What's New? – Recent Updates & Additions
March 19, 2025
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to Richard Firth for catching a typo—one that had been there for years—on my page for the song "Motoring." I've now corrected it.
March 17, 2025
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows
Thanks to Jon O. for informing me that the most recent episode of the HBO comedy series The Righteous Gemstones concludes with a lengthy excerpt of the Pet Shop Boys' very own rendition of "It's a Sin." I've added this fact to the entry for that song at #21 in my list of PSB songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.
March 16, 2025
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows
Thanks to Rob Bainbridge for letting me know that a short bit of the Pet Shop Boys' rendition of "Always on My Mind" could be heard during a montage airing earlier today on U.K. Sky Sports, a fact that I've noted in the entry for that song at #16 in my list of PSB songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.
March 13, 2025
Updates/Corrections
Song AnnotationsThanks so much to Nigel Brand for catching a couple of typos, now corrected, in my entry for "The Madness of the Summer" as well as for pointing out that the song's opening line, "Recollections may vary," was likely inspired by Queen Elizabeth II, which I've noted in a new annotation to my commentary on that track.
March 12, 2025
What It's About: Neil's Succinct Statements on What a Song Is "About"
Drawing upon something Neil says in a new interview published today in The Guardian, I've added "Kaputnik" to my list of what Pet Shop Boys songs are avowedly "about" according to Neil (and, in a few cases, Chris).
March 11, 2025
Song Annotations
A site visitor who prefers to remain anonymous has suggested interesting adjunctive interpretations of three songs: "Two Divided by Zero" (are they divided by zero after all?), "We Came from Outer Space" (inspired by a bestseller?), and "Your Early Stuff" (a teasing nod to an early Depeche Mode song?). I've noted these intriguing observations in new annotations to my commentaries on each of these tracks.
March 10, 2025
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to a posting this morning on the Pet Shop Boys' website, Neil has revealed the lyrics to two more of the songs on his yet-to-be-released collaborative work with Mark Springer, Sleep of Reason. This enables me to share some initial but still very preliminary observations about these songs, "My Friend the Monster" and "The Madness of the Summer." I'm going to admit upfront, however, that I find this second song, "The Madness of the Summer," especially challenging. It boasts one of the densest and, in some ways, most difficult lyrics Neil has ever composed. Everything I'm saying about it at this time must indeed be taken as very preliminary, even somewhat fragmentary. It's likely I'll learn more about it and/or gain additional insights in the days ahead. And I'm greatly hoping that Neil himself will soon shed some light on it, perhaps after the album's release.
March 9, 2025
Tracks That Mention "Pet Shop Boys"
Thanks so much to Enrique Cutillas (whose name I've added to my Thank You page) for telling me about the 2020 song "In Love and War" by David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels. While it doesn't actually mention "Pet Shop Boys," it does refer to them as "Neil and Chris," which earns it a spot among the "honorable mentions" at the end of my list of tracks that mention "Pet Shop Boys."
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to Steve N for pointing out the intriguing fact that the upcoming album Sleep of Reason, which features Neil as lyricist and vocalist, was recorded in a somewhat piecemeal fashion back in 2023. I've shared this information in my still quite preliminary entry for that unreleased work.
Thanks as well to Jens Boldt for catching a serious typographical flaw, now corrected, in my list of the key signatures of selected PSB songs.
March 8, 2025
The Key Signatures of Selected PSB Songs
Thanks to Cyrus (whose name I've added to my Thank You page) for suggesting a few additions to my list of the key signatures of selected Pet Shop Boys songs. He pointed out that the bridge of their own rendition of "So Sorry, I Said" is in a different key than that of the main body of the song, and he also provided the altered keys of Liza Minnelli's renditions both of that song and of "Rent."
March 7, 2025
Breaking News!
