Howard Jones -

Howard Jones (born Feb. 23, 1955) is an English keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who released four albums on WEA between 1984 and 1989, charting first with “New Song” and “What Is Love?” He achieved transatlantic success with his 1985 release Dream Into Action, which spawned the hits “Things Can Only Get Better,” “Like to Get to Know You Well,” and “No One Is to Blame.”

Background

He was born John Howard Jones on February 23, 1955, in Southampton to Welsh parents. He was raised in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, South Wales, with his three younger brothers (Roy, Martin, and Paul), who all became musicians. At age seven, he took up piano. While in his teens, his family moved to Canada.

Jones first recorded as a member of Warrior, a symphonic-rock trio with guitarist Paul Zeisler and bassist Richard Hammond. Their sole release, Invasion, is an undated white label pressing of 100 copies on private-press Eden. During the late ’70s, Jones’ three brothers played in the post-punk band Red Beat.

While enrolled at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Jones worked with lyricist Bill Bryant, a Buddhist practitioner who influenced Howard’s outlook. During the early 1980s, Jones developed a theatrical act where he played music behind mime artist Jed Hoile.

In 1983, Jones rented the Marquee Club for a record label showcase. After he secured opening slots on tours by China Crisis and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, he signed to Warner Bros.

“New Song”

Howard Jones debuted as a solo artist with “New Song,” issued as a 7″ single in the UK on August 19, 1983, on WEA.

An energetic synth-driven track built on arpeggiated sequences and bright keyboard textures, the song outlines Jones’s aspirational philosophy, encouraging listeners to defy limitation and embrace self-belief. His lyrics address personal transformation, directly referencing his own transition from factory work to full-time musician. He drives the message in the provocative chorus couplet:

Don’t crack up
Bend your brain
See both sides
Throw off your mental chains

The single was backed with “Change the Man,” a slower but thematically aligned track. In the US, “New Song” was issued in early 1984 with “Conditioning” on the B-side, a track that would later be re-recorded for Human’s Lib (1984). The 12″ version included an extended mix of “New Song,” along with both B-sides, showcasing the song’s structural clarity and sequencer interplay in greater depth.

7″ UK – WEA HOW 1
A. “New Song” (Howard Jones) – 4:16
B. “Change the Man” (Jones) – 4:30

7″ US – Elektra 7-69745
A. “New Song” (Jones) – 4:16
B. “Conditioning” (Jones, Bill Bryant) – 4:02

12″ UK – WEA HOW 1T
A. “New Song” (Extended Mix) (Jones) – 5:21
B1. “Change the Man” (Jones) – 4:30
B2. “Conditioning” (Jones, Bryant) – 4:55

Jones arranged and performed the track using a Roland Juno-60, a Memorymoog, and an E-mu Drumulator. Colin Thurston produced the session at Chipping Norton Studios in Oxfordshire in 1983. The 7″ UK pressing features the lyrics printed in a spiral design on the A-side label.

The single was supported by a concept music video directed around themes of liberation and expression. It opens with Jones working at a pickle factory and transitions through various London locations (including Holborn Underground station and a schoolyard), joined by mime artist Jed Hoile, whose interpretive movement became a recurring feature of Jones’s early visuals.

“New Song” reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, where it remained in the Top 75 for 20 weeks. It charted Top 10 in Ireland and Sweden, reached No. 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and charted in eight other territories, becoming one of the most enduring synth-pop debut singles of 1983.

“What Is Love?”

Howard Jones issued “What Is Love?” as his second single on November 18, 1983, following the UK Top 3 breakthrough “New Song.” A mid-paced electronic ballad built on shifting synth harmonies, the track combines contemplative lyrics with a steady E-mu Drumulator rhythm and bright, layered voicings from Yamaha DX7, Prophet T-8, Juno-60, and Moog Prodigy synthesizers. Lyrically, it questions the emotional dependency embedded in traditional notions of romantic love, advancing Jones’s thematic rejection of co-dependence in favor of inner resolve and self-awareness.

The track originated in 1982 under the title “Love?” as part of Jones’s self-distributed demo cassette. That original title (and accompanying question mark motif) also appeared in his early Marquee Club promotional posters. For the commercial release, the B-side was “It Just Doesn’t Matter,” a thematically consistent companion piece. The 12″ single features an extended version of the title track, a longer mix of the B-side, and a live recording of “Hunt the Self,” captured at the Marquee.

