What's New? – Recent Updates & Additions

April 25, 2024

PSB Songs for Which the Boys Have Acknowledged the Influence of Specific Tracks by Other Artists

Drawing upon comments made by Neil the other night during their Spectator "Evening with Pet Shop Boys," I've added "New London Boy" to my alphabetical list of songs for which they've acknowledged the influence of specific tracks by other artists.

Updates/Corrections

Based on that same source, I've added a comment by Neil ("You can find your own meaning in it") about their photo on the cover of the new album Nonetheless.

Thanks to Nigel Brand for sharing with me some information about Oscar Wilde and Nice, pertinent to "Love Is the Law." What I've very tentatively written about it is just that—tentative—and will no doubt be modified once I've had a chance to hear the song upon its release with the album tomorrow (knock on wood).

April 24, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Tim G. for writing to point out some inconsistencies on precisely where one of background singer Colette Meury's brief contributions to "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" appears in the single versions of that song. I've therefore modified my text about it in the first annotation to my commentary about that song.

Thanks also to Mark Müller to catching a chronological error (probably just the result of a typo), now corrected, in the entry for "Hallo Spaceboy" in my list of PSB cover songs and who first recorded them.

April 23, 2024

PSB Lists

"Pre-release" information about Nonetheless songs continues to trickle out. Thanks to info drawn from a brand new article in NME—and thanks to Jeff Schapira for telling me about it—I've added new entries to my lists of early titles of Pet Shop Boys songs (for "A New Bohemia") and PSB titles and lyrics that are (or may be) sly innuendos (for "New London Boy").

April 21, 2024

PSB Music Videos

Thanks to Nigel Brand for letting me know that Chris directed the video for Cicero's song "That Loving Feeling." I've updated my Pet Shop Boys music videos page accordingly.

April 15, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks so much to David B for letting me know that the Boys shared a bit of information about the origins of their upcoming Nonetheless track "Feel"—the fact that it dates all the way back to 2003 while they were working on prospective new singles for PopArt—during their recent BBC Radio 2 interview with Rylan Clark. I've updated my extremely fragmentary "placeholder" page for this song accordingly.

April 14, 2024

PSB U.S. and U.K. Gold and Platinum (and, in This Case, Silver) Records

Thanks to Michael Fick for telling me that the Pet Shop Boys' recording of "Go West" has, after all these years, finally earned silver certification from BPI (British Phonographic Industry, Ltd.). I've noted this fact in my "silver addendum" at the bottom of my page devoted to the Boys' U.S. and U.K. gold and platinum records.

April 13, 2024

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks to Chris Smyth for letting me know that the second part of the 1996 four-part New Zealand documentary Revolution features about 30 seconds of "Shopping" used, quite surprisingly, in a totally appropriate context involving the privitization of state assets. I've now noted this in a new entry for that song at #12 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.

Personal Observations

For several years now, we fans have been wondering about (and somewhat fearing) the prospect of Neil and Chris retiring, speculating as to whether each new PSB studio album will be their last. In the second part of his recent appearance on the podcast Word in Your Ear, Neil touches briefly on this subject, stating that retirement boils down to a matter of "interest" and "energy." If I may read between the lines, it sounds to me as if he's saying that he and Chris certainly still have the interest—he specifically points out that they're still writing "millions" of songs—but that the energy may be starting to flag: "I keep reminding people that I'm nearly 70." But he then immediately starts talking about touring, which suggests to me that any concern he has about energy involves touring more than songwriting and recording. This isn't surprising in the least. A number of other older artists, such as Elton John and Barry Manilow (among others), have indeed retired from touring although they still apparently plan on writing, recording, and/or performing occasional live shows. I suspect this might be what the Boys have in mind, which may help explain why they've been on an ongoing "greatest hits" tour for the past few years: a live career summation after which retirement from touring makes sense. But even if that does prove to be the case, there seems little reason at this point to believe that Nonetheless will be their final studio album—knock on wood.

April 12, 2024

PSB Concert Tours

The Pet Shop Boys' official website announced this morning that they will bringing a special "intimate" version of their Dreamworld show to London's KOKO on May 26. I've added this date to my page devoted to PSB concert tours.

April 11, 2024

Personal Observations

As I've already replied to the two site visitors who have already asked me about it, no, I have not yet heard the new album Nonetheless, nor—as much as I would love to say otherwise—do I expect to hear it until it's officially released on April 26. And whether I get to hear it even then depends on when I receive the copy I've ordered or if downloadable/streaming files are available in a timely manner. In anticipation of that, I humbly ask those of you who are fortunate enough to hear it before I do to please refrain from immediately sending me any comments, observations, or "spoilers" about it, such as items to add to my lists. It sort of takes the fun out of "unpacking" it for myself. Thanks so much for understanding!