The Pet Shop Boys have just announced on their official website that they have remixed a song by Primal Scream, "Innocent Money." I've now posted a new page for this track. I've also added Primal Scream to my list of artists with whom the Boys have collaborated and the song to my page devoted to their work as remixers. If you'd like to hear it for yourself (and who wouldn't?), the PSB remix can be heard on YouTube.
Incidentally, thanks to Sotirios Dimadis for pointing out that the Boys interpolated a re-creation of the main keyboard theme from the 1977 Kraftwerk classic "Trans Europa Express" early in this remix. And Soti alerted me to the existence of an official "Edit" of this new remix as well.
There's also additional news about the upcoming release Sleep of Reason by Mark Springer, Neil Tennant, and the Sacconi Quartet. Its opening track, "Phantoms and Monsters," is now available for listening online at the Bandcamp website. I'm already offering some fragmentary, extremely preliminary observations about this track, although I expect to write more about it in the weeks ahead (and probably greatly revise what I've already written), especially after the album is released in its entirety in late April.
March 6, 2025
New Releases
Precisely one month ago, on February 6, I noted here that an upcoming new release—Sleep of Reason by Mark Springer, Neil Tennant, and the Sacconi String Quartet—was available for pre-order from Amazon UK but not Amazon US, but at that time Amazon was stating it could not be shipped to the States. That problem has now, however, been resolved. While you still can't order it from Amazon US, American fans can now place their order in Amazon UK and it will be shipped across the Atlantic. So I've now placed my order! Thanks to Andrea Grasso for "nudging" about this, motivating me to check again and discover that I could now place my order.
March 4, 2025
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to Richard Firth for informing me that the licensing of music used in the late 1990s TV show Daria has expired, and it would appear that the show's owners have decided against renewing those licenses. Therefore many of the songs used in Daria—including a couple of Pet Shop Boys songs—no longer appear in subsequent DVD releases and re-airings. I've noted this fact in the pertinent entries in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.
Mixes/Versions
Thanks to Dominik for pointing out an apparently authorized remix of "Break 4 Love" of which I had been unaware: the D-Unity Remix by Damian Jacuk. I've looked into this and it does appear to be "official." I've therefore added it to my list of remixes for that track.
March 3, 2025
PSB Concert Tours
The Pet Shop Boys' official website has just announced several additional dates in Spain for their Summer 2025 tour. I've added these new shows to my PSB Concert Tours page.
Personal Observations
Thanks to Gavin Kagan aka "Gabby the Guy" for telling me about the Booze and Vinyl books, Volume 2 of which features "an "appearance" (so to speak) by the Pet Shop Boys. In a clearly tongue-in-cheek style, these books suggest listening parties in which you spin records for your friends while serving cocktails inspired by the artists, albums, and songs in question. Volume 2 includes the PSB debut album Please, proposing cocktails called "Brains & Looks" (obviously triggered by "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)") and "Pet Shop Pimm's" (the description of which alludes very tenuously to "Violence"). At first I didn't think this information could find any permanent home here on my website but, after initially rejecting the idea, I decided that it indeed merits a new spot on my "Strange But True" page. Thanks again, Gabby!
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows
Thanks to Pete Hazell (whose name I've added to my Thank You page) for telling me that "Left to My Own Devices" was featured on the most recent episode of the U.K. series Dancing on Ice. I've now noted this in the entry for that song at #3 in my list of PSB songs that have been used in films and "non-musical" TV shows. (As I state there, I realize this comes dangerously close to being a disqualiying musical TV show, but since the focus is on dancing rather than on the music itself, I'm allowing it.)
Thanks as well to Rob Bainbridge for letting me know that "Feel" could be heard (for the third time!) on EastEnders in this evening's episode. I've noted this fact in the entry for that song at #107 in the same list.
February 27, 2025
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to Raymond Merkh for reporting a couple of longstanding typos (they'd both been there for years!), now corrected, on my page devoted to my favorite artists other than the Pet Shop Boys.
