Pet Shop Boys Rate. Part 1: 1985-1991. Winner.

Ray

Ray

ratecover.jpg


'The Pet Shop Boys,' announces Ricky Fueng, head of EMI Records in Hong Kong, 'are one of the biggest artists to emerge, after Madonna, in Hong Kong.'

Welcome to the rate of one of the biggest artists to emerge, after Madonna, in Hong Kong. The rules are simple, and similar to each rate you have previously witnessed (or not) on this forum.

1. Give each song from the list below a score between 0 and 10. You are allowed to use half points (but not 10.5). You may give the sacred score of 11 only to one song from the entire list.
2. Feel free to provide commentary. While not compulsory, it's always fun.
3. I am fully aware of the fact that many of the songs have been released in multiple versions. Pick your favourite. The only exception being "Always On My Mind/In My House" (which is effectively a medley of two songs as opposed to its single version) and "Violence" (Hacienda version will be included in part 2 of the rate as it came out after 1991). This also means you can decide whether you feel like scoring the Bobby 'O' Orlando version of "West End Girls", or the extended version as found on the Disco album. Spoil yourself. Note: where available, links below point to official videos rather than album versions of the songs.
4. We are not rating unreleased tracks and demoes, even if they are to be found on the Further Listening CDs.
5. When you are done scoring, commenting etc., send me a PM with the Results.

Songs. Spotify playlist

album_please.jpg


Two Divided by Zero
West End Girls
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
Love Comes Quickly
Suburbia
"Opportunities (Reprise)" – 0:32
Tonight Is Forever
Violence
I Want a Lover
Later Tonight
Why Don't We Live Together?

album_actually.jpg

One More Chance
What Have I Done To Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield)
Shopping
Rent (no, I don't know why the video is not on YouTube)
Hit Music
It Couldn't Happen Here
It's A Sin
I Want To Wake Up
Heart
King's Cross

album_introspective.jpg


Left To My Own Devices
I Want A Dog included in the Alternative section
Domino Dancing
I'm Not Scared
Always On My Mind/In My House
It's Alright

album_behaviour.jpg


Being Boring
This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave
To Face The Truth
How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?
Only The Wind
My October Symphony
So Hard
Nervously
The End Of The World
Jealousy

album_discography.jpg

Always On My Mind
Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
DJ Culture
Was It Worth It?

album_alternative.jpg


In The Night
A Man Could Get Arrested
That's My Impression
Was That What It Was?
Paninaro
Jack The Lad
You Know Where You Went Wrong
A New Life
I Want A Dog
Do I Have To?
I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)
Don Juan
The Sound Of The Atom Splitting
One Of The Crowd
Your Funny Uncle
It Must Be Obvious
We All Feel Better In The Dark
Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend
Losing My Mind
Music For Boys
Miserablism

Two Divided by Zero
West End Girls
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
Love Comes Quickly
Suburbia
Tonight Is Forever
Violence
I Want a Lover
Later Tonight
Why Don't We Live Together?

One More Chance
What Have I Done To Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield)
Shopping
Rent
Hit Music
It Couldn't Happen Here
It's A Sin
I Want To Wake Up
Heart
King's Cross

Left To My Own Devices
Domino Dancing
I'm Not Scared
Always On My Mind/In My House
It's Alright

Being Boring
This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave
To Face The Truth
How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?
Only The Wind
My October Symphony
So Hard
Nervously
The End Of The World
Jealousy

Always On My Mind
Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
DJ Culture
Was It Worth It?

In The Night
A Man Could Get Arrested
That's My Impression
Was That What It Was?
Paninaro
Jack The Lad
You Know Where You Went Wrong
A New Life
I Want A Dog
Do I Have To?
I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)
Don Juan
The Sound Of The Atom Splitting
One Of The Crowd
Your Funny Uncle
It Must Be Obvious
We All Feel Better In The Dark
Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend
Losing My Mind
Music For Boys
Miserablism

Deadline for inevitable complaints: September 10 (Sunday), 23:59 CET
Deadline for votes: October 22 (Sunday), 23:59 CET
 
Last edited:
Ray

Ray

Results.