7″ – WEA HOW 2
A. “What Is Love?” (Howard Jones, Bill Bryant) – 3:41
B. “It Just Doesn’t Matter” (Jones, Bryant) – 3:36

12″ – WEA HOW 2T
A. “What Is Love?” (Extended Version) (Jones, Bryant) – 6:33
B1. “It Just Doesn’t Matter” (Jones, Bryant) – 4:30
B2. “Hunt the Self” (Live at the Marquee) (Jones, Bryant) – 5:36

Limited Edition 12″ Pack – HOW 2TF
Includes standard 12″ single + bonus 7″:
A. “What Can I Say” (Jones, Bryant) – 5:10
B. “Bounce Right Back” (Jones) – 5:23

Rupert Hine produced the song at Farmyard Studios in Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire. Jones handled all synthesizer parts and programming. Hine contributed additional backing vocals and oversaw the recording sessions, applying his signature clarity to the vocal mix and instrument separation.

The music video, filmed in Paris, features Jones wandering the city alone, reinforcing the introspective and questioning tone of the song. He passes through quiet alleys and parks, visually echoing the song’s themes of solitude and reflection.

“What Is Love?” peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Jones’s highest-charting single in his home country. It reached the Top 10 in Ireland, Germany, Norway, and Sweden, and rose to No. 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. It became a cornerstone of Human’s Lib (1984) and a staple of Jones’s early catalogue.

Human’s Lib

Howard Jones released his debut album, Human’s Lib, on March 9, 1984, on WEA (UK) and Elektra (US).

It contains his two prior hits and the subsequent singles “Hide and Seek” and “Pearl in the Shell.” Written and recorded over two periods in 1983, it marked the culmination of Jones’s early self-financed rise from local gigs to national exposure. The album showcases a highly textured synth-pop sound with thematic material centered on self-reliance, spiritual questioning, and rejection of co-dependence.

Human’s Lib unfolds in two arcs: brisk, staccato-patterned sequences and slower, atmospheric reflections. “Conditioning” opens with a clipped rhythm under flanged synth pulses and chopped phrasing, broken midway by processed vocal snippets and mechanical interjections. “What Is Love?” rides a mid-tempo pulse shaped by sparse chord movement and subdued phrasing, allowing space to linger between verse and refrain. “Pearl in the Shell” follows with busier arrangement—tight keyboard bursts over syncopated phrasing and punctuated by a darting sax solo. “Hide and Seek” narrows the harmonic palette to long sustains and ambient overlays; Jones intones slowly against droning lower tones and a distant upper register motif, spacing each line over wide intervals.

“Hunt the Self” reintroduces intensity with compact percussive phrasing and distorted noise sweeps that collapse into a cut-off ending. The second half begins with “New Song,” where bright, percussive keys and doubled lines underscore an insistent, kinetic vocal. “Don’t Always Look at the Rain” strips back the pacing, guided by circular phrasing and lopsided rhythmic subdivisions. “Equality” pivots between chordal stabs and more linear verses; “Natural” slows further, with light phrasing and a loose vocal line stretched across minimal harmonic changes. The title track closes the album with jarring piano loops and clipped vocal repetition, collapsing in on itself with layered rhythmic hits and unresolved cadence. Jones varies track architecture through tempo shifts, vocal placement, and alternating densities, moving from urgent synthetic bursts to suspended, minimal forms.

Jones composed the music and co-wrote the lyrics to five tracks with Bill Bryant.

A1. “Conditioning” (4:32) – Jones, Bryant. Howard contemplates how identity is shaped by external forces from birth—labels, rules, and societal judgments—arguing that who we think we are is largely the result of conditioning. He critiques this system as manipulative, both inflating and deflating self-worth to maintain control. “From our birth we were given rules of right or wrong / Not forgetting the bullies at school,” he reflects, observing how moral frameworks are imposed before self-awareness develops, often reinforced by peer pressure and coercion.
A2. “What Is Love?” (3:45) – Jones, Bryant. Howard reflects on the fragility of romantic certainty, reasoning that real love means allowing freedom rather than demanding permanence or proof. “And maybe love is letting people be just what they want to be” reveals his belief that love should never become a cage, even if it means facing doubt or loss.
A3. “Pearl in the Shell” (4:03) – Howard reflects on how fear, guilt, and overthinking prevent people from recognizing opportunities already within reach. “His duty was to use it – left his pearl in the shell” captures his warning that moral hesitation and anxiety can lead to wasted potential, leaving inner gifts unused.
A4. “Hide and Seek” (5:34) – Howard contemplates the origin of existence as a cosmic game of self-discovery, where creation leads to separation and the quest to remember one’s true nature. “She completely forgot where she’d hidden herself” illustrates his view that the soul’s journey is a process of losing and gradually recovering awareness.
A5. “Hunt the Self” (3:42) – Jones, Bryant. Howard asserts a need for inner transformation after years of chasing hollow ideas and outside approval, resolving to seek truth from within. “Hearing this sham is like getting drunk on cheap wine” captures his disillusionment with borrowed philosophies that once felt profound but now ring false.

