D
Deleted member 47
Always In My Mind / In My House takes a dull, uninspired and crappy Elvis cover (a 5 at the most) and turns it into a beautiful pop/dance cathedral (a 10).
Pet Shop Boys Rate. Part 1: 1985-1991. Winner.
- Thread starter Ray
- Start date
They/them, he/him
Oh my god, stop!
Always On My Mind is one of the greatest covers in the history of pop music.
noooooooo I meant the Elysium comparison as a compliment, not shade!
27.
The conversation drifts on and he [Neil] mentions that the ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, whom they have met while helping New Order’s Bernard Sumner with his solo LP earlier in the year, declared that their song 'I Want To Wake Up' is his favourite dance record.
'On a par with Chic,' quotes Chris proudly.
'Although,' muses Neil, 'I don’t know that it is a dance record.' He is silent for a moment. 'There were a lot of people dancing to the Smiths at the Lexington Queen,' he says.
'That’s why we left,' Chris reminds him.
27. I Want To Wake Up
8.0166666667
From the album, actually.
Highest score: 10 (@Scoundrel_Days, @etcetera, @TrendyMüller, @Eric Generic, @slurmjunkie, @idratherjack, @etienne, @Sweet Music, @Farnaby)
Lowest score: 2 (@Peer_Gynt10 – who else?)
Chris: I went into the studio on my own and did an entire backing track by myself, which I loved, and handed it over to Neil to write some lyrics.
Neil: I'd written a song on the guitar before I knew Chris, a rocky kind of thing called 'I Heard What You Said'. When I originally wrote it I'd literally just heard 'Love Is Strange' and 'Tainted Love' on the radio – 'Yesterday' got taken out. It's about unrequited love. At the beginning the narrator is really saying, 'I want to wake up from this nightmare of unrequited love' and by the end it has changed to 'I want to wake up with you'. The 'ooo-ooo-ooo's' are a complete New Order rip-off, from 'Everything's Gone Green', I think. At the end of the song I'm doing harmonies for the first time. On this album, everything was trying to be more ambitious than Please. We also mixed a more atmospheric version, without drums, to see what it would sound like, but it was never released.
Ray: I love love love the album version, understand why the 'atmospheric' version has been unreleased and think about the Johnny Marr remix as one of the absolute best Electronic tracks. I still mourn the fact Electronic turned into this masturbatory Real Rock Band thing.
@etienne: Love love love the breakdown mix. Used to work in the audio department of a ‘west end’ department store and blast this out daily [And then when I go to stores they play Justin Bieber :( ]
@DominoDancing: Love the ominous mood of the verses and the way it changes back to the original key at the end of the "I can never think of anyone but you" line. Good album track, but could have been cut by a good minute at least. [Maybe don't listen to the Breakdown mix.]
@Bleu Noir: a little pedestrian
@Future Lover: This has grown on me quite a lot, but I'd still call it "filler". [@Filler did not comment on this one.]
@One Stop Candy Shop: It sounds a bit like a b-side, which really isn't an insult in PSB-world.
@Mikey1701: I love this. Bop. We’ve all gone through the pain of loving somebody but not having our feelings returned, haven’t we? If I had to choose, I would probably say I prefer Johnny Marr’s 1993 Mix from the Can You Forgive Her? Single release, but I’m still down to get my life to this. One of the strongest album tracks from Actually.
@Sally_Harper: This is like an early version of Minimal in some parts, but I like Minimal better. [SHADE AGAIN]
@Heaven on Earth: It’s a terrifying feeling when one feels the need to escape, and the way “I want to wake up” is sung over and over lends an atmosphere of claustrophobia that makes this escape even more precarious. It’s a stunning song even if it’s not perfection like “It’s a Sin” and “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” [looks at own scores for "It's A Sin" and "What Have I Done To Deserve This"... let's move on]
@TrendyMüller: This just goes from one highlight to the next and the next and then to another one. Almost an 11!
Official video:
Breakdown mix:
Johnny Marr 1993 remix:
Johnny Marr groove mix: [i.e. dub]
Tomorrow I shall lose three 10s in a row.
