 30 years old 30/10/2011... still an absolute CLASSIC album

[@peterwoods4840]

Absolutely bloody brilliant.very very underrated band ,personified the 80s.

[@hunterhearsthelmsley4955]

Those cocky little fires you started in the night The independent claims that just meant "Hold me tight" The bruises on your body that you swore were from a fight I'll pass at your insistence Alsatians fall unconscious at the shadow of your call One glance from your direction and the government will fall Whole continents of misery don't bother you at all But for me you have persistence Run all day, run all night Do or die, do or die Got to run for your life Do or die, do or die I'd like to leave so would you kindly look the other way You tell me to be honest but I've nothing left to say Just like your feet my goddess, my brain has turned to clay An end to all resistance Run all day, run all night Do or die, do or die Got to run for your life Do or die, do or die Run all day, run all night Do or die, do or die Got to run for your life Do or die, do or die Run all day, run all night Do or die, do or die Got to run for your life Do or die, do or die Run all day, run all night Do or die, do or die Got to run for your life Do or die, do or die

[@TheNouveauxdecadence]

'Do Or Die' SHOULD have been a single along with 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of'... Actually... what The Human League should ahve done for 'Dare' was to make a DARE Video compilation with video's and artistic direction for the whole album on VHS. Legendary! Do Or Die just KILLS me, ADORE!!!

[@martavini3333]

Totally agree!!

[@johnstairs]

Could not agree more. So sorry it’s taken 11 years to reply 😮

[@FLORENT2222]

"Dare", the perfect synthpop album, with "lamnet " from Ultravox and "gentlemen take polaroids " from Japan

[@sdfaulkner1348]

This is wonderful - I can't recall seeing the Human League ever looking this... well, "Human League". A real gem - thanks immensely for posting this

[@ScottishGeordie39]

The line up at the time was: Phil Oakey Suzanne Sulley (the blonde one) Joanne Catherall (the brunette one) Adrian Wright Ian Burden Jo Callis Hope this helps

[@colindew2824]

I notice you didnt feel the need to describe the men in terms of their hair colour

[@rdrobina]

New romantics is not dead!Greetings from Serbia.

[@ladyloveselectro]

I love the League! They were amazing at Bestival 2008, they did Dare in its entirety. And Phil and the girls can still hit the notes! Yay!

[@tisjken]

the instrumental version on their album League Unlimited Orchestra is the Max!

[@loureviews]

This is fantastic, and Phil was drop dead gorgeous then. Wow.

[@brettterence]

i loved it then and still love it now.

[@1061andy]

Those girls were fit ! 🤩

[@jamesweston8226]

Classic! The electronics are just sublime

[@DJSantero]

I like the guy ignoring the clapping paradigm and bongoing the shit out of his knees, that's the spirit, make your own path!

[@playthatbeat]

unique version of awesome track.. it's sync'd, so this mix of it exists somewhere.. even in mono, it's TEH HOOOOOLY GRAAIIILLLLLLL

[@HighlandMike325]

Think in those days it was Musician Union rules that bands could mime over a live pre-recorded track usually recorded earlier in the day, but not the original. Duran Duran got in trouble once for switching the tapes. The MU already had a problem with Human League because of them using reel to reel tapes on stage.

[@vicpur]

Great theatre and awesome music.They set the standard in the 80's

[@FanatikJ]

I listen to this track almost every day because the synths are so cool in the intro. Awesome track.

[@distortech2]

This is everything.

[@enrobhcit]

music begins and ends in the soul.. this is soul music..........

[@ChasD]

Anyone know who the guy in the blue shirt is playing the Yamaha synth at 2.12? All the other mk2 Human League personnel are there but this guy is not one of them! Phil and the girls are obvious, Ian Burden is playing bass guitar, Jo Callis is playing the main riff on the big Roland (nice hamming up to the camera at 1.58!) and Philip Adrian Wright, wearing a black Adam Ant T-shirt, can be seen playing a small synth 2.47. So who was this other member?!!!!!!

[@MrThylacineUK]

Brilliant! Pure class. Love it!

[@johnvonahlen]

"And so we leave The Human League, still not knowing whether they're doing or dying.."..hmm methinks they've done a little of both during their amazing career LOL! Long Live the League:) Fantastic clip BTW and I can see why Phil spotted Jo and Susan at the Crazy Daisy. They are perfect.

[@trigger2225]

Total Class. My era of music.

