Playing in the Streets

Writers - Tennant/Lowe
First released - 2017
Original album - Nightlife 2017 reissue Further Listening 1996-2000 bonus disc
Producer - Pet Shop Boys
Subsequent albums - (none)
Other releases - (none)

This downright epic-sounding track, dating from around the time of the Nightlife sessions, has what has sometimes been referred to as a strong "krautrock" sound to it. It's included as a bonus track with the 2017 reissue of that album.

It's arguably the most "rock" thing the Boys have ever recorded, composed by Chris because, as he put it, "I just wanted to do something a bit rockier," adding, "It actually sounds quite like prog rock to me." A virtual instrumental, the only lyrics are its title line repeated several times deep into the track, heavily distorted and buried in the mix in such a way that they're barely discernible at all. Neil has noted that he can't remember where he got the title line, though "it's liable to be from a book."

Apparently used at one time as an introductory segment to the song "Boy Strange," it was set aside by the Boys and then more or less forgotten until they were digging through old tracks for their 2017 reissues.

I ought to point out that, though based on my own hearing I had originally believed it was Chris intoning the title several times during the track, Neil has stated (in the booklet accompanying the Nightlife reissue) that it's actually he himself uttering that line.

List cross-references

Pet Shop Boys rock!
Early titles of Pet Shop Boys songs
PSB tracks that contain samples of other artists' music (in the "maybe" category toward the end)

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