April 8, 2024

Song Annotations

Thanks to Andrew Shaw for telling me about a notorious legend (denied by its principals) about Steve Strange and Mick Jagger that may be alluded to in the Superchumbo Mix of "Party in the Blitz." I talk about it in a new annotation to my commentary on that song.

Also, thanks to Mun-Hou Lo for suggesting that the COVID pandemic may be reflected in the sense of discomfort expressed in "Sense of Time," although, as I state in a new annotation on this matter, that would depend on when Neil actually finalized its lyrics.

Guest Appearances by Neil and/or Chris in Other Artists' Music Videos

Thanks as well to Neil of Delaware for pointing out a couple of additional times when Chris Catalyst's face briefly morphs into that of (possibly) Neil Tennant (see April 6 below) in his new video for his remake "Left to My Own Devices." So I've appropriately expanded on its tenative entry at #7 in my list of guest appearances by Neil and/or Chris on other artists' music videos. Not so incidentally, Neil of Delaware is also of the opinion that it is indeed our musical hero's face making such fleeting appearances, but I'm still, at least for the time being, retaining my stance of official uncertainty about it.

April 6, 2024

Updates/Corrections
Song Annotations

I've gleaned some facts about "Dancing Star" shared by Chris and Neil this morning on BBC Radio 2 to make some additions and adjustments to my commentary about that song. This same radio appearance has also inspired me to add a new annotation about the lines "Just crossing the street / Well, it's almost heroic" to my page for their older song "Flamboyant."

Thanks to Julián Villella for pointing out that the "orchestra hit" sound used to great effect in "Dancing Star" is quite possibly the same classic sample that was originally lifted from Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird, which is associated with Rudolf Nureyev. I describe this possible connection in a new annotation for that song.

Thanks also to Jeff Durst for observing that the comparatively vulgar language in "Party in the Blitz" may possibly indicate that its narrator belongs to the London working class or urban poor of the World War II era. To be sure, this isn't necessarily the case since the U.K. upper classes are perfectly capable of vulgarity (especially under such stressful circumstances), but I do think that, especially given the time period, it's perhaps somewhat more likely. I've mentioned this observation in an expansion on an existing annotation ("getting off your tits") about the vulgarity in that song.

Guest Appearances by Neil and/or Chris in Other Artists' Music Videos

A fellow PSB fan who calls himself Billy Billy in a Brazilian fan group has observed that the new music video by Chris Catalyst for his cover of "Left to My Own Devices"—which I mentioned here and added to the appropriate page on April 2 (see below)—features an extremely fleeting "transformation" that may involve Neil Tennant. I write about this in a new and quite tentative entry at #7 in my list of guest appearances by Neil and/or Chris in other artists' music videos. On account of this uncertainty, however, I'd love it if we could somehow receive actual confirmation one way or the other.

April 5, 2024

PSB Videos

The new video for "Dancing Star" has just been released on YouTube. I've therefore added the appropriate new entry for it to my page of capsule descriptions of the Pet Shop Boys' music videos.

Song Annotations

I'm indebted to Nigel Brand and Steve N. for independently sharing with me some information and observations—some of which overlapped with each other—that have inspired me to add several new annotations to my commentary on "Dancing Star": Amalfi, Siberia, Orly Airport (and "jumping"), "a fiery talent," and St. Petersburg. Thanks, guys!

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Sam for pointing out a broken link, now eliminated, on my page devoted to Pet Shop Boys songs covered by other artists.

Thanks as well to Neil Kelly (whose name I've just added to my Thank You page) for alerting me to the fact that the Friburn & Urik Tribal Mix of "Break 4 Love" that appears on the Queer as Folk: Club Babylon release isn't actually referred to as an "Edit" as I had originally listed its title among that song's mixes and versions. But I do need some way to distinguish the shorter version there from the full-length version. So I've made a slight adjustment and added an explanatory note.

April 4, 2024

Breaking News!

Thanks to David B for informing me that the Japanese version of the special two-disc edition of Nonetheless will feature an extra track, "Clean Air Hybrid Electric Bus," on its bonus Furthermore disc.

Song Annotations

Thanks to Henrik S for nudging me toward pointing out previous musical speculations about Judas's motivations for betraying Jesus, a couple of which I've called out in a new second bullet-point annotation to my new commentary on "If Jesus Had a Sister." And thanks as well to Andrea Grasso for suggesting that I mention in an existing annotation to that same song Neil's previous collaboration with The Killers and Elton John on the 2008 Christmas song "Joseph, Better You Than Me."

