Revelation - Official ILX Pet Shop Boys tracks poll results

Next, the highest placed b-side.

8. Paninaro. (1986, B-side/Disco, 396 points, 17 votes, 2 number ones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAf0_UftBNI

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/6dQr87kRxbz2ZLwQSyFemr

RIF: Dylan Jones writing for i-D magazine mistakenly stated that the Boys had written a song called 'Paninaro', when in fact he'd mistaken what he read in a 'Rolling Stone' article about them. When Tennant and Lowe read the article they realised it would be a great idea and using a previous backing track penned this homage to the Italian youth cult.

yay but ;_;

y'all should relisten to "Don Juan" and "Jack The Lad"

Very surprised "Shameless" didn't even place.

I'm not, tbh; the problem with doing a song like that is that people will go "yup, that song is totally shameless" and move on to other, more nuanced fare (like "Go West", lol)

POM-POM-PORORUM, POM-POM-PORORUM = BEST. INTRO. EVER.

Next, the highest placed album track.

7. King's Cross. (1987, Actually, 409 points, 15 votes, 2 number ones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fv8YiZXlOQ

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/7gRWAZMjr7uk4Eqic9MGPO

RIF: Following the King's Cross underground fire in November 1987 there was a suggestion that the song be released as a charity single, which the Boys resisted. Some funds were raised when Smash Hits created a premium cost phone line for people to listen to the song.

xp So Dylan Jones made himself useful for once.

xxp I used to be able to recite the Latin bit from It's a Sin. The remixed live version on the last tour was astounding.

Paninaro was my number one. What an amazing intro, and you get a real sense of how the group's sound changed from the early version and moving through the remixes. '95 should be played at every gay club every night.

(xp) Oooh-ah-ah, Oooh-ah-ah, Oooh-ah-Oooh is also GREAT.

Some funds were raised when Smash Hits created a premium cost phone line for people to listen to the song.

classic

King's Cross is one of the great 80s protest songs.

armani, armani, ah ah armani

Not sure how anyone can listen to the original "Paninaro" and not get up to dance.

6. Left To My Own Devices. (1988, Introspective, 411 points, 15 votes, 2 number ones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed1tv_gCOUA

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/3IV99EaS0TrwHdjgjlnlFz

RIF: The 'party animal' referred to is English music journalist Jon Savage.

well done plucky King's Cross :)

the way this song stretches out on Introspective is so good - it's like you're hanging out with some spoiled, pretty guy, slightly bored, slightly drunk, shooting the shit and trying to sound smart. Neil's spoken vocals are perfect.

looks like no surprises in the top 5.

Next, one of the greatest cover versions ever done.

5. Always On My Mind. (1987, Standalone, 525 points, 20 votes, 1 number ones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDe60CbIagg

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/6ZCX3XnzYWsqqQKg9pVts9

RIF: Their best selling single in the UK.

What's left? West End Girls, What Have I Done to Deserve This, Always on My Mind, New York City Boy, Being Boring?

Next, one of the greatest cover versions ever done.

Fixed.

it'll be Rent instead of NYCB.

Love that well over half of us voted for "Paninaro", more than any of the big hits so far.

xpost: except AOMM!

Voted for On my mind/in my house version, in a moment of bravado/lunacy.

Possible controversial placing, which I'll throw open for discussion. Their were two votes and 49 points given to Always On My Mind/In My House, which would have given a total of 574 points and 4th place. However using the same logic for Viva La Vida/Domino Dancing I marked it seperately.

Ewing's take

My number 1.

"In My House" isn't really a song, is it? I would've just counted it as a remix. It doesn't make a big difference anyway.

yeah, I would have counted those votes with Always on My Mind. No biggie though!

My favourite review of AOMM by Tanya Headon.

Speaking of reviews this is what Melody Maker wrote about it:

"The lousiest, most ham-fisted idea that Pet Shop Boys will ever have... they sound like they want to get it all over and done with so Neil can fit in his X-mas shopping."

Anyway, moving on.

4. West End Girls. (1985, Please, 541 points, 20 votes, 4 number ones)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3j2NYZ8FKs

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/0By5MDC5oK9gYHy8Qe0MZz

RIF:The only UK and US number one to be inspired by T.S. Eliot's poem 'The Wasteland'.

hey sound like they want to get it all over and done with so Neil can fit in his X-mas shopping."

how is this a bad thing?

What? Was not expecting that at all!

re WEG

More proof that I'm out of touch: "King's Cross" is great, I voted for it, but I had no expectation of it being that high.

xpost: A full three songs did better than WEG! Also surprising.

gonna be boring when "Being Boring" wins this but yay "Rent" getting top 3

not sure how you can leave this out of the top 20 PSB songs but #4 is still a high placement.

I said it before, but having been pretty tired of that track for a number of years, I heard it again this past week and it is just too unfuckwithable not to vote for.

maybe not surprised West End Girls wasn't top as some seem tired of it now. i never could be, it was the first and it'll be the last, my number 1.

lol I didn't vote for WEG even though I love it

that's just contrarianism gone mad.

I didn't vote for it either.

(a) I'm not that wowed by it (b) 98% of voters would have voted for it anyway.

Next up the top 3 and there's not a lot in it.

WEG is a great song but I can absolutely name 20 PSB songs I like more, especially when you factor in Alternative.

I would have picked "Opportunities" before I picked WEG (though in practice I picked neither; did vote for "Love Comes Quickly" tho)

Genuinely quite excited. Come on Rent.

Now I'm rooting for WHIDTDT to beat "Rent" though it probably won't happe