February 26, 2025
Breaking News
As announced today on the Pet Shop Boys' website, Neil and Chris have joined with more than 1,000 other musicians to produce Is This What We Want?, an album of, essentially, silence to protest and raise awareness of pending changes to U.K. copyright law that would facilitate AI (artificial intelligence) companies to use copyrighted music to produce, without license or permission, their own material. I've recently discovered that this is a subject that strikes closer to home than one might think. A few weeks ago I ran across some online AI content (clearly identified as such) that had very obviously drawn upon things I've written here on my own website, using my own phraseology with only minor adjustments, without crediting me as the original source. So I am completely in sympathy with what the Boys and their fellow musicians are trying to achieve with this admittedly curious but highly pertinent release.
That being said, I have no intention of creating an entry here for Is This What We Want? despite the Boys' professed involvement.
February 25, 2025
PSB Concert Tours
The Pet Shop Boys' official website has announced several new dates and venues for the Summer 2025 leg of their ongoing Dreamworld Tour. I've updated my PSB Concert Tours page accordingly. In light of the large gaps in the current schedule, I fully expect additional shows to be announced in the weeks ahead.
My Favorite Artists Other Than the Pet Shop Boys
Thanks to Simon Sloane for pointing out a PSB/Depeche Mode connection I hadn't already previously noted on my page devoted to my favorite artists other than the Pet Shop Boys. I've therefore added this new item (now the second in the bullet-point list) in the "PSB connections" section for Depeche Mode.
February 23, 2025
PSB Music Videos
I've posted the final results of my poll this past week in which I asked my site visitors to rate the Pet Shop Boys' music videos for their six most recent singles. (As it turns out, the video that received the highest average rating is "A New Bohemia.") Using my standard algorithm for doing so, I've translated these votes to star ratings on my page devoted to capsule descriptions of the Boys' music videos. I extend my sincere thanks to everyone who took part in this survey! I really appreciate it!
February 22, 2025
Song Annotations
Thanks to Steve N. for suggesting a new annotation for the song "Hymn (In Memoriam Alexei Navalny)" concerning its title. I've now followed his advice, taking advantage of and elaborating on his input on the subject.
February 21, 2025
Song Annotations
PSB Song Chronology
Real Places Mentioned by Name in PSB SongsI take long walks nearly every morning, which not only provides my chief form of physical exercise these days but also gives me ample opportunity to think about music, including (of course) Pet Shop Boys music. And while on my walk this morning, it occurred to me that I needed to make a few more updates regarding yesterday's release of "Hymn (In Memoriam Alexei Navalny)." So I couldn't wait to get back home to make those updates. I've now added that song to my PSB Song Chronology and noted the fact that it repeatedly name-checks Russia in my list of real places mentioned by name in PSB songs. I also added a new annotation regarding the phrase "the poison of Putin" to my main entry for the song.
February 20, 2025
New Song!
As announced today on their official website, the Pet Shop Boys have unveiled a new song, "Hymn (In Memoriam Alexei Navalny)." If you would like to hear it, it's available on YouTube. I've now created a new page for this song, and I've cited it in two of my lists: "Real people mentioned by name or title in PSB songs" and "PSB songs with Russian connections."
PSB songs with lyrics that don't contain the title
Thanks to Rafael Moretti for pointing out that this new song also belongs in my list of PSB songs with lyrics that don't contain the title.
Films That Have Featured PSB Songs
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV ShowsThanks to Christian, an Italian from Lithuania (whom I've added to my Thank You page) for letting me know that the Eighth Wonder version of the Tennant-Lowe song "I'm Not Scared" can be heard in the 2024 Italian film Iddu (titled Sicilian Letters for international release), which merits mention in my lists of films that have featured PSB songs and PSB songs that have been used in films and non-musical TV shows.
