The Pet Shop Boys' first twenty singles...

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (681 of them)

View Previous Page...

Pardon -- twenty best *outfits*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 30 October 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

that would be good (though difficult). also, 20 songs by other people that would make ecstatic PSB covers.

― s w00ds (sw00ds), Monday, 30 October 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

The remix of "I Want A Dog" off of the "Where The Streets Have No Name" single is fantastic.

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

how about their two best books?
1) literally
2) pet shop boys vs. america

You missed
3. Annually

which is as entertaining as the other two and a little more playful.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

I need a copy of ...vs America imme-jit-ley.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

Yes you do.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

I love "I Want a Dog" for the reasons Dan hates it: Tennant's vocal. The thunderous backbeat and Knuckles piano make the listener augur lyrics less trivial than the ones Tennant offers in that wan half-croon, which is precisely what he's asserting: chihuahuas and cats and flats are appropriate subjects for a dance track. The track is a masterpiece of deliberately foiled expectations.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

Er. Did I actually say that I hated Tennant's vocal on "I Want A Dog" at some point? If I did, I was totally talking out of my ass; my issue is completely with the backing track. The "thunderous backbeat and Knuckles piano" are bog-standard house fixtures that come across as being completely generic and uninteresting to me, especially when compared to the claustrophibc proto-deep-house vibe of the original recording or the truly nasty syncopated thud of the remix I referenced earlier. Tennant's singing and lyrics aren't even in the equation (across all three versions they are excellent; in fact, I'd say they're the only redeeming thing about the Introspective version).

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:54 (nineteen years ago)

You know, I just realized you've got a new screename!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:55 (nineteen years ago)

Until now he really thought he was talking to an android cat, giving no love and getting fat!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

If I ever sing that line to Dan, I better avoid a generic, uninteresting house backbeat.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 30 October 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

DAMN SKIPPY

― The Android Cat (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 October 2006 19:58 (nineteen years ago)

not really helpful but these make me smile

― ambrose (ambrose), Monday, 30 October 2006 20:24 (nineteen years ago)

Brilliant:
"Minimal"
"A red letter day"

Good:
"New York City boy"
"Miracles"
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"

OK:
"Home and dry"
"Flamboyant"
"I'm with Stupid"
"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"
"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"Liberation"
"Yesterday, when I was mad"
"Paninaro '95"
"Before"
"Single-Bilingual"

Crap:
"Numb"
"Absolutely Fabulous"
"Somewhere"
"I get along"

(Shouldn't "London" be in there, too? I'd put that in the 'good' pile, if only for the bit in the video where the old man gets pushed off the bus.)

― davidsim (davidsim), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

I'm prepared to reconsider 'Red Letter Day' after years of hate (and I do like the more subtle, pensive mood of the Basement Jaxx mix).

― ;_; (blueski), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

how about their two best books?
1) literally
2) pet shop boys vs. america
You missed
3. Annually

which is as entertaining as the other two and a little more playful.

-- Billy Dods (butterbubble...), October 30th, 2006.

damn billy beat me to it.

― pisces (piscesx), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

Not finding much about that book online ('not available' at amazon). What is it?

― s w00ds (sw00ds), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't Annually their new coffee table book?

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

My take

Classic:
"I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing"
"A red letter day"
"I'm with Stupid"

Great:
"Liberation"
"Yesterday, when I was mad"
"I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more"
"Miracles"
"Flamboyant"
"Minimal"

Good:
"Before"
"You only tell me you love me when you're drunk""
"I get along"

Average:
"Home and dry"
"Absolutely Fabulous"

Good but pointless:
"Paninaro '95"

Poor
"Somewhere"
"New York City boy"
"Numb"

Insufferable:
"Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)"
"Single-Bilingual"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

Btw. I thought "London" was a single. At least they made a video to it, but I guess it still wasn't one. Same about "Email"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

'Numb' is a bit dull but i don't get why it's hated this much by so many.

― ;_; (blueski), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

I need a copy of ...vs America imme-jit-ley.

You do need it if you don't have, but, great photos aside, and a few fine anecdotes (i.e., Axl Rose sending them flowers, if I recall correctly) it's not nearly as worthy as the previous book. The stakes just never seem as high as the title would imply.

― s w00ds (sw00ds), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Not finding much about that book online ('not available' at amazon). What is it?
-- s w00ds (rockcritic...) (webmail), October 31st, 2006 2:48 PM.
Isn't Annually their new coffee table book?

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (soto.alfre...) (webmail), October 31st, 2006 2:52 PM.

Annually was their fan's 'cash in' book which came out in 1988. You'll only find it now on ebay or abebooks. I've uploaded some images of the book on flickr.

They discuss their favourite records

Neil Tennant discusses his clothes

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

'Numb' is a bit dull but i don't get why it's hated this much by so many.