Updates/Corrections

I'm also indebted to Andrea for catching a typo, now corrected, on my page for "Dancing Star." And thanks, too, to Zazou2 (Laura C.A. Moloney-Kenny) for reporting a typo, similarly corrected, on my aforementioned brand new page for "Clean Air Hybrid Electric Bus."

April 3, 2024

New Music
PSB Lists

The new single "Dancing Star" and its bonus tracks have been released digitally this morning. I've therefore posted updated pages for "Dancing Star," "Sense of Time," and "If Jesus Had a Sister." Of these, the one I'm still struggling most with is "Sense of Time." I believe I'll have more to say about it later on after I've listened to it a few more times and have mulled it over a bit. Unfortunately, other demands on my time today will prevent me from devoting as much attention to this as I would like. So that's yet to come. Meanwhile, I've also added several references from "Dancing Star" to my list of real places mentioned by name in Pet Shop Boys songs, one addition (Judas) from "If Jesus Had a Sister" to my list of real people mentioned by name or title in their songs, "Sense of Time" to my list of PSB songs that contain non-English words and phrases (although I do concede that it's a slight stretch), and "Dancing Star" as one of the more questionable entries toward the end of my list of other songs in which Chris's voice can be heard.

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks to Samantha for letting me know that "West End Girls" could be heard in the March 27, 2024 edition of the German cold-case reality show Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst ("Case number XY... unsolved"). So I've added this appearance to my entry for that song at #1 in my list of PSB songs that have been used in films and "non-musical" TV shows.

Updates/Corrections

Thanks so much to Raymond Merkh for catching some typos, now corrected, on this very page as well as in my updates earlier today for the aforementioned "Sense of Time" and "If Jesus Had a Sister."

April 2, 2024

PSB Songs Performed by Other Artists

Thanks so much to JonP (whom I've added to my Thank You page) for telling me about a new remake of "Left to My Own Devices" by Chris Catalyst, guitarist/singer best known as a member of the Sisters of Mercy and, more recently, as a touring member of Ghost (which had previously covered "It's a Sin"). Upon its release, Catalyst described "Devices" as "One of my favourite songs from one of my favourite bands, the mighty Pet Shop Boys. An introspective anthem of understated genius. Much like most of their stuff." I find those extremely gratifying words coming from a man known for his work in the genres of punk and metal. At any rate, I've now added this new rendition to my page dedicated to PSB songs performed by other artists. If you would like to see it for yourself, it's available in YouTube.

April 1, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Raymond Merkh for catching and reporting a typo, now corrected, on my page devoted to "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave."

March 31, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Jeff Durst for alerting me to the fact that I hadn't expressed myself as clearly as I should have in my new annotation yesterday (see just below) about the "Knuckle under!" line in "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave." I've now modified that annotation to clarify my (and Steve's) point about the word-play involving the verb "rapped."

March 30, 2024

Song Annotations
PSB Songs That Contain Biblical Allusions

Thanks to Steve N. for suggesting a couple of new annotations (concerning the lines about "a litany of saints" and "a voice rapped 'Knuckle under!'") for the song "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave." And because of the aforementioned "litany of saints," that song also earns a spot, also at Steve's suggestion, at #23 among what I consider the more "questionable" entries toward the end of my list of Pet Shop Boys songs that contain biblical allusions.

And since we're on a somewhat related subject, please allow me to take this opportunity to wish a very Happy Easter to all of you of who observe that holiday tomorrow!

March 26, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to a regular site visitor who prefers to remain anonymous for suggesting that I add the more idiomatic translations of "Viva la Vida" to my entry for that song at #21 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs with lyrics that don't contain the title—advice that I've now followed.

March 24, 2024

Song Annotations

I'm currently about two-thirds of the way through the new book The Pet Shop Boys and the Political, and I'm finding it quite interesting and enjoyable. Its writing style is somewhat academic, but that's had the effect of making me a tad nostalgic for my own days, now long past, back in academia. At any rate, so far I've been able to glean from it a clever observation that I believe is well worth noting here on my website—with the appropriate citation, of course. I've expanded upon an existing annotation about the sound of a vinyl record's runout groove to elaborate on its "creepy" effect in "Into Thin Air." It's quite possible that more such additions may be forthcoming.

And thanks to Erik H. for catching a related careless redundancy on my part, which I've now eliminated.