[@andycuthbert2763]

Loved Phil-I was a really square geeky kid at this time n started dying my hair gold n silver after this n it felt great to stand out a bit !

[@luciealiceeliasova4851]

Oh Philip Adrien Wright, I Fell in love to tím when I was young😁😇

[@hodgietwo1]

great track and great band :)

[@cbak12sg]

This was when the group were at their peak. At the time, they were at number 1 in the singles chart with Don't You Want Me, in one of the most fiercely competitive Christmas charts of all time, as they saw off Cliff Richard (Daddy's Home), Abba(One Of Us) and Adam and the Ants (Ant Rap). Don't You Want Me is one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all time........ ......oh and Dare was also doing rather well by then!

[@ivanmoore4684]

I saw the human league do or die over the top 2nd January Saturday night 1982 and it blew me away love it searched allover for the clip pleased to have it on dvd now chears.

[@frankmunoz27]

THANK YOU ever so much for posting this! They look and sound awesome, I almost passed out the first time I viewed this...I LOVE HUMAN LEAGUE!!!

[@vasosandrea3532]

Simply brilliant as allways

[@irenecostigane8348]

I'm 62 still remember this song the two girls are Beautiful ❤️ Great days my son was born that year . Now he's a pain in the arse any chance of a Tap dad X love him to bits X

[@jamesoneill2933]

Give him something Mick , it will be home time perhaps for the likes of you and I soon enough.

[@djbethell]

Man, those heels! Class!

[@PeachBeach]

Love it! Just a few questions... Who is the 7th member?? And also is Adrian wearing an Adam ant t-shirt? :)

[@trancosomarcus]

Roland Jupiter 8...Classic!!!!

[@Kammler03]

Great Song !! Thanx for sharing !!! This connection of "knowledge of song-writing" + also "performing this sound,music+track" is very seldom to be seen today !!! Best Regards !!!

[@34airflow]

They were so cool!

[@masterliver101]

Love Phils attitude in this

[@jasonwingfield7585]

I ❤️ Joanne

[@AA-bz8lf]

I love how he has a french braid; and all the posers that are doing the man braid today think they are all that?

[@annother3350]

The difference Is that these days you don't get beaten by a hang of skinheads for looking like that

[@RealArtfulDodger]

Lot of them today ripping off from the past, have no ideas of their own.

[@stevegarcia3174]

Exactly he invented that style today's kids have no idea what the 80s fashion was I'm glad I grew up in this era to wear the clothes miss this era

[@monicavicious5110]

This band is awesome. Love it!

[@juanpabloarena2724]

La mejor canción de ''Dare'' ... Aplauso largo desde Argentina!

[@lawrencesimmons5093]

Darkness, Seconds

[@fancypantsuk]

this one should have been released as a single.

[@janhorton3393]

Found out susanne sulley here is a week younger than me. March 1963. So just 18 here and such a beautiful woman.

[@interplanetkitty]

Loveeeeee it!!!!!!

[@fernandocontreras50]

INIGUALABLES, LO MAXIMO!.........

[@ivanski28]

The two synths at 2:07 one is a of the smaller monosynths Yamaha CS5, 10 or 15 not sure which one, the other thing is a Korg 770

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

They look FANTASTIC.

[@ChasD]

@SynthWho My question also. Yes, that's Adrian Wright wearing the Adam Ant T-shirt. No idea who the mysterious blue shirted 7th member is though!

[@zealous6]

"I'd like to leave so would you kindly look the other way You tell me to be honest but I've nothing left to say Just like your feet, My Goddess, my brain has turned to clay, An end to all resistance..." I LOVE LOVE LOVE this album track from "DARE"! Was it ever released as a single?

[@AdamG1983]

Phil @ 0:11 "Jo, are you gonna start playin' the fookin' keyboard line or not? IAN, get back to yer spot!"

[@PoppyMissy15]

O yess I love it XD

[@soepil]

It could be Mike Douglas, who were drafted in as an extra keyboard player at concerts, according to an old interview with HL ....

[@dunkiep]

I don't think this was a single. I remember smuggling a portable TV into my bedroom to secretly watch this when I was about 10 years old.

[@MrGarytc]

No cheap mass thumbs up here. It would appear all the people who have liked this video which is a true piece of artistry really appreciate it.

[@Dracopol]

This dark, minor-key song seems to hail back to the early days of the Human League, pre-girls. Hahaha, music keyboards with circuits, real transistors, and a large cookie-sized IC which can handle literally KILOBYTES of information, hee hee...

