Pet Shop Boys - Bilingual POLL

Fans on the internet did not like "Before" when it came out and I think it cast a shadow on the album as a whole. I remember them complaining it was too airy and barely there. Which I guess is what Chris is saying, people were expecting a big record.

Tht's one of the few post-peak singles I do have memories of hearing in a club.

Yeah, 'Before' really isn't as anthemic or melodic as some of the Very singles had been, but I always liked the way it sounded "up" and "down" at the same time. I haven't seen the video for years, but I remember it being played a lot on MTV Europe/VH-1 at the time. It may have made more sense to lead the album campaign with 'Se A Vida E', which would have been a hell of a comeback single. I think 'Before' confounded people that were perhaps waiting for a 'Can You Forgive Her?' or something.

"Can You Forgive Her?" is a confounding first single too! "Go West" makes better sense.

'Can You Forgive Her?' has a really distinct shift from the verse to the chorus, though, whereas with 'Before' it's a little more difficult to pinpoint which part is meant to be the chorus, as the "you find your love before" part sounds as if it could be part of the verse, and the "before, before, before" part, while definitely a hook (as Neil explains above) doesn't really feel like a chorus either.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

well

Somehow my vote for "The Survivors" didn't work.

'To Step Aside' is great, I think, but being buried right near the end of the album (which is pretty long) does it no favours.

I'm really surprised by the 1st place. I had never paid any attention to that song. Had to go and play it to remember which one it was. And I have listened to Bilingual many, many times. Not a bad track though. It's not totally crazy that it won.

Yeah, I think it's definitely in the wrong position on the album. If it had been in the first half, perhaps it wouldn't be as overlooked.

Listening to this again, still a painfully underrated record.

I've brought it up before, but the album plays much better with the alternative track order that Neil once suggested. Maybe in the Further Listening liners?

THE MORE THAT IT HURTS
THE LESS THAT IT WORKS

Coming up against it now
We're coming up against it ooh

OTM.