Tell Me When

"Tell Me When" is a song by the English synth-pop band the Human League, released in December 1994 by East West Records as the first single from their seventh album, Octopus (1995). Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and Paul C. Beckett, the song was produced by Ian Stanley (formerly of Tears for Fears).

"Tell Me When" received positive reviews from music critics, who singled it out as a standout track from the album. It peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, while reaching number four on the UK Dance Chart. In the US, it peaked at number 31 on the BillboardHot 100, number 15 on the BillboardHot Dance Club Play chart and number eight on the Cash Box Top 100. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan and filmed in the Czech Republic.

The song was originally written for the act "Fast Arithmetic" (Oakey–Beckett), a side project in development within the Human League environment. A demo version was recorded in 1991 and presented to East West Records. It later became the first release by the Human League under East West, who had signed the band after their long-term contract with Virgin ended in 1992.

As it was the first commercial release by the band in four years, it was described in the media as a comeback. Oakey took issue with this description and said in an interview that the band had never stopped recording and performing since its formation in 1977.^[3] The band had collaborated with Yellow Magic Orchestra prior to signing with East West.^[4]

"Tell Me When" was the first Human League single to be released from Octopus. It was issued on 26 December 1994, four weeks ahead of the album.^[5] Released in a variety of vinyl and CD single formats, these variously included remixes of "Tell Me When" by contemporary electronic acts Utah Saints, Development Corporation and Red Jerry, a non-album B-side ("The Bus to Crookes"), and a track from the band's recent collaboration with Yellow Magic Orchestra. In Australia, the song was released on 30 January 1995.^[6]

"Tell Me When" became the Human League's most commercially successful single in nine years and reintroduced the band to the British general public. It received considerable radio promotion in advance of its late 1994 UK release, hitting the airwaves at a time when many people started to get Christmas song fatigue.^[7] Radio 1 played the song three weeks before release with Capital FM playing it two weeks prior.^[7] By the time of its release, the single received over one thousand plays per week across the board according to East West Records.^[7] One month after its release, the single steadily gained airplay on Europe's leading radio markets. It topped the Major Market Airplay charts in the UK for two weeks commencing 4 February, registering total plays of 915 for the week of 11 February.^[8] According to East West Records, the single had achieved sales of around 200,000 copies.^[9] Capital 95.8 head of music Richard Park welcomed the single, saying "the marketplace is just ready for a fresh dose of the Human League".^[7] It peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart in early 1995, their highest UK chart position since "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" reached number two in 1983, and spent a total of nine weeks on the chart.^[10] It also peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, on 15 April 1995, giving the band their last hit to date in the United States.^[11] The song fared well on the Top 40/Mainstream chart, where it peaked at number nine on 22 April 1995.^[12] Additionally, it reached number eight on the Cash Box Top 100.

Varios críticos del álbum Octopus destacaron "Tell Me When" como una canción sobresaliente. Dave Thompson de AllMusic dijo que evoca material anterior, comparándola con " Fascination " y " Mirror Man ". Fue más allá, diciendo que "la verdadera diferencia se encuentra en las letras a modo de viñeta y las voces más complejas. Y estos pequeños cambios marcan la diferencia, convirtiendo sueños de sintetizadores en éxitos de club techno ". ^{[ 13 ]} David Bauder de Associated Press calificó la canción de "espléndida" y señaló que es una "melodía brillante, con sintetizadores al estilo Kraftwerk y la voz aguda de Phil Oakey endulzada por sus dos compañeras. Se encuentra entre sus mejores trabajos". Añadió que era la única canción del álbum "que vale la pena". ^{[ 14 ]} Larry Flick de la revista Billboard también fue favorable, escribiendo: "El grupo británico de synth-pop que disfrutó de un alto perfil durante los 80 regresa con un swing burbujeante, que recuerda a sus ahora clásicos éxitos, ' Don't You Want Me ' y 'Fascination'". ^{[ 15 ]} También lo calificó como un " número con gancho disco ". ^{[ 16 ]} Anderson Jones de Entertainment Weekly lo describió como "burbujeante" y "apto para la radio", mientras que calificó el álbum de "mediocre". ^{[ 17 ]} En su comentario semanal sobre las listas de éxitos del Reino Unido, James Masterton dijo: "Puede que no sea el mayor éxito nuevo de la semana, pero sin duda es el más significativo", concluyendo que "suena como el típico Human League de antaño". ^{[ 18 ]} Jennifer Nine de Melody Maker lo consideró "un compendio brillantemente esperanzador y delgado de rasgos estándar de League, incluyendo ese break "funky" impulsado por una calculadora de bolsillo". ^{[ 19 ]}