[@williamscott-ryan8320]

brill . love phill. and i had the pleasure of going to high school with him and living just a mile away from him, and my brother went out with joanne. glad your music has taken off again..

[@davidbillyard6629]

I bet your brother has some good memories of being with Joanne C.

[@bvseediermedia6]

I remember this at the time of showing. Britain was in the grip of several weeks of heavy snowfall at the time.

[@davidbillyard6629]

Man made climate change lol.

[@stevepettit2064]

great clip loved O.T.T it was a spin off from tiswas only short lived a adult version of the kids show shame got a clip of the beat on there as well.

[@rainbowtroutbrown]

my first album i bought from my milk round money was dare (12 1978).ive still got it and still play it.there is some very good 12" ers of some of the songs outthere but havent heard in 20 years

[@IAN9607]

bring's back old memories.

[@ineedulalala]

lovely 80's

[@swallowsea889]

Love the fact, that themes and issues are having been treated!

[@Amethyst_Friend]

She's incredible

[@briancarney3023]

Jupiter 8 not switched on; no visible red LED numbers...not that anyone was convinced otherwise. :)Great vocals though!

[@AdamBorseti]

The weirdest thing is that this isn't the recording on the album, so maybe they just had a demo version playing in the background with some live elements.....?

[@colewoodard8920]

This sounds exactly like the version from live recordings of the '82 tour, so it must've been separately recorded.

[@MashMashMusic]

If you listen closely, you can hear that it is an actual live-played bass guitar. And Oakey's vocals aren't like that on the record. I wonder if this is at least partly live. Obviously the Jupiter 8 is not on, and the girl's vocals aren't live ...

[@nwlman]

Should have been a single

[@alejandroguevara0588]

Yes actually!!

[@harrymay2528]

Nearly very track from the album could have been a single to be honest: such a great album that Dare was (and still is)

[@PurpleRecords1972]

Loved Joanne🥰🥰

[@THEELDER1]

Fucking fantastic!

[@apollo3396]

Jo was always my favorite

[@michelepistillo1010]

Philip e Joanne fantastici anni 80 ..

[@cbak12sg]

RIP Martin Rushent.

[@lostthe80s]

I understand you - I am the other way round - fancy the blond now (she's aged well), but looking at this i'm with joanne at that time - she's got the 80's quintessential look.

[@equestrianhorseriding]

Never seen this one - Great Thanks for posting

[@steele66]

wow, never saw this one before....this is great....rare footage indeed.

[@TheGodParticle]

Just loved watching this. The girls look like their havin a good time...

[@UpTheShakers]

wow had no idea this existed. they really couldn't sing but i loved em. thank you!

[@TheRoyalOrora]

Do or Die is the best song off Dare. It should have been a single

[@mirola73]

We saw them a few months ago. Phil still sounds like he did here. Time has had no influence on his voice.

[@ChasD]

@vVSDO2Cc It looks like Phil is singing live but I'm pretty sure none of them are playing the instruments live! Jo Callis' left hand doesn't seem to correspond with the correct parts, plus he's playing different parts later on! Ian Burden is playing bass when the track has synth bass lines. Adrian Wright was never a keyboard player (he was credited with projections and visuals on early albums). Plus the mysterious blue shirted member is playing polyphonic chords on a monophonic Yamaha synth!

[@antunivanovic]

The mysterious member I believe is Michael Douglas?... at the time playing also with OMD (credited on their "Architecture & Morality"). This is a weird live appearance indeed - speaking of "playing live". Some parts seem like being reproduced live for the occasion but some of them definitely look like miming over their synths, Jo Callis especially so... :)

[@gregretro]

This was clearly an early mix - before Martin Rushent got into the production seat. The explosion effect on the 8th beat isn't there yet - and that for me is one of the best little hooks in this song.

[@CasperIskov]

That is interesting, since it has been used on national TV it should be released somewhere, somehow. I really love the real bass in this version in contrast to the studio one

[@Oksana7305]

I just read an interesting article in which Jo Callis explains how he could plug his guitar into a synthesizer in studio and strumming the guitar would trigger the programmable sound stored in the synth. So that might explain why or how Ian is playing bass. I am pretty sure some of it is live. Phil's voice is much different. Is it just my imagination or is the mood different here? Phil seems to be looking behind from time to time.

[@MrSlippery65]

Quite a surprised to find this clip, an album track on a late night show....