B1. “New Song” (4:15) – Howard encourages breaking free from conformity and mental restriction, praising those who challenge inherited beliefs and reject fear-based thinking. “Not under the thumb of the cynical few” affirms his refusal to be controlled by negativity or societal pressure.
B2. “Don’t Always Look at the Rain” (4:13) – Howard urges optimism and perseverance in the face of cynicism and despair, advocating for compassion, small acts of change, and the power of ideals. “Let the mind shut up, and the heart do the rest” conveys his belief that emotional wisdom often surpasses rational overthinking when it comes to healing and progress.
B3. “Equality” (4:26) – Jones, Bryant. Howard reflects on the shared human desire for happiness and acceptance, asserting that beneath surface differences, everyone longs for the same sense of peace. “But the longing is still the same” emphasizes his belief that emotional needs unite us, regardless of outward identity or perceived status.
B4. “Natural” (4:25) – Jones, Bryant. Howard reasons that all things—desirable or not—exist as part of a natural, interconnected whole, and resisting them only creates further imbalance. “Your beliefs, philosophy, don’t give us peace” challenges rigid ideologies that claim moral authority but ultimately perpetuate division and conflict.
B5. “Human’s Lib” (4:03) – Jones, Bryant. Howard confronts suppressed desires and the contradictions of modern life, asserting that true freedom often invites judgment and rejection. “But you just try being free my friend / And everyone will hate your guts” reveals his frustration with a society that punishes authenticity while glamorizing rebellion.

Apart from the June 1983 “New Song” session with Colin Thurston, Rupert Hine produced Human’s Lib between October and November 1983 at Farmyard Studios in Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, and Chipping Norton Studios in Oxfordshire.

Howard Jones plays all synthesizers, drum machines, and vocals. His primary setup included Roland Jupiter-8, Juno-60, Yamaha DX7 (x2), Sequential Circuits Prophet T-8 and Pro-One, Moog Prodigy, and Memorymoog. Percussion came from an E-mu Drumulator, LinnDrum (provided by Hine), Roland TR-808, Simmons SDS-V (with SDS-6 sequencer), and AMS-sampled real drums.

Davey Payne (of Ian Dury & The Blockheads) performs the saxophone solo on “Pearl in the Shell,” notable for his prior dual sax work on the 1978 UK No. 1 “Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick.” Engineer Stephen W. Tayler (also credited with sax on “Pearl…”) mixed the album. Colin Thurston recorded “New Song.” Photography by Simon Fowler; sleeve design by Steg.

“Hide and Seek” appeared as the third single on 10 February 1984, one month ahead of the album. In contrast to Jones’s earlier bright, optimistic singles, this track adopted a sparse and brooding tone built on slow-moving, ambient textures and a somber melodic line. Inspired by the spiritual writings of Alan Watts, Jones wrote “Hide and Seek” as a meditation on the self, mortality, and the interconnectedness of all things.

He later called it a “very spiritual song” and chose it as his contribution to the 1985 Live Aid concert, where he performed it solo on piano at Wembley Stadium. The single appeared in several formats: the standard 7″ featured the studio version backed with the instrumental “Tao Te Ching,” while the 12″ added the extended 8:30 version and the B-side “China Dance.” A limited-edition 10″ included a live concert take of “Hide and Seek.” The single reached No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart and climbed to No. 5 in Ireland.

“Pearl in the Shell” followed on 18 May 1984 as the album’s fourth and final single. The track layered rhythmic synth stabs with a sharp vocal cadence and a standout saxophone solo by Davey Payne, best known for his work with Ian Dury & The Blockheads, including the twin sax break on their 1978 No. 1 hit “Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick.” “Pearl in the Shell” featured a lyrical refrain drawn from the album’s title, tying the track thematically to Human’s Lib as a whole.

The B-side, “Law of the Jungle,” was a non-album track with a syncopated, percussion-heavy arrangement. The 12″ single included “Total Conditioning,” a reinterpretation of the album opener “Conditioning,” which integrated additional lyrics and motifs from multiple Human’s Lib tracks. While the single lacked a dedicated extended mix of the title track, “Pearl in the Shell” later appeared in expanded form on The 12″ Album. It became Jones’s fourth consecutive UK Top 20 hit, reaching No. 7 in the UK and No. 2 in Ireland.

“Equality” was issued exclusively in South Africa, reflecting Jones’s anti-apartheid stance.