The conversation drifts on and he [Neil] mentions that the ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, whom they have met while helping New Order’s Bernard Sumner with his solo LP earlier in the year, declared that their song 'I Want To Wake Up' is his favourite dance record.
'On a par with Chic,' quotes Chris proudly.
'Although,' muses Neil, 'I don’t know that it is a dance record.' He is silent for a moment. 'There were a lot of people dancing to the Smiths at the Lexington Queen,' he says.
'That’s why we left,' Chris reminds him.
27. I Want To Wake Up
8.0166666667
From the album, actually.
Highest score: 10 (@Scoundrel_Days, @etcetera, @TrendyMüller, @Eric Generic, @slurmjunkie, @idratherjack, @etienne, @Sweet Music, @Farnaby)
Lowest score: 2 (@Peer_Gynt10 – who else?)
Chris: I went into the studio on my own and did an entire backing track by myself, which I loved, and handed it over to Neil to write some lyrics.
Neil: I'd written a song on the guitar before I knew Chris, a rocky kind of thing called 'I Heard What You Said'. When I originally wrote it I'd literally just heard 'Love Is Strange' and 'Tainted Love' on the radio – 'Yesterday' got taken out. It's about unrequited love. At the beginning the narrator is really saying, 'I want to wake up from this nightmare of unrequited love' and by the end it has changed to 'I want to wake up with you'. The 'ooo-ooo-ooo's' are a complete New Order rip-off, from 'Everything's Gone Green', I think. At the end of the song I'm doing harmonies for the first time. On this album, everything was trying to be more ambitious than Please. We also mixed a more atmospheric version, without drums, to see what it would sound like, but it was never released.
Ray: I love love love the album version, understand why the 'atmospheric' version has been unreleased and think about the Johnny Marr remix as one of the absolute best Electronic tracks. I still mourn the fact Electronic turned into this masturbatory Real Rock Band thing.
@etienne: Love love love the breakdown mix. Used to work in the audio department of a ‘west end’ department store and blast this out daily [And then when I go to stores they play Justin Bieber :( ]
@DominoDancing: Love the ominous mood of the verses and the way it changes back to the original key at the end of the "I can never think of anyone but you" line. Good album track, but could have been cut by a good minute at least. [Maybe don't listen to the Breakdown mix.]
@Bleu Noir: a little pedestrian
@Future Lover: This has grown on me quite a lot, but I'd still call it "filler". [@Filler did not comment on this one.]
@One Stop Candy Shop: It sounds a bit like a b-side, which really isn't an insult in PSB-world.
@Mikey1701: I love this. Bop. We’ve all gone through the pain of loving somebody but not having our feelings returned, haven’t we? If I had to choose, I would probably say I prefer Johnny Marr’s 1993 Mix from the Can You Forgive Her? Single release, but I’m still down to get my life to this. One of the strongest album tracks from Actually.
@Sally_Harper: This is like an early version of Minimal in some parts, but I like Minimal better. [SHADE AGAIN]
@Heaven on Earth: It’s a terrifying feeling when one feels the need to escape, and the way “I want to wake up” is sung over and over lends an atmosphere of claustrophobia that makes this escape even more precarious. It’s a stunning song even if it’s not perfection like “It’s a Sin” and “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” [looks at own scores for "It's A Sin" and "What Have I Done To Deserve This"... let's move on]
@TrendyMüller: This just goes from one highlight to the next and the next and then to another one. Almost an 11!
Official video:
Breakdown mix:
Johnny Marr 1993 remix:
Johnny Marr groove mix: [i.e. dub]
Tomorrow I shall lose three 10s in a row.
Last edited:
First it couldn't happen here, now I want to wake up from this nightmare. What is this Actually bloodbath?
D
Deleted member 6896
The worst song on Actually has unfortunately not left the building yet.
I love the 1993 remix of IWTWU more than than the album version especially the 'why do you treat me the way you do......' bit, a very fine Denise Johnson moment.
I love the 1993 remix of IWTWU more than than the album version especially the 'why do you treat me the way you do......' bit, a very fine Denise Johnson moment.
While that's part two, I am currently getting my life to "Decadence" which I think is a very unpopular opinion.
They've really been super unlucky with soundtrack songs. "This Must Be The Place", "Decadence", "Beautiful People", "Bright Young Thing" – no wonder they ended up doing their own soundtracks...
They've really been super unlucky with soundtrack songs. "This Must Be The Place", "Decadence", "Beautiful People", "Bright Young Thing" – no wonder they ended up doing their own soundtracks...
I call bullshit on Neil claiming that there was Acid House in name only, when they recorded In My House. This was done during 1988 which was the absolute height of Acid House! Who are you trying to fool, Tennant?
Now, the loss of I Want To Wake Up is quite sad.
The real genius of the album version and its production jumps at you even more, when you listen to the rather somnambul Beakdown mix. It sort of hangs in a half-awake state and never gets out of bed.
The production on the album however, ads those magical pop moment in droves: the reverse echo on „…and love is strange“, the eerie choral sound that seems to run throughout the whole song, the vocal/vocoder samples that are used as rhythm and ambience. This has everything a good pop song needs...well, it probably has too much of it. How else could it be kicked out of the rate at this point, deemed an "album track", while Paninaro and Opportunities remain unscathed?!
Now, the loss of I Want To Wake Up is quite sad.
The real genius of the album version and its production jumps at you even more, when you listen to the rather somnambul Beakdown mix. It sort of hangs in a half-awake state and never gets out of bed.
The production on the album however, ads those magical pop moment in droves: the reverse echo on „…and love is strange“, the eerie choral sound that seems to run throughout the whole song, the vocal/vocoder samples that are used as rhythm and ambience. This has everything a good pop song needs...well, it probably has too much of it. How else could it be kicked out of the rate at this point, deemed an "album track", while Paninaro and Opportunities remain unscathed?!
I Want To Wake Up would have got my 2nd 11, if we'd been allowed one. It was EVERYTHING to me in 1987.
That leather photo is a bit of a joke, isn´t it?
It's definitely one of those "...and you're telling me people did NOT know they're gay?" things.
26.
(Awful taste, some of you.)
Artwork dedicated to @TrendyMüller
26. Why Don't We Live Together?
8.0263888889
One of the greatest album closers of all time, please.
Highest score: 10 (@idratherjack, @etienne, @RaggedTiger, @Mikey1701, @Ray)
Lowest score: 4 (@JakeMagnus)
Neil: It was written in some rented studio about the same time as 'Suburbia', and when we went to New York to remix 'Opportunities' with Ron Dean Miller in Unique studios we were having such a good time that we announced we were going to stay longer and do another track with him. EMI generously agreed to carry on funding us. They were now well up to 100,000 pounds of costs and we hadn't released a record yet. Ron Dean Miller played the guitar. We were being a bit like 'Into The Groove' again.
Chris: Not specifically. We were being New York.
Neil: Ron Dean Miller suggested I change the phrasing of how I sang it.
Chris: It used to be 'why don't we live together now?', but he said 'leace off the "now".' And it was Ron Dean Miller's bassline. And the drums at the beginning are fantastic.
Neil: It sounded much more American. But that version is not the version we released. For the album, we worked on it some more with Stephen Hague. He spent ages reprogramming all the drums for it.
Chris: It's ace. I don't know why it wasn't a single.
Neil: This song is really about settling down, compromise. If you will never find someone who you are totally in love with, who you are intellectually compatible with, physically compatible with, never going to get bored with sexually, is incredibly good-looking – if you're not going to find that person, you're probably going to settle for the person whom you're used to. It's the compromise of reaching middle age.
Ray: This was obviously written before Grindr arrived. I remember reading somewhere that Neil and Chris wanted to tackle adult subjects in their music – because so much pop is 'love to love you baby in da club' – and this is a great example of a middle-aged pop song. Obviously I love everything about it. Some days I like the Ron Dean Miller version better, some – the Stephen Hague one. But in any incarnation this song is brilliant. And especially the thick jam-packed drums.
@Mikey1701: If Two Divided By Zero is one of the best album openers of all time, then Why Don’t We Live Together? is one of the greatest album closers of all time. There is something Madonna’s First Album/Like A Virgin-esque about this that really resonates with me. I’d even go as far as to say that this is my favourite track from the parent album. [For me it's this and "Two Divided By Zero".]
@Jóga: The chorus high pitched vocals do it for me.
@One Stop Candy Shop: This is very "80s movie opening credits soundtrack". It's nice. [Cue in Madonna's reaction to Kevin Costner calling 'In Bed With Madonna' 'nice'.]
@etienne: I never really paid this much attention but it really came alive for me on the Pandemonium tour during the Bobby O / New York segment. Brilliant.
@DominoDancing: While "Heart" might be the track they considered giving to Madonna, I still think this is much closer to something I could hear her doing. It's a good finale to a very good, if frontloaded, debut album. This should have been a single instead of Love Comes Quickly, but I guess they thought releasing a ballad made more commercial sense at that point. [I think this would be Madonna from Like A Prayer onwards, but not in 1986.]
@Bleu Noir: hasn't aged well
@ohnoitisnathan: Another potential single.
@Sally_Harper: The spoken intro bit really reminds me of Blondie’s Forgive and Forget. The rest of it is the first time I’ve thought “you can tell this is an 80s album”, but I can’t work out if I think that’s a good or bad thing. It’s not as good as some of the other tracks but it’ll do.
@Heaven on Earth: Have you ever fallen in love with someone who didn’t reciprocate your feelings? Of course, you have. Of course, I’ve never pled with anyone, because it’s pathetic to. These guys don’t care. “I may not always love you/You may not care” reveals their self-awareness and their noncaring attitude. Is lust really that powerful of an emotion to risk oneself into what may not be a fulfilling relationship that’s supposed to be based on love? Is sex really that powerful a reward? Surely, those of us who’ve transgressed somewhat and have gained enough wisdom of life know the unimportance and the importance of such human emotions, but we are all human. We’re all cursed until the curse is broken. And the witch that cursed all of us must’ve been a powerful being, because it practically blinds us to such obviousness. [I think "I may not always love you/you may not care" is a great, great description of a long-term relationship/marriage. Passion doesn't last forever. You start at the point when everything your other half is doing is great – nobody farts so gorgeously! – and you get to the point where sometimes they piss you off by existing in your presence. And that's OK if you are willing to settle. Some people are, some people aren't. I have a friend who keeps on saying he wants to settle, but every time someone's up for it, my friend runs away screaming. He's still stuck on 'I Want A Lover' and not quite ready for 'Why Don't We Live Together?' yet.]
@TrendyMüller: This is pretty great and a bit of an underestimated treat. The Italo influences are strong with this one. I can totally hear Hot Chip doing this.
New York/Ron Dean Miller version:
Live 2009:
Glastonbury 2010:
(Awful taste, some of you.)
hasn't aged well
one of the greatest album closers of all time
one of the greatest album closers of all time
Artwork dedicated to @TrendyMüller
26. Why Don't We Live Together?
8.0263888889
One of the greatest album closers of all time, please.
Highest score: 10 (@idratherjack, @etienne, @RaggedTiger, @Mikey1701, @Ray)
Lowest score: 4 (@JakeMagnus)
Neil: It was written in some rented studio about the same time as 'Suburbia', and when we went to New York to remix 'Opportunities' with Ron Dean Miller in Unique studios we were having such a good time that we announced we were going to stay longer and do another track with him. EMI generously agreed to carry on funding us. They were now well up to 100,000 pounds of costs and we hadn't released a record yet. Ron Dean Miller played the guitar. We were being a bit like 'Into The Groove' again.
Chris: Not specifically. We were being New York.
Neil: Ron Dean Miller suggested I change the phrasing of how I sang it.
Chris: It used to be 'why don't we live together now?', but he said 'leace off the "now".' And it was Ron Dean Miller's bassline. And the drums at the beginning are fantastic.
Neil: It sounded much more American. But that version is not the version we released. For the album, we worked on it some more with Stephen Hague. He spent ages reprogramming all the drums for it.
Chris: It's ace. I don't know why it wasn't a single.
Neil: This song is really about settling down, compromise. If you will never find someone who you are totally in love with, who you are intellectually compatible with, physically compatible with, never going to get bored with sexually, is incredibly good-looking – if you're not going to find that person, you're probably going to settle for the person whom you're used to. It's the compromise of reaching middle age.
Ray: This was obviously written before Grindr arrived. I remember reading somewhere that Neil and Chris wanted to tackle adult subjects in their music – because so much pop is 'love to love you baby in da club' – and this is a great example of a middle-aged pop song. Obviously I love everything about it. Some days I like the Ron Dean Miller version better, some – the Stephen Hague one. But in any incarnation this song is brilliant. And especially the thick jam-packed drums.
@Mikey1701: If Two Divided By Zero is one of the best album openers of all time, then Why Don’t We Live Together? is one of the greatest album closers of all time. There is something Madonna’s First Album/Like A Virgin-esque about this that really resonates with me. I’d even go as far as to say that this is my favourite track from the parent album. [For me it's this and "Two Divided By Zero".]
@Jóga: The chorus high pitched vocals do it for me.
@One Stop Candy Shop: This is very "80s movie opening credits soundtrack". It's nice. [Cue in Madonna's reaction to Kevin Costner calling 'In Bed With Madonna' 'nice'.]
@etienne: I never really paid this much attention but it really came alive for me on the Pandemonium tour during the Bobby O / New York segment. Brilliant.
@DominoDancing: While "Heart" might be the track they considered giving to Madonna, I still think this is much closer to something I could hear her doing. It's a good finale to a very good, if frontloaded, debut album. This should have been a single instead of Love Comes Quickly, but I guess they thought releasing a ballad made more commercial sense at that point. [I think this would be Madonna from Like A Prayer onwards, but not in 1986.]
@Bleu Noir: hasn't aged well
@ohnoitisnathan: Another potential single.
@Sally_Harper: The spoken intro bit really reminds me of Blondie’s Forgive and Forget. The rest of it is the first time I’ve thought “you can tell this is an 80s album”, but I can’t work out if I think that’s a good or bad thing. It’s not as good as some of the other tracks but it’ll do.
@Heaven on Earth: Have you ever fallen in love with someone who didn’t reciprocate your feelings? Of course, you have. Of course, I’ve never pled with anyone, because it’s pathetic to. These guys don’t care. “I may not always love you/You may not care” reveals their self-awareness and their noncaring attitude. Is lust really that powerful of an emotion to risk oneself into what may not be a fulfilling relationship that’s supposed to be based on love? Is sex really that powerful a reward? Surely, those of us who’ve transgressed somewhat and have gained enough wisdom of life know the unimportance and the importance of such human emotions, but we are all human. We’re all cursed until the curse is broken. And the witch that cursed all of us must’ve been a powerful being, because it practically blinds us to such obviousness. [I think "I may not always love you/you may not care" is a great, great description of a long-term relationship/marriage. Passion doesn't last forever. You start at the point when everything your other half is doing is great – nobody farts so gorgeously! – and you get to the point where sometimes they piss you off by existing in your presence. And that's OK if you are willing to settle. Some people are, some people aren't. I have a friend who keeps on saying he wants to settle, but every time someone's up for it, my friend runs away screaming. He's still stuck on 'I Want A Lover' and not quite ready for 'Why Don't We Live Together?' yet.]
@TrendyMüller: This is pretty great and a bit of an underestimated treat. The Italo influences are strong with this one. I can totally hear Hot Chip doing this.
New York/Ron Dean Miller version:
Live 2009:
Glastonbury 2010:
I feel I should like this more than I do. Is it the fact it's at the end of the album? Maybe.
Totally agree about the heavy Madonna vibes...you could hear it not sounding out of place on Like A Virgin.
Totally agree about the heavy Madonna vibes...you could hear it not sounding out of place on Like A Virgin.