Pet Shop Boys Rate. Part 1: 1985-1991. Winner.
- Thread starter Ray
- Start date
Gone far too soon.
"It's Alright" is a solid 10 from me. The definitive version on "Introspective" is one of the best ways I can think of spending nine and a half minutes.
Listening to it again now, actually - and I'm transported back to 15 year old me doing my paper round, Goodmans imitation walkman clipped to my belt, and dancing up and down people's driveways.
(The 7" mix would have been a 8.5 had I marked it separately. It's too short.)
"It's Alright" is a solid 10 from me. The definitive version on "Introspective" is one of the best ways I can think of spending nine and a half minutes.
Listening to it again now, actually - and I'm transported back to 15 year old me doing my paper round, Goodmans imitation walkman clipped to my belt, and dancing up and down people's driveways.
(The 7" mix would have been a 8.5 had I marked it separately. It's too short.)
Forgot to add - this single was in the top ten when I went to my first ever gig - PSB, Wembley Arena, July 1989.
Naive junior me thought "It's Alright" would move up the chart as the tens of thousands who had attended the gigs would obviously go out and buy the single. Needless to say this didn't happen.
Naive junior me thought "It's Alright" would move up the chart as the tens of thousands who had attended the gigs would obviously go out and buy the single. Needless to say this didn't happen.
@Auntie Beryl – was that the show that's linked in the reveal, by one more any chance?
A friend of mine is all over Somewhere DVD, in the front row, including TWO handshakes from Neil.
A friend of mine is all over Somewhere DVD, in the front row, including TWO handshakes from Neil.
D
Deleted member 47
How Can You Expect is a strange one : when I think of it, I don’t really like it, the chorus seems pale, the whole thing seems beige. But when I’m actually listening to it, I love it. I think the whole beauty of the song is in the little piano notes. And they quickly vanish as the song’s ending, whereas the rest (which is quite pedestrian) stays in the memory... and that’s why I never xant to listen to the song, but when I do, I love it.
It’s Alright : sublime. I remember hardcore and serious fans from both camps (Pet Shop Boys / garage house) despising it at the time, but...
It’s Alright : sublime. I remember hardcore and serious fans from both camps (Pet Shop Boys / garage house) despising it at the time, but...
I love "It's Alright" because I really do believe in music and that we'll leave a footprint. It's more pertinent than ever now. I like the Introspective version but the single version is perfection. A 10 from me.
Am loving this thread - thanks Ray and all.
Shame I didn’t spot it in time to vote :-(
But pleased that my 11 is still in :-)
Re: Behaviour - I’d simply replace “Seriously” with “Miserablism” and then it’s my 10/10 PSB album.
Shame I didn’t spot it in time to vote :-(
But pleased that my 11 is still in :-)
Re: Behaviour - I’d simply replace “Seriously” with “Miserablism” and then it’s my 10/10 PSB album.
Is it... by any chance... "Two Divided By Zero"?
(Don't answer until we get there, more fun!)
The extended dance mix is a bit trying too hard to be HiNRG PSB, which by this time was really way past its prime. I can get why poeple who hold a candle for the Sterling Void (what an amazing name!) original were not too impressed with their version.
The Introspective version pays hommage to the original house roots and ups the "Gospel-Factor", which is absolutely the best thing they could do.
I can hear it on a timeless wavelengths: goosebumps!!!
Oh, the video is a bit U2 by way of Edina Monsoon. "Get me a hundred babies, darling! Black and white and leather jackets!"
The Introspective version pays hommage to the original house roots and ups the "Gospel-Factor", which is absolutely the best thing they could do.
I can hear it on a timeless wavelengths: goosebumps!!!
Oh, the video is a bit U2 by way of Edina Monsoon. "Get me a hundred babies, darling! Black and white and leather jackets!"
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That part (ending a few seconds later with "giving us strength") is indeed great (unfortunately, the only part I really love).
SNORT
Now I am imagining Neil and Chris demanding ourprogrammerpetegleadall to provide them with a selection of Romanian babies to adopt, as Eric "Saffy" Watson is trying to make a music video.
A couple of my 9s have gone in the last few rounds, along with a couple of my lower scorers ... and I notice that even though the averages for these tracks are higher, they seem to get more and more divisive (including some mind boggling ‘2s’) …
22.
average b-side at best
BOP CENTRAL
22. The End Of The World (finally)
8.0986111111
(trivia: #27, "I Want To Wake Up" had 0.08 point smaller average, and I could have TOTALLY fiddled with my scores – do appreciate my integrity)
Album track on Behaviour
Highest score: 10 (@Farnaby, @Jóga, @SmashHitter, @chris4862, @KingBruno, @Sally_Harper)
Lowest score: 3 (@etienne)
Neil: You can hear the influence of Violator on the guitar on this. Hello, 'Enjoy The Silence'. This song was nearly a b-side. [FYI, Neil, this wouldn't fit ANYWHERE on Violator, not even as a b-side – Ray]
Chris: It sounds good now. I think we thought it sounded a bit weak then.
Neil: I don't think my vocal's very good.
Chris: Julian Mendelsohn couldn't relate to how this sounded. He was so used to the Eighties when we had clicky bass drums and thumping big snares, and then of course that all went out the window, to be replaced by squishy little sounds, and Julian couldn't get his head around them – he thought they were crap. This was when house music was still about tunes.
Neil: We originally started this song when we were recording 'I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)' at the beginning of 1988. Originally it was called 'If there was more', and then that idea became 'If There Was Love' on Liza Minnelli's album. [That would probably be my 11 in the Collaborations rate – Ray] In the middle bit there's my second guitar solo on the album. We should have got Johnny to do that, maybe. [...] The girl at the end of the song is hoping the world will end.