Updates/Corrections

Thanks so much to Raymond Merkh for catching and reporting not one, not two, but four typos on my aforementioned page devoted to "Into Thin Air." I've now corrected them all but, as I told Raymond, I must've been really off my game when I was working on that!

March 22, 2024

Mixes/Versions

Thanks both to Sotirios Dimadis and to Matteo for pointing out some oversights and a few omissions on my part, now rectified, for upcoming remixes of "Dancing Star" and "Party in the Blitz." Thanks also to Denys for providing the length (from Beatport) for some of those mixes.

Singles That Weren't Included on Smash and the Likely Reasons for their Exclusion

Thanks to David B for providing some clarifying information about several of the singles (or quasi-singles) that weren't included on Smash—namely "Beautiful People," "Axis," and "Inner Sanctum." They were already in that list but I had provided incomplete data about their actual release formats.

March 21, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Carlos Javier Perez for reminding me that "Undertow" was released on 12-inch vinyl, a fact I had overlooked when writing about it as a "quasi-single" in my entry for "Burn" in my list of Pet Shop Boys "singles" that weren't. I've made that adjustment to the text there.

March 20, 2024

Breaking News!

The Pet Shop Boys have announced on their official website that "Dancing Star" will be the second single from Nonetheless. The tracklist of the CD single is:

Dancing Star

Sense of Time

If Jesus Had a Sister

Dancing Star (Solomun extended remix)

Party in the Blitz (Superchumbo remix)

Dancing Star (Solomun remix)

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available! In the meantime, I've created "placeholder" pages for the two brand-new songs mentioned above.

Celebrity Fans of the Pet Shop Boys Outside the Field of Music

Thanks to Zazou2 (Laura C.A. Moloney-Kenny) for suggesting that I add Hacker T. Dog to my list of celebrity fans of the Pet Shop Boys outside the field of music. Although Hacker's puppeteer, Phil Fletcher, was already on the list, Laura pointed out that Hacker appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Mastermind back in 2016, with the Pet Shop Boys as his chosen field of expertise. Since the BBC considers a puppet a celebrity, then I suppose it would be trifling of me to dispute that. So I've added Hacker T. Dog to the list, albeit in a "subsidiary" position to Fletcher, as befitting a dog and his master—yes, even a puppet dog and his master.

Incidentally, if you would like to see Hacker's appearance on Celebrity Mastermind and how well he did with PSB "trivia," it's available on YouTube. Thanks again, Laura!

March 18, 2024

PSB "Singles" That Weren't

I've added two songs, "The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On" and "Pandemonium," to my list of Pet Shop Boys "singles" that weren't.

March 16, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Julien N. for noticing some outdated text, which I've accordingly revised, in the entry for Elton John in my alphabetical list of artists with whom the Pet Shop Boys have collaborated.

March 14, 2024

Celebrity Fans of the Pet Shop Boys Outside the Field of Music

Thanks to leesmapman for letting me know (with the requisite evidence) that British journalist and former politician Michael Portillo and Dutch graphic novelist Ype Driessen are both Pet Shop Boys fans, earning them spots in my list of celebrity PSB fans outside the field of music.

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Julien N. (whom I've just added to my Thank You page) for pointing out an outdated sentence in my entry for the song "Motoring." I've now eliminated that now obsolute text.

March 13, 2024

Mixes/Versions

Long-time site visitor Londonnoise wrote to share his speculation that the music accompanying the Boys' recent Facebook posting of them signing "art cards" for their upcoming album Nonetheless might be "the rumored Tom Stephan mix" of "Party in the Blitz." That has indeed been confirmed: it's the "Superchumbo mix featuring Princess Julia hrh" (Superchumbo being the "nom de mix" of Tom Stephan). I trust that this new remix will soon be officially available in its entirety, knock on wood. In the meantime, I've added it as an officially unreleased mix in a new "Mixes/Versions" section for that song.

March 12, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Marc R for reminding me of something I had read about years ago but had neglected to mention here on my website—namely, the fact that the Pet Shop Boys had considered Bounce as a possible title for what became Introspective (which I had already noted) because they had observed a lot of people "bouncing" in clubs rather than more conventionally "dancing" (which I had not previously noted). I've now added this to my commentary on the officially unreleased PSB track "Bounce."