Human’s Lib went straight to No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and spent 57 weeks in the Top 100, earning a double platinum certification. Many CD versions replace A2 with the extended (6:32) version from the 12″ single and add the instrumental “China Dance” (3:50) as track 11. In 2024, Cherry Red issued a Blu-ray/CD reissue featuring new stereo, 5.1, and Atmos mixes by Stephen W. Tayler and Bob Clearmountain.

“Like to Get to Know You Well”

Howard Jones released “Like to Get to Know You Well” as a standalone single on August 3, 1984, timed to coincide with the opening of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The sleeve bore the dedication “To the original spirit of the Olympic Games,” reflecting the track’s inclusive, globalist ethos. Musically, the song builds on the synth-pop foundation of Human’s Lib but introduces a more extroverted tone, with syncopated sequencing, call-and-response vocals, and a chant-like chorus.

The 7″ featured the non-album B-side “Bounce Right Back,” a rhythmically elastic track that foreshadowed Jones’s shift toward funkier arrangements on Dream into Action. The 12″ edition included the “International Remix” of “Like to Get to Know You Well” (7:42), in which Jones re-recorded select lines in German and French to reflect the single’s universal theme. The B-side appeared in a 7:29 extended version subtitled “Cause + Effect Mix.”

7″ – WEA HOW 5
A. “Like to Get to Know You Well” (3:59)
B. “Bounce Right Back” (4:34)

12″ – WEA HOW 5T
A. “Like to Get to Know You Well (International Remix)” (7:42)
B. “Bounce Right Back (Cause + Effect Mix)” (7:29)

The track did not appear on Human’s Lib but was later included on The 12″ Album (November 1984), a remix LP that compiled six extended versions of previously released singles. “Like to Get to Know You Well” served as the centerpiece of that release and helped the album reach No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart, earning a gold certification. The song was also added to the US and CD editions of Dream into Action in 1985.

Two music videos accompanied the single. The UK version depicted Jones walking the streets of London, greeting passers-by around notable locations such as Trafalgar Square, Cleopatra’s Needle, and the Sun Luck restaurant in Soho. A separate animated video was produced for the US market following its stateside release in September 1985. The song later appeared in the 1985 John Cusack film Better Off Dead and the 2006 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.

“Like to Get to Know You Well” peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and reached No. 3 in Ireland and No. 8 in Sweden.

“Things Can Only Get Better”

Howard Jones launched his second album Dream into Action with the single “Things Can Only Get Better,” released on February 1. 1985. Bright, layered, and affirmational, the track captures Jones’s signature blend of synthetic textures, optimistic messaging, and rhythmic precision. Rupert Hine’s production fuses electronic pop with funk-tinged basslines and crisp digital percussion, while the female vocal trio Afrodiziak (Carroll Thompson, Claudia Fontaine, Naomi Thompson) bolster the refrain with call-and-response backing vocals.

Jones recorded the song in late 1984 at Farmyard Studios in Buckinghamshire, using his standard palette of DX7s, Prophet T8, and drum machines. “Things Can Only Get Better” was one of two tracks on the album to feature Afrodiziak, whose vocals punctuate the chorus and final refrain. The B-side, “Why Look for the Key,” also appeared on the UK edition of Dream into Action in a slightly shorter mix; the single version extends the fade by approximately twenty seconds. An instrumental variant of the track titled “You Jazzy Nork!”—credited to the Alphonse Conway Orchestra—was released separately.

The 7″ single featured “Why Look for the Key” as its B-side, a track also found on the UK edition of Dream into Action—though the single version extends the fade slightly, running approximately twenty seconds longer. The 12″ edition included two versions of “Things Can Only Get Better”: the standard LP cut and an extended remix that expands the bridge and instrumental breaks to showcase more of the synth and slap-bass interplay. It also included new extended mixes of “What Is Love?” and a re-recorded “New Song,” both originally from Human’s Lib. The instrumental version of the B-side, titled “You Jazzy Nork!” and credited to the Alphonse Conway Orchestra, reworks the chord structure into a jazz-funk pastiche.

7″ – Elektra 7-69651 (US)
A. “Things Can Only Get Better” (3:59)
B. “Why Look for the Key” (3:40)

12″ – Elektra 0-66915 (US)
A1. “Things Can Only Get Better” (LP Version) (3:59)
A2. “What Is Love?” (New Extended Version) (6:34)
B1. “Things Can Only Get Better” (Extended Version) (7:26)
B2. “New Song” (New Version) (4:48)

The single’s packaging appeared in multiple variants: the 7″ sleeve featured a silhouetted profile of Jones seated on a high bar stool, while the 12″ used the full photo with color background. Both formats were also issued as picture discs with identical tracklists.

