Singles that weren't included on Smash and the likely reasons for their exclusion
In many cases that would be "Singles" in quotation marks. Although their 2023 boxed set Smash has often been described (with some good reason) as a comprehensive and definitive collection of all of the Pet Shop Boys' singles up to that point, it excludes a quite a few PSB songs that might also—at least to varying degrees—be considered singles. Neil and Chris have been upfront about this and have, in a few cases, specifically stated why they weren't included. So here's a list of all such songs along with the likely reasons for their exclusion. Please note that alternate versions of songs that were nevertheless included, such as the original single version of "West End Girls" produced by Bobby 'O' Orlando, aren't listed. On the other hand, "singles" that were included in video format on Blu-ray discs with the five-disc edition of Smash but not on its CDs do qualify for this list.
- One More Chance
The Pet Shop Boys' second single, produced by Bobby 'O' Orlando, was never released as such in the U.K. and didn't make the singles charts in any of the countries in which it was released. The later re-recorded version that appeared on Actually, which should certainly be regarded as the more "definitive" PSB version, wasn't released as a single at all.
- Paninaro
Although "Paninaro '95" appears on Smash, the song's original rendition from nearly a decade earlier had also been released as a single, but only in 12-inch format and officially only in Italy.
- How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?
Considered by many fans to be the most baffling exclusion from the Smash CDs, this was a bona fide two-sided single, the flip being "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)," which is on Smash. Chris is reported to have attributed its absence simply to the fact that it just didn't "sound" like a single. To be honest, its absence wasn't totally unexpected considering that it had similarly been left off Discography and PopArt.
- Absolutely Fabulous
As a charity single done in collaboration with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley, released with "Absolutely Fabulous" listed eponymously as the artist, its exlusion from Smash was all but a foregone conclusion.
- It Always Comes as a Surprise
Released as single only as a promo in Brazil.
- Hallo Spaceboy
Indisputably a David Bowie single on which Neil and Chris are simply invited guests. True, they were guests who offered a mighty strong guiding hand in transforming it into a U.K. hit, but guests nevertheless.
- Break 4 Love
Like "Absolutely Fabulous," not even released under the Pet Shop Boys' moniker except as part of the cumbersome "Peter Rauhofer + Pet Shop Boys = The Collaboration." Besides, Chris had very little involvement; it was far more Neil's collaboration with Peter Rauhofer than a true PSB work, its inclusion on certain releases of theirs notwithstanding.
- London
Formally released as a single only on the continent (Germany in particular), its non-album appearances in the U.K. were strictly on promos and bootlegs.
- Integral
Radically (and somewhat controversially) remixed, as a single it was purely digital if you don't count a promo CD of very limited availability.
- She's Madonna
Although it's produced and co-written by our musical heroes, this is another instance of a single being far more another artist's release (in this case, Robbie Williams) than their own.
- Beautiful People
As with "London," this was a physical single only in Germany, although it was also released a digital single in the United States. But the fact that it was never a U.K. single probably accounts for its absence on Smash.
- All Over the World
Released on the Christmas EP with "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas," it really wasn't a "single" per se—although the same could be said for "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas," which is included on Smash. Could it be that the Boys simply wanted greater exposure for their would-be Christmas standard?
- Love Life
- A Powerful Friend
These two songs constituted a double-sided single released solely in a very limited-edition run for 2010 Record Store Day. Under the circumstances, their exclusion is to be expected.
- Invisible
More a teaser/taster for Elysium than a "single proper." At least that's clearly how the Boys see it.
- Axis
Ditto for Electric, although it did see release as a 12-inch single. As quoted in Issue #40 of their fan club publication Literally, Neil described it "a sort of single." But "sort of" means "not really," doesn't it?
- Fluorescent
Two new re-recorded versions of this Electric track were issued as a special limited-edition single for Record Store Day 2014—and, like "Love Life"/"A Powerful Friend," also excluded from Smash.
- Inner Sanctum
Like "Invisible" and "Axis" before it, this song was released digitally and on a promo CD ahead of its parent album (in this case, Super) as a teaser/taster. It was also available as a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl release. But the Pet Shop Boys were even clearer than they had been before that it should not be regarded as a single.
- Undertow
This song from Super was released on a bonus CD single (with bonus tracks) with Annually 2017 as well as digitally and on a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl disc. Possibly it was the fact that the CD single was indeed available only with a copy of Annually that "disqualified" it from Smash.
- Burning the Heather
Perhaps an even more perplexing exclusion than the aforementioned "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" the absence of this song can apparently be chalked up to the fact that the single was officially released only on vinyl and digitally—not on CD. I wonder as well, as with "Seriously," to what extent Chris (or, for that matter, Neil) might have felt this one also didn't "sound" like a single. One strong argument, however, that it should be considered a single is the fact that it has its own previously unreleased b-side/bonus track, "Decide."
- Cricket Wife
Despite having on at least one occasion being referred to as a single by the Boys themselves, this ten-minute digital release that also saw release on CD as a bonus with Annually 2021 can only be considered a "single," at least in the conventional sense, by the greatest stretch of the imagination. Then again, the music industry itself has been stretching and undermining the conventional meaning of the word "single" for quite some time now.
- Purple Zone
A very late-comer to the singles race, so to speak, this single was always far more a Soft Cell release than one by PSB, who can properly (as with "Hallo Spaceboy" and "She's Madonna" before it) be considered only guests.
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