March 9, 2024

Selected Special Releases

Quite a few of my regular site visitors, a half-dozen or more over the past couple of weeks, have written to ask why I haven't taken special notice of the many formats in which the Pet Shop Boys will be releasing their upcoming album Nonetheless. There are several reasons for my reticence on this subject, some of which I won't delve into here, but the most significant of which is the fact that I've been going through some personal issues—which, again, I'd prefer not to discuss—that have moved me to put less "crucial" items on the back-burner. (Don't worry, it's not critical or anything, just pressing; my health and marriage are both in great shape.) But this morning I finally took some time to address this matter in a new "collective" entry for Nonetheless on my page devoted to selected special releases. I hope this does the trick. Thanks so much to everyone who wrote to me about this, and I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.

Incidentally, a least a half-dozen of you have also written to me about a recent "Trash Theory" video on YouTube that zeroes in on the Boys' "imperial phase." Yes, I've seen it and, yes, it's very good.

March 6, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Raymond Merkh for reporting a typo, now corrected, in my recently updated entry for "A Roma" in my list of documented officially unreleased songs written by the Pet Shop Boys.

March 5, 2024

Documented Officially Unreleased Songs Written by the Pet Shop Boys

Thanks to Nigel Brand for sharing an additional insight about the unreleased track "A Roma" concerning how the pun in its title might refer to amyl nitrate "poppers." I've therefore updated my entry for this track at the very start of my list of documented officially unreleased songs written by the Pet Shop Boys.

March 4, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Andrea Grasso for catching a typo that had been on my page for "A Red Letter Day" for years. I'm glad to be able to correct it after all this time!

Wayne's "PSB Dreams"

Late yesterday, while having supper, it suddenly occurred to me that the night before I had had another dream about the Pet Shop Boys—my first, at least as far as I know, of 2024. The only problem was that, unfortunately, I couldn't (and still can't) remember anything at all about that dream except that it involved having a large, elaborate dinner with Neil and Chris along with a number of other people. Since I'm unable to remember anything else about it, it's not worth writing about on my page devoted to my PSB dreams.

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks to Richard Firth for providing a few details about the context in which "West End Girls" can be heard during the 1996 debut episode of the U.K. crime drama Dalziel and Pascoe. I've used the information he provided to update the current final bullet-point entry for this song at #1 in my list of PSB songs used in films and "non-musical" TV shows.

March 3, 2024

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks to Rob Boucher for informing me that "In the Night" was used in an October 1993 episode of the U.K. children's program Bad Influence! during a segment on kids' fashion—an obvious takeoff on its famed use as the theme music for The Clothes Show. I've included this fact in the entry for that song at #2 in my list of PSB songs used in films and "non-musical" TV shows.

Song Annotations
Song Interpretations

Thanks as well to Kamil B. (aka Mylca) for sharing a slightly different interpretation of "Radiophonic," which I describe in a new final bullet-point annotation to my commentary on that song.

March 2, 2024

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks to Rob Bainbridge for letting me know that the Pet Shop Boys' rendition of "Go West" was played on this evening's edition of the BBC1 game show The Wheel while spinning to pick the celebrity who would help answer a question on explorers. I've therefore noted this fact in the entry for that song at #47 in my list of PSB songs used in films and "non-musical" TV shows. And, no, we're not grasping at straws here!

March 1, 2024

PSB Songs with "Extra Lyrics"

Thanks so much to Robert Schulz for reminding me of something I had in fact noticed when "Party in the Blitz" was released but which got "lost in the shuffle" and completely forgotten during all of the updates I was busy with in the wake of the release of the "Loneliness" single and its b-sides: the fact that the lyrics section of official Pet Shop Boys website has an additional verse for that song near the beginning that doesn't actually appear in the released version. I've therefore added it at #20 in my alphabetical list of PSB songs with "extra lyrics."

February 28, 2024

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Raymond Merkh for catching a couple of careless errors (a typo and a missing word), now corrected, on my page devoted to "All the Young Dudes." Yeah, I'm getting sloppy in my old age.

February 27, 2024

Real People Mentioned by Name or Title in PSB Songs

Thanks to Andrew Shaw for pointing out that I had overlooked adding the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Freddie Burretti to my list of real people mentioned in Pet Shop Boys songs by virtue of their being name-dropped in "All the Young Dudes." As I state in a note at the end of the list, several other names mentioned in that song also apparently refer to real people, but since I've so far been unable to identify them by anything other than their first names, I don't include them in the "list proper."

February 26, 2024

Song Annotations

Thanks to Jeff Durst for sharing his observations concerning the use of the word "boogaloo" in "All the Young Dudes," particularly with regard to its recent appropriation by the U.S. Far Right. This motivated me to create a new annotation regarding "boogaloo" for that song, which in turn inspired me to add notes for a great many of its other somewhat unusual turns of phrase. Thus my annotations for "All the Young Dudes" have greatly expanded.

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