The accompanying music video depicts Jones performing the song at a concert venue during soundcheck and performance, intercut with two whimsical characters—one modeled on The Karate Kid’s Daniel LaRusso and the other resembling Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp—exploring backstage and mingling with the audience. The final scene shows the Tramp walking away hand-in-hand with a young girl who earlier watched the stage being built.

“Things Can Only Get Better” became one of Jones’s biggest hits. It reached No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. It charted Top 10 in Sweden, Ireland, Canada, and the US Dance chart, and rose to No. 11 in Australia. In the US, the single also crossed into the R&B charts, peaking at No. 54.

Dream into Action

Howard Jones released his second album, Dream into Action, on March 15, 1985, on WEA (UK) and Elektra (US).

The album builds on synthesizer-based songwriting with bright, layered electronics, enriched textures, and more intricate rhythm programming. His production emphasizes fuller, rhythm-forward arrangements with greater input from backing vocalists and horn players. It yielded four singles—three of them UK Top 20 hits—alongside Jones’s highest-charting US release.

Dream Into Action opens in accelerated motion with “Things Can Only Get Better,” where layered synth stabs and background vocal bursts frame Jones’s clipped phrasing over a pulsing, stepwise beat. “Life in One Day” follows at similar pace, filled with staggered vocal lines that bounce across chord changes, though its brightness veils a more rigid rhythmic base. The title track shifts the tone: colder textures and darker harmonic colors move under a choppy vocal line, reinforced by stiff drum programming and narrow harmonic motion. “Look Mama” continues with denser layering but minimal development, with repetition flattening its dynamic scope. “Assault and Battery” breaks form with abrupt harmonic pivots and an oscillating arrangement that alternates between static tension and sudden swells.

“Automaton” and “Specialty” pull the tempo back, centering their weight on mid-range keyboard pulses and simplified vocal shapes that circle through few tonal changes. “Elegy” drops into sparse territory, its subdued cadence and open phrasing leaving deliberate gaps that shift the momentum away from the album’s front-loaded energy. “Hunger for the Flesh” closes with slow, downward turns in both register and tone, marked by rigid phrasing and ominous tonal shading. Jones tightens control over structure, pushing rhythm to the foreground and keeping harmonic movement lean, while shaping each track’s emotional content through pacing and contrast in texture density.

A1. “Things Can Only Get Better” (4:02) – Howard acknowledges fear and uncertainty but embraces risk as the necessary path to growth and transformation. “A thousand skeptic hands won’t keep us from the things we plan” affirms his resolve to pursue dreams despite doubt, opposition, or the pull of comfort.
A2. “Life in One Day” (3:39) – Howard reflects on the wisdom of slowing down and living in the moment, realizing that chasing too much too fast only leads to burnout. “I bit off more than I can chew / Only so much you can do” reveals his acknowledgment of personal limits and the need to release unrealistic pressure.
A3. “Dream into Action” (3:45) – Howard urges unity and empathy as a way to overcome conflict and misunderstanding, calling for mutual effort to turn ideals into reality. “Whatever you do you have the benefit of the doubt / Whatever I do please understand” shows his commitment to breaking cycles of judgment by replacing them with trust and compassion.
A4. “No One Is to Blame” (3:28) – Howard reflects on the frustration of life’s contradictions, where desire and effort are often met with invisible barriers, yet no one can be held accountable. “You can see the summit but you can’t reach it” captures the helpless feeling of striving toward fulfillment that always seems just out of reach.
A5. “Look Mama” (3:53) – Howard asserts his need for independence while reassuring his mother of his love, insisting that personal growth comes from making mistakes—not from being overprotected. “I came out of you / But don’t think that you own me” highlights his desire to be seen as an individual, not as an extension of parental control.
A6. “Assault and Battery” (4:51) – Howard denounces the cruelty of industrial slaughter, asserting that the sanitized consumption of meat masks a deeper moral violence. “Children’s stories with their farmyard favourites / At the table in a different disguise” exposes the dissonance between the way animals are portrayed in culture and the reality of their exploitation.