February 19, 2025
PSB Concert Tours
The Pet Shop Boys' official website has begun announcing dates for the continuation of their Dreamworld Tour in Europe this summer. The first two dates announced are June 19 in Lisbon and June 21 in Madrid. I've updated my PSB Concert Tours page accordingly.
February 15, 2025
Rating PSB Music Videos
As promised several days ago, I've now started a new survey in which you can rate the most recent music videos for Pet Shop Boys singles, the ones that haven't previously been rated here on my website: : "I Don't Wanna," "Loneliness," "Dancing Star," "A New Bohemia," "Feel," and "All the Young Dudes." I plan to run this survey for about a week, ending it early next Sunday (a week from tomorrow).
Incidentally, if you would like to see the results of previous video polls, you can visit my page devoted to PSB music videos to see the "star ratings" there.
Oh, and thanks to Jens Boldt for catching and reporting a careless oversight, now corrected, in the text of the poll.
Tracks That Mention "Pet Shop Boys"
Thanks to Simon from Newcastle for telling me about the brand new track "Farrah Fawcett Hair (Predux)" by Capital Cities featuring André 3000, which has earns a spot at #56 in my list of tracks that mention "Pet Shop Boys." In fact, it name-checks both them and "West End Girls"—quite positively, I might add! Please note that not all versions of this song refer to them, but the album "predux" version does. You can check it out on YouTube if you like. The Boys are mentioned almost exactly halfway through.
February 10, 2025
PSB Music Videos – Heads Up!
I haven't run a poll asking my site visitors to rate a Pet Shop Boys music video since "Monkey Business" in early 2020. But at the urging of several of my site visitors, I'm planning on soon running a survey enabling you to rate the music videos for more recent PSB singles: "I Don't Wanna," "Loneliness," "Dancing Star," "A New Bohemia," "Feel," and "All the Young Dudes." (In case you're wondering, I consider the videos for the non-singles "Living in the Past" and "The Schlager Hit Parade" (Deutsches Demo) to be "perhipheral" and therefore not candidates for ratings.) Barring unforeseen difficulties (it's hard for me to predict these days), I hope to begin that poll this coming weekend. In anticipation of that, you may wish to go to YouTube—particularly the official Pet Shop Boys channel there, where all of those videos can be found—and check out them out to refresh your memory. I know I will!
Updates/Corrections
I've set up a new and still extremely tentative, fragmentary page for the upcoming collaborative release Sleep of Reason (mentioned on February 6 below).
February 7, 2025
"Performance Parodies" of the Pet Shop Boys
Thanks to George "Jammer" Dashevsky for telling me about a 2020 parody of "It's a Sin" created by a group of young Swedish guys. It's called "Cos Tan Sin," and one might think of it as a "trigonometric parody," which is the first time in my life I've ever had reason to pair those two particular words. I've added it at #55 to my list of performance parodies of the Pet Shop Boys. If you'd like to check it out for yourself, it's available on YouTube.
February 6, 2025
Breaking News!
Thanks to David F for bringing to my attention a newly announced release scheduled for late April: Sleep of Reason, a two-disc collaboration between Neil Tennant (lyricist and, it appears, vocalist) and composer/pianist Mark Springer, performed by the Sacconi String Quartet, to be released on the Sub Rosa label (Belgium). Writing of this new composition, Neil has stated:
I bought a book of Goya's print series Los Caprichos which had inspired Mark's music and saw that the artworks were a satirical, cruel, nightmarish portrayal of the politics, corruption and culture of his era, exploring his dreams—or nightmares—while exposing the double standards of the ruling establishment. The lyrics I wrote for Sleep of Reason, in response to Los Caprichos, are intended to be sardonic and dreamlike, looking back to Goya's nightmares but then reflecting on my experiences in 21st Century popular culture and media in which I have located the "monsters" Goya saw in his dreams. It often feels like we're living in an era dominated by monsters with their grotesque egos hollering through social media, unfiltered and untruthful, leaving a trail of wreckage behind them. Maybe it's always felt like that.
