Today’s video of the day is The Human League – "Being Boiled" released in 1986.
A fan-made video for “Being Boiled” by The Human League uses footage from the 1974 Soviet sci-fi film Teens in the Universe. The video blends dark synths with vintage space visuals. It matches the eerie tone of the song perfectly. “Being Boiled” is The Human League’s first single. It was originally released in 1978. The song appeared on Travelogue in 1980, the last album featuring founding members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. They left soon after to form Heaven 17. That marked a major turning point for the band.
Phil Oakey joined The Human League shortly before the song was written. Ware and Marsh handed him the instrumental track. Two days later, Oakey returned with finished lyrics. This early collaboration defined the band’s darker sound. The song protests silk farming while referencing Eastern spirituality. Its opening line, “Listen to the voice of Buddha,” remains iconic. The music draws from Kraftwerk, Can, and Neu! There are also nods to Funkadelic and Parliament. The bassline has even been compared to Bootsy Collins. Unlike their later pop hits, “Being Boiled” sounds raw and experimental. It set the stage for the synth-pop genre.
When Travelogue failed commercially, Virgin Records nearly dropped the band. Instead, Oakey rebuilt The Human League with new members. The next album, Dare, released in 1981, launched them into stardom. Songs like “Don’t You Want Me” had a lighter, more commercial tone. That made “Being Boiled” stand out even more in their catalog. The song was re-released in 1982 and became a UK top-10 hit. It charted in West Germany in 1986, showing its lasting appeal. Over time, “Being Boiled” has gained cult status. Many fans see it as a bridge between industrial and synth-pop. The fan video using Teens in the Universe visuals adds a surreal sci-fi layer. It highlights the song’s cold, mechanical feel. The blend of imagery and sound captures the essence of late ’70s electronic music. For longtime fans and new listeners alike, it’s a powerful reimagining of a synth-pop classic.
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