"Human Behaviour" is Icelandic singer Björk's first solo single, taken from the album Debut. It contains a sample of "Go Down Dying" by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The lyrics reflect on human nature and emotion from an animal's point of view. The song is the first part of a trilogy that includes "Isobel" and "Bachelorette".

"Human Behaviour" was an underground smash, and reached #36 in the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

The music video, directed by Michel Gondry, is a loose take on the children's tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", with visuals inspired by Yuri Norstein's animated film Hedgehog in the Fog. Unlike in the story, however, Björk is hunted by a bear in a forest. She also flies to the moon where she plants a Soviet flag. She ends up being eaten by the bear and trapped in its stomach. The video received six nominations for the MTV Video Music Awards of 1994 including Best Female Video, Best New Artist in a Video, Breakthrough Video, Best Special Effects, Best Art Direction and Best Direction (for Gondry's work), winning none. Also this video was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video - Short Form losing to Peter Gabriel's "Steam".

Parody

The song was parodied on the PBS show Bill Nye the Science Guy as "Cross Pollination," with lyrics concerning plants. Although the original vocal melody was not used, the music is unmistakably an attempt to spoof the backing of "Human Behaviour".

Track listing

UK CD
(112 TP 7 CD; June, 1993)

• "Human Behaviour" (Original) - 4:12

• "Human Behaviour" ("Close To Human Mix") - 6:22

• "Human Behaviour" (Underworld Mix) - 12:03

• "Human Behaviour" (Don T. Mix) - 6:58

• "Human Behaviour" (Bassheads Edit) - 6:33

UK CD
(SUNW010; Released: 2002)

• "Human Behaviour" - 4:15

• "Human Behaviour" (Underworld Mix) - 12:10

• "Human Behaviour" (Video)

• "Human Behaviour" (MTV Unplugged) (Video)

• "Human Behaviour" (The Royal Opera House) (Video)

UK 12" Vinyl
(112TP 12; Released: 1993)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (Underworld Mix) - 12:00

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" ("Close To Human Mix") - 6:22

• "Human Behaviour" (Dom T. Mix) - 6:58

UK 12" Vinyl Promo
(112TP 12DJ; Released: 1993)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Remix) - 12:05

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Dub) - 10:42

UK 12" Vinyl Promo
(112TP 12P; Released: 1993)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (Speedy J Close To Human Mix)

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (Dom. T Mix)

• "Human Behaviour" (Bassheads Edit)

UK 10" Vinyl Promo
(BJ DJ 104; Released: 1993; Limited Edition)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Dub 1)

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Dub 2)

EUR CD
(859575-2; Released: 1993)

• "Human Behaviour" (Original) - 4:12

• "Human Behaviour" ("Close To Human Mix") - 6:22

• "Human Behaviour" (Dom T. Mix) - 6:58

• "Human Behaviour" (Bassheads Edit) - 6:33

FRA CD Promo
(1901; Released: 1993)

• "Human Behaviour" - 4:12

• "Human Behaviour" (Le French Touch) - 7:49

FRA 12" Vinyl Promo
(2465; Released: 1994)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Mix) - 12:31

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (Le French Touch) - 7:47

FRA 12" Vinyl Promo
(2348; Released: 1994)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (Underground Behaviour) - 5:58

• "Human Behaviour" (Le French Touch) - 5:47

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (Deep Behaviour) - 8:02

• "Human Behaviour" (Underground Behaviour Dub) - 7:16

US CD Promo
(PRCD 8784-2; Released: 1993)

• "Human Behaviour" (Original Version) - 4:14

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Remix) - 12:05

US 12" Vinyl
(0-66299; Released: 1993)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (Original Version) - 4:14

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Remix) - 12:05

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (Speedy J Close To Human Mix) - 6:22

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underwater Dub) - 10:42

US 12" Vinyl Promo
(ED 5652; Released: 1993)
Side A

• "Human Behaviour" (Speedy J Close To Human Mix) - 6:22

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Mix) - 12:05

Side B

• "Human Behaviour" (Dom T. Mix) - 6:58

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Dub) - 10:42

JPN CD
(POCP-1361; Released: 26 September, 1993)

• "Human Behaviour" (Original) - 4:14

• "Human Behaviour" ("Close To Human Mix") - 6:24

• "Human Behaviour" (Underworld Mix) - 12:06

• "Human Behaviour" (Dom T. Mix) - 7:01

• "Human Behaviour" (Bassheads Edit) - 6:38

• "Human Behaviour" (The Underworld Dub) - 10:45

Versions

• Acoustic version

• Album version

• Bassheads edit

• Close to Human mix (by Speedy J)

• Deep Behaviour (by Dimitri from Paris)

• Dom T. mix

• Le French Touch (by Dimitri From Paris)

• Mark Bell Remix

• Underground Behaviour (by Dimitri From Paris)

• Underground Behaviour dub (by Dimitri from Paris)

• Underworld dub 1

• Underworld dub 2

• Underworld mix

• MTV Unplugged version

Charts

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Trivia

In "The Bracebridge Dinner", an episode of the Gilmore Girls, the song was played in the end.