B1. “Automaton” (4:04) – Howard investigates the mystery of a seemingly supernatural figure, ultimately uncovering an artificial being devoid of soul or origin—an eerie symbol of control and dehumanization. “His body lay without motion / No spirit lives in there / The cord had been broken” reveals Howard’s realization that this entity was never truly alive, only programmed to mimic humanity.
B2. “Is There a Difference?” (3:33) – Howard questions conventional dualities—yes and no, up and down—rejecting fear and conformity in favor of inner truth, even if it means feeling lost or different. “I alone am drifting on the sea” reveals his sense of isolation from those who conform easily, yet also affirms his choice to live with uncertainty over blind acceptance.
B3. “Elegy” (4:20) – Howard wrestles with existential despair and the temptation to give in to nihilism, but ultimately affirms the need to resist negativity and keep moving forward. “But all this talk is only poetry / Only as true as we would believe” reveals his awareness that even the darkest thoughts are not absolute truths, but reflections shaped by perspective.
B4. “Specialty” (3:58) – Howard urges self-acceptance over comparison, warning against tearing others down to feel superior and emphasizing that everyone has unique worth. “Don’t chop off his head to make yourself look tall” illustrates how belittling others is a hollow strategy for boosting self-esteem—and ultimately a distraction from embracing one’s own identity.
B5. “Why Look for the Key” (3:23) – Howard tells the story of a student who learns that true understanding comes from within, not from external authority or dependence. “Won’t find yourself in some other / It always was there right at the start” reveals his belief that self-knowledge is innate and cannot be outsourced to others, no matter how wise they seem.
B6. “Hunger for the Flesh” (3:59) – Howard reflects on the spiritual stagnation of those too attached to physical life and its illusions, suggesting that clinging to the material prevents growth and renewal. “The river gently beckons / But the answer is no” illustrates how the soul resists transition, trapped by its fear of letting go.

Note: Later European LP and CD pressings replaced A4 with the re-recorded 1986 single version of “No One Is to Blame” (4:13).

CD Bonus Tracks (most editions)
13. “Bounce Right Back” (4:33) – Howard delivers a cautionary tale about unchecked words and escalating conflict, suggesting that reckless speech can have unintended consequences. “Those crazy words you fling from your mouth are going to bounce back on you some day” serves as a warning that impulsive talk often circles back in the form of trouble or regret.
14. “Like to Get to Know You Well” (3:58) – Howard expresses a deep desire for authentic connection, urging emotional openness as the key to unity and mutual understanding. “Just wanna get to the real you inside” shows his intention to move beyond surface-level talk and reach the vulnerable truth beneath social masks.

Rupert Hine produced Dream into Action, which Jones recorded in 1984–85 at Farmyard Studios in Buckinghamshire.

“Look Mama” was issued as the third single on 12 April 1985. Written from the perspective of a teenager appealing to his overprotective mother for autonomy, the song opens with a sampled dialogue from Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) and sets its plea to a buoyant, syncopated rhythm track. It reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart and was paired with the B-side “Learning How to Love,” a contemplative mid-tempo cut that remained unavailable elsewhere until later reissues. The 12″ version featured an extended mix of “Look Mama” (9:05) and a live recording of “Dream into Action” from the Manchester Apollo. A limited edition 12″ issued the “Megamamamix,” an alternate 9:12 remix that emphasized rhythmic breakdowns and vocal fragments.

Jones released “Life in One Day” as the fourth single on 17 June 1985. Musically upbeat but thematically cautionary, the song warns against escapist daydreaming and the urge to wish away life’s challenges. Jones contrasts this message with a sprightly arrangement, reinforced by Afrodiziak’s backing vocals and a buoyant rhythmic pattern. The track reached No. 14 in the UK and No. 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The 12″ included two extended versions—Part One (6:48) and Part Two (7:10), the latter a predominantly instrumental dub treatment. The UK edition featured the instrumental “Boom Bap Respite” (2:48) as the B-side, while the US pairing replaced it with “Learning How to Love.” A limited UK 7″ gatefold added two live tracks from the Manchester Apollo: “Always Asking Questions” and “New Song.” The promotional video, directed by Godley & Creme, placed Jones in a series of parody TV sketches, interrupted by simulated broadcast glitches, blending satire with visual invention.

“No One Is to Blame” originally appeared on Dream into Action in a sparse, mid-tempo version, but following demand, Jones re-recorded the song for single release. The new version, produced by Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham, added Collins’s drums and backing vocals, smoothing the edges of the original and making the track more suitable for adult contemporary radio. Released on 7 March 1986 in the UK and later that month in the US, the single became Jones’s biggest American hit, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached No. 16 in the UK and No. 9 in Australia. The B-side was “The Chase,” a short instrumental. The 12″ included both an extended mix (5:16) and a “Long Mix” edit (3:07). Personnel on the re-recording included Mo Foster (bass), Phil Palmer (guitar), Afrodiziak (backing vocals), and Collins on drums and co-production.

The success of these singles, particularly in North America, was reinforced by the Action Replay EP, which compiled several alternate mixes and B-sides for the US market. A 2024 CD + Blu-ray reissue of Dream into Action featured new stereo, surround, and Dolby Atmos mixes by Stephen W. Tayler and Bob Clearmountain

Dream into Action became Howard Jones’s most commercially successful album, reaching No. 1 in Sweden, No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and No. 10 on both the US Billboard 200 and Canada’s RPM chart. It also charted in the Top 5 in Norway and placed within the Top 20 in Australia, Switzerland, and Germany. The album spent enough time on the charts to appear on 1985 year-end rankings in Canada (No. 33), the UK (No. 39), and the US (No. 39). It earned Platinum certification in both the US and Canada, and Gold in the UK.