The keyword here is Diane Warren....

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, yes! Their unofficial website has transcribed the favorite-records bit. Neil: Joni Mitchell's Hejira and "True Faith"; Chris: Rick Astley's Whenever You Need Somebody.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

has there EVER been a good song called "Numb"?

That book looks great.

― s w00ds (sw00ds), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

"Numb" is a perfectly fine album track that is a soggy single.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

"Neil: Joni Mitchell's Hejira"

!!!

The man has impeccable taste.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

At least two good "Numbs": Portishead and the Jamelia cover of the Linkin Park song, obviously.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

The man has impeccable taste

So does Chris!

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

The best "Numb" is actually Sia's. Fact.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

I don't really get the "Numb" hate either. Alfred is definitely OTM though: fine as an album track, headscratcher as a single.

Oh, and Geir, IIRC "London" was a German only single release.

― David Bachyrycz (David Bachyrycz), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

Slight off-topic: do you guys prefer the re-recorded version of "A Man Could Get Arrested" or the version released as the B-side to "West End Girls" (and currently found on the Please reissue)? The B-side version has real drums, bass, and zealous backup singers; it's possibly the only concession to mid eighties production fads they ever recorded – and all the better for it.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

"Numb" is not really that much of a headscratcher for a single. At this point the aim, I would imagine, is to try to sell more copies of the album -- by attracting non-fans of the Boys who hadn't bought it the first week. So they tried to do this by releasing something that the public wouldn't peg (and immediately dismiss) as a typical PSB song ("Integral"). It didn't work, but it made sense in some ways.

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

The funny thing about the two versions of "A Man..." is that the "7" version" is actually 40 seconds longer than the "12" version." Brilliant! Also, one and one is not two.

(I can't choose between the two, no.)

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 17:30 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, yes! Their unofficial website has transcribed the favorite-records bit. Neil: Joni Mitchell's Hejira and "True Faith"; Chris: Rick Astley's Whenever You Need Somebody.

For some strange and unexplainable reason, I have the impression that Neil Tennant solo would have been at least just as great as Pet Shop Boys :)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

Btw. interesting how Neil picks an attempt at ripping off the Pet Shop Boys' sound as his favourite track of all time.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

Neil Tennant solo would have been an insufferable folkie; or, better, a male Suzanne Vega.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 31 October 2006 23:47 (nineteen years ago)

I was just looking at a new release page and stumbled upon a new PSB book.

― s w00ds (sw00ds), Wednesday, 1 November 2006 00:17 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, "London" WAS a single!
I have the two discs to prove it!
It's even got Westbam and Felix TH mixes and everything

― rentboy (rentboy), Sunday, 5 November 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

"London" was a German only single. It never received an official domestic release in the UK, and so was not included on PopArt.

― David Bachyrycz (David Bachyrycz), Sunday, 5 November 2006 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

New ILM needed this thread! (also cuz I heard "Was It Worth It?" this morning and it sounded ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS).

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 4 January 2007 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

five months pass...

I'll repeat this question, as I was listening to it driving home:

Slight off-topic: do you guys prefer the re-recorded version of "A Man Could Get Arrested" or the version released as the B-side to "West End Girls" (and currently found on the Please reissue)? The B-side version has real drums, bass, and zealous backup singers; it's possibly the only concession to mid eighties production fads they ever recorded – and all the better for it.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 23 June 2007 03:35 (eighteen years ago)

nine months pass...

Such brilliant thread. Made me put on Alternative disc 1, which I hardly ever listen to since there is a disc 2. PSB might not be the best pop group in the world (or actually they might just be) but they are to me the most important pop act ever.

― ConnieXX, Sunday, 20 April 2008 18:14 (eighteen years ago)

"Was It Worth it?" deserves more love.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 20 April 2008 19:52 (eighteen years ago)

LOST IN THE HIGH STREET
WHERE THE DOGS RUN
ROAMING SUBURBAN BOYS

― stephen, Monday, 28 April 2008 05:28 (eighteen years ago)

seven months pass...

i can say this as a reformed cynic of love and all that goes with it: "love comes quickly" is to me one of the best songs ever. the couplet "just when you least expect it/just what you least expect" is, in delivery and sentiment, devastating.

― soup kitchen electro (omar little), Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:14 (seventeen years ago)

Erasure were a better band, a better singles act, and have a better discography than the Pet Shop Boys

― Go Go Padgett Binoculars (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:16 (seventeen years ago)

so very wrong

― rentboy, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:18 (seventeen years ago)

great thing about pet shop boys is that you can dig the lyrics whether a cynic of love or a reformed cynic of love.

― Gukbe, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:19 (seventeen years ago)

Skipping 581 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.