1. West End Girls (9.2958333333)
2. What Have I Done To Deserve This? (9.1930555556)
3. Left To My Own Devices (9.1722222222)
4. Domino Dancing (9.1486111111)
5. It's A Sin (9.1277777778)
6. Rent (9.1083333333)
7. Being Boring (9.0833333333)
8. Heart (9.0458333333)
9. King's Cross (9.0125)
10. Love Comes Quickly (8.9611111111)
11. Always On My Mind (8.925)
12. So Hard (8.9041666667)
13. Two Divided By Zero (8.6111111111)
14. I'm Not Scared (8.5069444444)
15. In The Night (8.4944444444)
16. This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave (8.4916666667)
17. Jealousy (8.4902777778)
18. Suburbia (8.4819444444)
19. Tonight Is Forever (8.2847222222)
20. Paninaro (8.1722222222)
21. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money) (8.1333333333)
22. The End Of The World (8.0986111111)
23. It's Alright (8.0819444444)
24. How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? (8.0666666667)
25. Miserablism (8.0402777778)
26. Why Don't We Live Together? (8.0263888889)
27. I Want To Wake Up (8.0166666667)
28. Always On My Mind/In My House (7.6986111111)
29. It Couldn't Happen Here (7.7472222222)
30. I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too) (7.7472222222)
31. It Must Be Obvious (7.6833333333)
32. Where The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You) (7.6402777778)
33. One More Chance (7.6013888889)
34. Do I Have To? (7.5875)
35. Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend (7.5777777778)
36. Your Funny Uncle (7.4875)
37. My October Symphony (7.4111111111)
38. I Want A Lover (7.4111111111)
39. We All Feel Better In The Dark (7.3847222222)
40. I Want A Dog (7.3013888889)
41. Was It Worth It? (7.2472222222)
42. Only The Wind (7.2444444444)
43. Shopping (7.1305555556)
44. To Face The Truth (7.0611111111)
45. A Man Could Get Arrested (7.0291666667)
46. Dj Culture (6.9972222222)
47. Losing My Mind (6.9777777778)
48. Was That What It Was? (6.8875)
49. Later Tonight (6.8486111111)
50. Violence (6.7986111111)
51. Nervously (6.7680555556)
52. That's My Impression (6.6652777778)
53. A New Life (6.5902777778)
54. Don Juan (6.4388888889)
55. Jack The Lad (6.4083333333)
56. Hit Music (6.3819444444)
57. You Know Where You Went Wrong (6.2944444444)
58. One Of The Crowd (6.1638888889)
59. Music For Boys (5.7263888889)
60. The Sound Of The Atom Splitting (3.6166666667)
 
Last edited:
Ray

Ray

He reads out part of Chris’s approving comments on Kylie Minogue’s 'I Should Be So Lucky': 'I like the bit where she goes "I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I should be so lucky" and I just love the line "I should be so lucky, lucky lucky lucky". If that’s banal it’s a strength. It’s just a mark of pure genius.'

'Are you being serious,' he asks Chris, 'or are you taking the mickey?' He is cockily confident it is the latter.

'No, I’m being serious,' answers Chris truthfully. 'It’s like my favourite line in that other record is "uh-uh-oh".' That other record, after some discussion, is identified as Paula Abdul’s 'Straight Up'. 'That’s a classic line as well because it’s a no-nonsense… it’s just pure ecstasy.'

(Reserved.)
 
jtm

jtm

Shit I didn't know that that was the Please tracklist (bought the FL and imported all tracks on iTunes a few years ago). Very strong album.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ray
TrendyMüller

TrendyMüller

Tens will be flying!
What about voting in DECIMALS? I think this rate demands it...
(Decimals almost sounds like a PSB bonus album title or something.)

Also: Screaming at the above line "...he used to have this enormous Wurlitzer."
 
TrendyMüller

TrendyMüller

Ray said:
Feel free to vote in decimals.

Will you be making Pet Shopomel? (Probably not called that.)
Click to expand...
Well, I´m actually "curating" this half-assed tumblr called (Not) Pet Shop Boys (see signature), in which I´m posting pictures that could exist in the PSB universe, but are not PSB.
It was actually discussed on the PSB forums some time ago (I´m not a member, though).
It might be best to read it from the beginning, if you´re interested. I think the years 2011 and 2012 are quite hilarious.
I´m still trying to find a way to integrate it into the rate, though.
 
Last edited:
Peer_Gynt10

Peer_Gynt10

idratherjack said:
Hope you do!

Apart from 84-92 Madonna, the Pet Shop Boys from 86-91 had the best imperial phase singles run ever.
Click to expand...
True. Discography and The Immaculate Collection are unrivalled. I'm just afraid that voting will be very difficult because many album tracks are as stunning as the singles. And let's not start with the B-sides...

Hell, I'm in!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top