One to One

Howard Jones released his third studio album One to One on October 13, 1986, on WEA (UK) and Elektra (US).

The album marked a shift toward introspective and adult-oriented themes, moving away from the sequencer-driven immediacy of Jones’s earlier work. Arif Mardin produced the main sessions, layering a warmer and more organic sensibility onto the still-electronic foundation. Gospel-influenced choruses, funk guitar accents, orchestral textures, and brass flourishes complement the synth-based core.

Jones plays all keyboards and handles programming throughout, joined by drummers Steve Ferrone (formerly of Bloodstone) and Trevor Morais (ex-Peddlers, Quantum Jump). Guitar work is shared between Reb Beach (then of Fiona), Nick Moroch (from Twennynine), and Phil Palmer (formerly of the Bliss Band). Bassists include Mo Foster and Jones’s brother Martin. Additional instrumentation includes vibraphone by Gary Burton, brass from Bob Gay and Scott Gilman, and orchestral percussion from Max Eastley. Matt Molloy (of The Chieftains) contributes flute and penny whistle. Choral backing includes members of Afrodiziak and the St. Patrick’s Cathedral boys choir, conducted by John Dexter.

One to One opens with “You Know I Love You… Don’t You?”, driven by horn bursts and fast-step rhythm, with Jones pacing his vocal line against layered backing vocals and clipped bass accents. “The Balance of Love” stretches the phrasing into more relaxed syncopation, pairing light vocal loops with brief rap sections and sparse rhythmic breaks. “Step Into These Shoes” builds around a shuffling tempo, punctuated by a percussive tap-dance break that offsets the track’s otherwise smooth forward motion. “Where Are We Going?” slows the pace entirely, centering on soft chordal swells and a boy-choir accent before giving way to a fluid sax solo. “Little Bit of Snow” closes on minimal structure—long tones and open spacing supporting a fragile vocal line that sinks with the descending progression. While electronic textures remain, the album leans toward softened timbres and measured pacing, shaped around organic accents and brief stylistic diversions.

Arif Mardin oversaw production for the main sessions at Windmill Lane, with engineering by Kevin Killen and final mixing at Atlantic Studios in New York. The album’s final track, a re-recorded version of “No One Is to Blame,” was produced separately by Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham at The Farm, featuring Collins on drums and vocals.

A1. “You Know I Love You… Don’t You?” (4:05)
A2. “The Balance of Love (Give and Take)” (4:29) – Howard confronts an imbalanced relationship where emotional investment is one-sided and transactional, rejecting the illusion of love without respect or reciprocity. “You want my love but you don’t want me” exposes the hollow nature of the partner’s affection—craving benefits without true commitment.
A3. “All I Want” (4:37) – Howard navigates a chaotic, image-driven world filled with contradiction and pressure, but finds clarity in the simple desire for genuine emotional connection. “Take away identity / Parcel up what’s left of me” reflects his struggle against being reduced or consumed by modern expectations that strip individuality away.
A4. “Where Are We Going?” (5:01) – Howard criticizes the rigid systems that suppress individuality and squander human potential, calling for a future built on respect and self-discovery rather than conformity. “The cleaver of the uniform was handed down” illustrates how institutional rules cut down uniqueness, forcing people into roles that deny their true selves.
A5. “Don’t Want to Fight Anymore” (4:37) – Howard pleads for an end to conflict, division, and emotional pain, envisioning a world without violence, pride, or revenge—just unity and peace. “Rise above revenge” signals his belief that healing begins not through retaliation, but through conscious refusal to perpetuate cycles of harm.

B1. “Step into These Shoes” (4:19) – Howard calls for empathy and understanding, suggesting that conflict often fades when we truly see from each other’s perspective. “Even if we don’t ever agree / The only difference is cosmetically” expresses his belief that beneath surface differences, our emotional experiences are fundamentally the same.
B2. “Will You Still Be There?” (4:45)
B3. “Good Luck, Bad Luck” (4:14)
B4. “Give Me Strength” (5:01)
B5. “Little Bit of Snow” (4:30) – Howard pleads for compassion and perseverance, addressing someone on the edge and urging them not to give in to numbness or self-destruction. “When one light goes out / A part of all of us cries” underscores his belief that every life carries shared value, and that personal despair ripples outward, affecting everyone connected to it.