A reviewer from Music & Media commented, "Comeback of the year? That's up to you. Anyway, the return of the Sheffield synth band in the premier division of pop creates an enormous buzz in radio land."^[20] In the album review, the reviewer said that "Tell Me When" "portrays Phil Oakey and the girls as a perfect replica of the electro pop band around 1981's Dare album."^[21]Music Week gave the single a top score of five out of five, describing it as "pristine synth pop as a deep Oakey lead and girl harmonies make this the most joyful single of the week. Welcome back."^[22] John Kilgo from The Network Forty wrote, "This is a great comeback for the Sheffield, England trio! A techno-pop release full of energy highlighted by a very catchy hook. This smash is a no-brainer."^[2] Steve Sutherland from NME praised it as "pretty damn near" the Human League "at their best".^[23] Another NME editor, Paul Moody, viewed it as "sublimely clumsy" with "this killer Human League chorus all over it, the sort that rings around your brain like a nursery rhyme from Mars."^[24]People Magazine stated that "their hot new single 'Tell Me When' has made the Human League hip again". They added, "But the tune is an infectious anachronism—the synthesizer trio still tinkle about as soullessly as they did in 1982, when they hit No. 1 with 'Don't You Want Me'."^[25]James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update named it "typical Human League holler" in his weekly dance column.^[26] Tony Cross from Smash Hits felt it's "the best thing" on the album.^[27] David Sinclair of The Times commented, "All the familiar components are here join-the-dots tune, danceable synth-pop arrangement, catchy bubblegum chorus but the result sounds disconcertingly like the Human League by numbers."^[1]

A music video was produced to promote the single, and was shot entirely on location in Prague in the Czech Republic. It is directed by British director Andy Morahan.^[28] It uses reverse motion in several scenes. In the video, well-known sites in the city can be seen, as Wenceslas Square, Prague Castle and Wallenstein Garden.^[29] It opens with Catherall and Sulley in the Wallenstein Gardens, where leaves are blowing upwards instead of downwards. In some city scenes, Oakey walks in the streets, while other people are walking backwards.^[30] The band then performs in the main hall of the Wallenstein Palace, surrounded by lit candles and candelabras. In the outside scenes, Catherall wears a black dress while Sulley wears a white dress. In the indoor scenes, they both wear black dresses with hat and a veil on their faces. "Tell Me When" received "break out" rotation on MTV Europe in February 1995.^[31]

In 2016, The Guardian ranked "Tell Me When" number nine in their list of "The Human League – 10 of the Best".^[32] Ian Wade noted, "No one would have expected a Human League comeback in 1995, the high summer of Britpop." In 2025, music magazine Classic Pop ranked it numbers 16 and two in their lists of the "Top 20 Comeback Singles" and "10 Best Human League Songs".^[33][34] Steve O'Brien wrote, "It may not have been marketed as such, but 'Tell Me When' was definitely a 'blue' Human League song, a crazily catchy pop number that would net the band their final – to date – Top 10 hit."

• CD 11994, East West (YZ882CD1)

1. "Tell Me When" (7-inch edit) – 4:42
2. "Tell Me When" (Mix 1) – 5:09 (remix by Utah Saints)
3. "Kimi Ni Mune Kyun (YMO Vs The Human League)" – 4:55
4. "The Bus to Crookes" – 4:52

• CD 21994, East West (YZ882CD2)

1. "Tell Me When" (Mix 2) – 6:11 (remix by Utah Saints)
2. "Tell Me When" (Red Jerry Remix) – 7:36
3. "Tell Me When" (Strictly Blind Dub) – 5:51 (remix by Development Corporation)
4. "Tell Me When" (Overworld Mix) – 6:26 (remix by Development Corporation)
5. "Tell Me When" (Mix 1) – 5:09 (remix by Utah Saints)

• US CD1994, East West America (66147-2)

1. "Tell Me When" (Utah Saints Mix 2*) – 6:12
2. "Tell Me When" (Red Jerry Mix) – 7:36
3. "Tell Me When" (Strictly Blind Dub) – 5:51 (remix by Development Corporation)
4. "Tell Me When" (Edit Version Overworld Mix) – 5:25 (remix by Development Corporation)
5. "Tell Me When" (Utah Saints Mix 1*) – 5:09
   • (*) identical to the UK mixes