The Pet Shop Boys' first twenty singles...

and why is the tracklisting weird? not being a total fan i like the way it revisits some classics, some non-PSB tracks (eg. the Dusty springfield collab and Frances Barber tracks), and a chunk of the new ones - i reckon its a good spread actually.

in actual fact - having listened i think the selection is based upon the originals having orchestral arrangements and so the band took the opportunity to give this side of their catalogue a full on airing as neil in between each song gives a rundown on who provided the original arrangements.

"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"Liberation"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Yesterday, when I was mad"
"Paninaro '95"
"Before"
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"
"Single-Bilingual"
"A red letter day"
"Somewhere"
"I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more"
"New York City boy"
"You only tell me you love me when you're drunk"
"Home and dry"
"I get along"
"Miracles"
"Flamboyant"
"I'm with Stupid"
"Minimal"
"Numb"

That's exactly 20 singles since Tom's list. I'd say at least 12 are as strong as the first 20 ones.

That said, I still think it's a spectacular run, and I can't think of another singles band that matches them for consistency (it's just that now they're more likely to be consistently very good rather than consistently amazing).

The "very goods":
"Before" (borderline between great and very good--should listen to it again)
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"
"You only tell me you love me when you're drunk"
"Home and dry"

The so-so (at best):
"Single-Bilingual"
"A red letter day"
"I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more"
"New York City boy"
"I get along"
"I'm with Stupid"

The others are forgettable or unfamiliar (I keep hearing that "Flamboyant" is great, but I think I've heard it once).

Brilliant
"I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more"

Very Good
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Yesterday, when I was mad"
"New York City boy"
"Flamboyant"
"Paninaro '95"
"Integral" (fingers crossed)

Good
"Before"
"Miracles"
"I'm with Stupid"
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"
"Single-Bilingual"

So-So
"A red letter day"
"You only tell me you love me when you're drunk"
"Home and dry"
"I get along"
"Minimal"

Boring
"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"Liberation"
"Somewhere"
"Numb"

As Good as Any in the First 20:
"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"Flamboyant"

Excellent:
"Liberation"
"Paninaro '95"
"Before"
"I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more"
"Home and dry"
"I'm with Stupid"

Fine:
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Yesterday, when I was mad"
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"
"You only tell me you love me when you're drunk"
"Minimal"

Meh:
"Single-Bilingual"
"I get along"
"Miracles"
"Numb"

Atrocious:
"A red letter day"
"Somewhere"
"New York City boy"

Here's my rating:

Amazing
"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"Liberation"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Yesterday, when I was mad"
"Before"
"I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more"
"You only tell me you love me when you're drunk"
"Miracles"
"Flamboyant"
"Minimal"

Great
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"
"A red letter day"
"Home and dry"

Good
"Paninaro '95"
"Single-Bilingual"
"Somewhere"
"New York City boy"
"I get along"
"I'm with Stupid"

Poor
"Numb"

(x-post)

and "Flamboyant" is arguably one of the best singles they've ever put out.

"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"A red letter day"
"New York City boy"
"Miracles"

this thread needs to go to the next level of obsessive silliness: favourite 20 pet shop boys album cuts that aren't singles (and this does not include b-sides--album cuts as album cuts only). here's hoping things get slow at work today.

"Why Don't We Live Together?" (my favorite PSB tune, period)
"Two Divided By Zero"
"I'm Not Scared"
"Young Offender"
"Closer to Heaven"
"The End of the World"
"Shopping"
"Dreaming of the Queen"
"Kings Cross"
"Nervously"
"The Night We Fell in Love"
"It Always Comes as a Surprise"
"Boy Strange"
"You Choose"
"I Want to Wake Up"
"It Couldn't Happen Here"
"This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave"
"One & One Make Five"
"Later Tonight"
"To Face the Truth"

2/0
Violence
Kings X
Dreaming of the Queen
Closer to Heaven
To Step Aside
Different Point of View
I'm Not Scared (Patsy version)
Electricity
London
That lovely Chris Lowe song at the end of "Very"
Everything on "Behaviour"

I'm following scott woods' instruction, Android Cat: omit b-sides. Had I included them, the list would easily have been triple its current length.

I guess b-sides aren't non-singles or "Miserablism" would also have been an obvious contender.

Excluding b-sides is silly.

I came up with 14, and whittled that down to ten. I tried not to get too chintzy about this but nonetheless disqualified, for instance: 1) "Left to My Own Devices" LP version, the only version of the song I really like (probably my all-time favourite PSB track);
2) "I Want a Dog" (also the Introspection vers.) because I know in some form or other it's also been a single or a b-side (though again, the LP version destroys the others)
3) "Always on My Mind" - ditto the LP version (w/the chipmunks break), which isn't necessarily superior to the single, but is just as great.

Anyway--here's 10 (very light on recent stuff--not nearly as blown away as others on this thread seem to be).

Two Divided by Zero
Why Don't We Live Together
It Couldn't Happen Here
King's Cross
To Face the Truth (was happy to see this on Alfred's list; it never gets mentioned anywhere)
A Different Point of View
Dreaming of the Queen
The Theatre
Young Offender
Closer to Heaven

they said it was fantastic!

so what's next on the agenda? in terms of psb lists, I mean?