Who is The Dignity of Labour?
The Dignity of Labour is a 12" vinyl record released in 1979. The tracks were written and performed by The Human League featuring a line-up of Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh and Phil 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 on which the band released their early singles. All four parts are instrumental pieces of electronic music, 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 t...