It's available for pre-order from various U.K. online outlets, including Amazon UK, although it doesn't yet appear to be available from U.S. Amazon. Curiously, Amazon UK is telling me that they can't ship it to me here in the States, so I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for other ordering options. I'll provide additional information here as it becomes available. Stay tuned!
The Pet Shop Boys' official website has also announced that a Johnny Marr live album scheduled for mid-April release will feature two live duets with Neil: "Getting Away with It" and "Rebel Rebel." The former song is, of course, from Neil's 1989 collaboration with Electronic. I've just now added a new page for the latter track, which covers a David Bowie classic.
"Performance Parodies" of the Pet Shop Boys
Thanks to Jonathan Cooper for alerting me to a new online parody of PSB/"West End Girls" titled "That's Not Pie." I've added it at #54 to my list of "performance parodies" of the Pet Shop Boys.
January 31, 2025
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows
Thanks to Jacomo for letting me know that, like the previously noted "West End Girls," "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" is used in the Slovak television drama Sĺub. I've noted this in the entry for that song at #6 in in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in films and non-musical TV shows. In fact, it appears that the latter song can be heard on several occasions in that series.
January 30, 2025
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows
Thanks to Regis P for informing me that a brief excerpt of "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" can be heard in the second part of the new U.K. docudrama Brian and Maggie. I've added this to the entry for that song at #6 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.
Major PSB VHS/LD/DVD Releases
In anticipation of the newly announced release this coming May of the Dreamworld concert film on blu-ray, I've added it to my page devoted to the Pet Shop Boys' major VHS/LD/DVD releases. (Yes, I realize that this is neither a VHS, and LD, nor a DVD, but I personally find the distinction between a DVD and a blu-ray disc to be a technical/academic matter that doesn't concern me enough to bother changing my title for that page.) FYI, both the official PSB website and Amazon are taking advance orders. And in case you're wondering, I'll plan on adding a new page for the accompanying live audio CDs at some later date.
January 29, 2025
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows
Thanks to Zazou2 (Laura C.A. Moloney-Kenny) for letting me know that a segment of "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" could be heard in Series 1, Episode 8 (October 1, 2008) of the U.K. television series Supersize vs Superskinny, a fact that I've noted in the entry for that song at #30 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.
January 26, 2025
The Rating Project
I've posted the final results of my Rating Project poll for the most recent Pet Shop Boys songs and I've updated my overall Rating Project page accordingly. The song that came out on top was, perhaps surprisingly, the remake "The Dark End of the Street," with an average rating of 6.416. (It's perhaps worth noting that all six of these songs wound up in the bottom half of the overall rankings, the midway point overall being at about #205.) Thanks so much to everyone who took part in this survey! I really appreciate it!
January 23, 2025
Song Annotations
Thanks to leesmapman for pointing out a possible influence of the 1983 Melle Mel classic "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" on "A Man Could Get Arrested." I've noted this interesting observation in a new annotation to my commentary on that Pet Shop Boys song.
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to Toaster in the Bath for catching an oversight, now corrected, on my "Additional Notes on This Survey" page.
January 22, 2025
Updates/Corrections
Thanks to Jacomo both for clarifying some information he provided the other day (see January 19 below) about the appearance of "West End Girls" in the new Slovak TV show Sĺub as well as for giving me permission to add his name to my Thank You page.
January 20, 2025
Celebrity Fans of the Pet Shop Boys Outside the Field of Music
Thanks to Mark Binmore for letting me know (with the requisite evidence) that English actress and singer Su Pollard, best known for her roles on the U.K. sitcoms Hi-de-Hi!, You Rang, M'Lord?, and Oh, Doctor Beeching!, merits a spot in my list of celebrity fans of the Pet Shop Boys outside the field of music. (Although Ms. Pollard is indeed a singer and songwriter, music is not what she's most primarily known for. Hence she qualifies of this list.)
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