Rupert Hine produced the bonus track “No One Is to Blame,” which was added to the CD edition but not the original UK vinyl. Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham produced the re-recorded version, featuring Collins on drums and backing vocals. Jones recorded the main sessions with Mardin at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, with engineering by Kevin Killen and final mixing at Atlantic Studios in New York. The final track was recorded separately at The Farm in Surrey.

Jones performed all keyboards and programming. Steve Ferrone and Trevor Morais handled drums, while guitars came from Reb Beach, Nick Moroch, and Phil Palmer. Mo Foster and Martin Jones played bass. Additional contributions included Gary Burton on vibraphone, Bob Gay and Scott Gilman on brass, Max Eastley on percussion, and Matt Molloy on flute and penny whistle. Backing vocals came from Afrodiziak and the St. Patrick’s Cathedral boys choir, conducted by John Dexter.

“All I Want” appeared on September 22, 1986, as the lead UK single. Its darker electro production and restrained vocals signaled a stylistic shift. The single reached No. 35 in the UK, No. 13 in Ireland, and No. 5 in Sweden. Its B-sides varied by region: UK pressings included “Roll Right Up” and the 12″ bonus “Don’t Want to Fight Anymore,” while US editions featured “Dig This Well Deep” and an orchestral version of “Hide and Seek.”

“You Know I Love You… Don’t You?” followed on November 17 and peaked at No. 17 in the US and No. 43 in the UK, becoming a regular in Jones’s live sets. The 12″ featured an extended “Dance in the Fields Mix” and instrumental. A limited UK double-pack included “Hide & Seek (Orchestral)” as a one-sided bonus disc.

“Little Bit of Snow,” issued on March 2, 1987, reached No. 70 in the UK and No. 30 in Ireland. Though it failed to chart in the US, the song attracted attention for its lyrical metaphor against drug use and appeared on the It’s a Live-In World charity compilation. The 12″ release added a new version of “Will You Still Be There” and orchestral arrangements of “Hunger for the Flesh” and “Hide and Seek,” recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

One to One reached No. 10 in the UK, No. 24 in Canada, and No. 59 in the US.

Cross That Line

Howard Jones released his fourth album, Cross That Line, on March 20, 1989, on Elektra (US) and WEA (UK).

Jones took a more hands-on approach to production, co-helming sessions with former Tears for Fears collaborators Ian Stanley, Chris Hughes, and Ross Cullum. The result is a polished and mature synth-pop record that leans into atmospheric textures, layered programming, and lyrical themes of release, restraint, and moral confrontation.

Jones performs handles keyboards and programming, plus acoustic instrumentation on several tracks. He shares guitar duties with Andy Ross, Martin Jones, Phil Palmer, and Frédéric “Steg” Stegner. Former Peddlers drummer Trevor Morais returns on multiple tracks alongside Chris Hughes and various percussion programmers. A full horn section features Simon Clarke, Tim Sanders, Peter Thoms, and Roddy Lorimer. Guest vocalists include Claudia Fontaine, Inga Humpe, and Sandy McLelland. Notably, Jones’s son Osheen provides a laughter sample on the album’s closer.

A1. “The Prisoner” (4:38)
A2. “Everlasting Love” (4:16)
A3. “Powerhouse” (3:26)
A4. “Last Supper” (5:18)
A5. “Cross That Line” (4:42)

B1. “Out of Thin Air” (3:07)
B2. “Guardians of the Breath” (7:34)
B3. “Fresh Air Waltz” (3:59)
B4. “Wanders to You” (5:08)
B5. “Those Who Move Clouds” (5:46)

Sessions occurred in late 1988 at The Shed (Maidenhead) and The Wool Hall (Beckington) with Stanley, Hughes, and Cullum.

“Everlasting Love” appeared on February 20, 1989, as the album’s lead single. A smooth, mid-tempo anthem with layered synth pads and melodic vocal phrasing, the song reached No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent two weeks at No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. In the UK, it peaked at No. 62. The single’s B-side, “The Brutality of Fact,” was a non-album cut, and multiple formats included “Power of the Media,” “No One Is to Blame,” and remixes such as the 808 Mix and Institute Mix. A limited 3″ CD edition also featured “Hide and Seek (Orchestral)” and “Conditioning (Live in Philadelphia)”.

“The Prisoner” followed the album on May 22 and reached No. 30 on the US Hot 100. With darker lyrical content and denser production, it contrasted the uplifting tone of its predecessor. The 12″ featured an extended remix titled “The Portmeirion Mix,” and the B-sides included “Rubber Morals” and “Have You Heard the News.” A US promotional 12″ included edits and multiple versions tailored for radio and club play.

Cross That Line reached No. 30 on the US Billboard 200.

Discography: