Don't You Want Me

Composed by
The Human League
Arranged by
Chris Wilcox
Price
£ 20.00 

Don't You Want Me is a song by British synthpop group The Human League. It was released in November 1981 as a single from their third studio album, Dare (1981). The band's best known and most commercially successful song, it was the biggest selling UK single of 1981, that year's Christmas number one.

Welcome to Skool of Brass

  • For Conductors, Teachers and/or Students
  • Percussion Backing Tracks to accompany Superbrass Educational Material
  • Backing Tracks are Free to Download
  • We always use 4 bars of Introduction before each tune starts (unless otherwise stated)
  • Turn your Practice into a Performance and have fun !
  • Part A – Trumpet / Cornet in Bb
  • Part B – Trumpet / Cornet in Bb
  • Part C – French Horn (or Tenor Horn)
  • Part D – Trombone 1 (or Baritone/Euphonium 1)
  • Part E - Tuba (or Trombone 2 or Baritone/Euphonium 2)
  • Drum Kit

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Description

5 Part Pops for Brass is part of a new collection of Pop inspired arrangements for Brass Quintet arranged by Chris Wilcox.

We hope this repertoire will prompt a growing inquisitiveness for young brass players, and was created with a brass club or gathering in mind.

All transposed parts are included.

In November 1983, Rolling Stone Magazine named Don't You Want me the breakthrough song of the Second British Invasion of the US. In 2015. The lyrics were inspired after lead singer Philip Oakey read a photo-story in a teen-girl's magazine. Though the song had been conceived and recorded in the studio as a male solo, Oakey was inspired by the film A Star Is Born and decided to turn the song into a conflicting duet with one of the band's two female vocalists. Susan Ann Sulley was then asked to take on the role. Until then, she and the other female vocalist, Joanne Catherall, had only been assigned backing vocals. Musicians Jo Callis and Philip Adrian Wright created a synthesizer score to accompany the lyrics that was much harsher than the version that was actually released. Initial versions of the song were recorded but Virgin Records-appointed producer Martin Rushent was unhappy with them. He and Callis remixed the track, giving it a softer, and in Oakey's opinion, "poppy" sound. Oakey hated the new version and thought it would be the weakest track on Dare, resulting in one of his infamous rows with Rushent. Oakey disliked it so much that it was relegated to the last track on side two of the album. Today, the song is widely considered a classic of its era. In a retrospective review, the senior editor for AllMusic, described the song as "a devastating chronicle of a frayed romance wrapped in the greatest pop hooks and production of its year." Fellow new wave musician Graham Parker praised the song, saying, "I just love that catchy chorus." Oakey still describes it as overrated, but acknowledges his initial dismissal was misguided and claims pride in the track. The video for the song was filmed near Slough, Berkshire, during November 1981 and has the theme of the filming and editing of a murder-mystery film, featuring the band members as characters and production staff, with crew and camera apparatus appearing throughout. The video was conceived and directed by the Irish filmmaker Steve Barron, and has at its core the interaction between a successful actress played by Sulley walking out on "film director" Philip Oakey on a film set. Filmed on a cold, wet winter night, the video was shot on 35mm film instead of the cheaper videotape prevalent at the time. Barron was heavily influenced by the cinematography in Ultravox's video for "Vienna" . The video is credited for making Oakey, Sulley and Catherall visual icons of the early 1980s. In 1989, English pop singer Mandy Smith covered this song and British band the Farm also releasing a cover in October 1992. Don't You Want Me was also recorded as a Eurodance song by Swedish band Alcazar, released in 2002. 

“Exploding onto the brass music scene with their debut album ‘Under the Spell of Spain’, the depth of versatility and virtuosity within the ranks of Superbrass has firmly secured it's place as one of the greatest large brass ensembles of all time”

Tom Davoren
Brass Band World

“Superbrass is superfun ! This Phillip Jones-inspired brass ensemble based in London has recorded a remarkably colorful and engaging CD”

Lydia Van Dreel
The Horn Call Journal of the International Horn Society

"WOW !!!!! all of you should be locked up !!!! What great stuff - the compositions/arrangements, the playing (OUTRAGEOUS !!! ), everything is simply fantastic. (actually - i couldn't have expected anything less ! ) Many, many thanks to you and all for your superb contributions. yet again, you've managed to raise the bar! (an inch or two is ok but a few yards is really unfair !!!!!!!!!! )"

Jiggs Whigham
International Jazz Trombone Soloist, Musical Director, BBC Big Band, President International Trombone Association and Professor Hanns Eisler College of Music, Berlin

“Under the Spell of Spain is an extraordinary CD, in company with the finest large brass ensemble recordings ever made. This is a must buy CD!”

Don Lucas
Boston University writing in the International Trombone Association Journal

“One of the finest brass ensemble recordings that has ever come my way.”

Rodney Newton
Composer, arranger and music journalist

“The end result, is a resounding success. This is not a commercial CD, this is education, passion and self belief written in the sleeve notes”

Richard Walker
British Trombone Society

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