Ray: But hey girl at the end of the song, I hope it's gonna be alright, OK? I don't have much to say about this, other than "imagine/total/teen/age/destruction" is an amazing line. I feel they were right to include it, because Behaviour did need a fluffy poppy song as a break between all the seriousness, and I am also glad they didn't release it as a single, because that would be super misleading. Still... it's... nothingy.
You didn't have a lot to say either.
@DominoDancing: Fine, still solid, but both songwriting and production are the least interesting on Behaviour.
@Bleu Noir: average b-side at best
@Mikey1701: Another pleasant discovery. As with most of the songs on the parent that I appreciate, it’s the production and the flourishes that have drawn me in. I’ve seen it compared to Stock Aitken and Watermen, which baffles me because I don’t hear it. Either way, this has become a delightful discovery. [Pleasant is the word I would use, yes.]
@One Stop Candy Shop: Anthem of 'get over it'.
@Future Lover: BOP CENTRAL.
@KingBruno: Love the extensive production.
@ohnoitisnathan: An 8 but seems like a 10 at first compared to some of the previous album tracks. [I kind of feel the opposite.]
@Sally_Harper: I really enjoy this one. Also LISTEN TO THE AMAZING HOME AND DRY-ESQUE GUITAR! [Maybe that's why I don't like it so much. Trauma = triggered.]
@TrendyMüller: I love it, but it sounds a bit rushed and unfinshed. You can hear that the boys were deeply jealous of Depeche Mode´s Violator and the faux guitar and jumpy house groove seems to be their answer. [Completely correct, as evidenced by Neil's comments.]
And a cover version, because there really isn't a lot I could post in addition:
That leaves two tracks I need to go – "Opportunities" and "Suburbia". Unfortunately since there's only one song left before top 20 they can't both leave. Disappointed, once more. Even if they are a tie, they would still count as #20. AWFUL.
Score-wise so far it looks like @DominoDancing is doing best with their ratio of 10s given vs 10s lost (it's easy not to lose a 10 when you gave four of them, @Some People) – ALL of Domino's 10s (and obviously the 11) are still in.
average b-side at best
BOP CENTRAL
22. The End Of The World (finally)
8.0986111111
(trivia: #27, "I Want To Wake Up" had 0.08 point smaller average, and I could have TOTALLY fiddled with my scores – do appreciate my integrity)
Album track on Behaviour
Highest score: 10 (@Farnaby, @Jóga, @SmashHitter, @chris4862, @KingBruno, @Sally_Harper)
Lowest score: 3 (@etienne)
Neil: You can hear the influence of Violator on the guitar on this. Hello, 'Enjoy The Silence'. This song was nearly a b-side. [FYI, Neil, this wouldn't fit ANYWHERE on Violator, not even as a b-side – Ray]
Chris: It sounds good now. I think we thought it sounded a bit weak then.
Neil: I don't think my vocal's very good.
Chris: Julian Mendelsohn couldn't relate to how this sounded. He was so used to the Eighties when we had clicky bass drums and thumping big snares, and then of course that all went out the window, to be replaced by squishy little sounds, and Julian couldn't get his head around them – he thought they were crap. This was when house music was still about tunes.
Neil: We originally started this song when we were recording 'I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)' at the beginning of 1988. Originally it was called 'If there was more', and then that idea became 'If There Was Love' on Liza Minnelli's album. [That would probably be my 11 in the Collaborations rate – Ray] In the middle bit there's my second guitar solo on the album. We should have got Johnny to do that, maybe. [...] The girl at the end of the song is hoping the world will end.
Ray: But hey girl at the end of the song, I hope it's gonna be alright, OK? I don't have much to say about this, other than "imagine/total/teen/age/destruction" is an amazing line. I feel they were right to include it, because Behaviour did need a fluffy poppy song as a break between all the seriousness, and I am also glad they didn't release it as a single, because that would be super misleading. Still... it's... nothingy.
You didn't have a lot to say either.
@DominoDancing: Fine, still solid, but both songwriting and production are the least interesting on Behaviour.
@Bleu Noir: average b-side at best
@Mikey1701: Another pleasant discovery. As with most of the songs on the parent that I appreciate, it’s the production and the flourishes that have drawn me in. I’ve seen it compared to Stock Aitken and Watermen, which baffles me because I don’t hear it. Either way, this has become a delightful discovery. [Pleasant is the word I would use, yes.]
@One Stop Candy Shop: Anthem of 'get over it'.
@Future Lover: BOP CENTRAL.
@KingBruno: Love the extensive production.
@ohnoitisnathan: An 8 but seems like a 10 at first compared to some of the previous album tracks. [I kind of feel the opposite.]
@Sally_Harper: I really enjoy this one. Also LISTEN TO THE AMAZING HOME AND DRY-ESQUE GUITAR! [Maybe that's why I don't like it so much. Trauma = triggered.]
@TrendyMüller: I love it, but it sounds a bit rushed and unfinshed. You can hear that the boys were deeply jealous of Depeche Mode´s Violator and the faux guitar and jumpy house groove seems to be their answer. [Completely correct, as evidenced by Neil's comments.]
And a cover version, because there really isn't a lot I could post in addition:
That leaves two tracks I need to go – "Opportunities" and "Suburbia". Unfortunately since there's only one song left before top 20 they can't both leave. Disappointed, once more. Even if they are a tie, they would still count as #20. AWFUL.
Score-wise so far it looks like @DominoDancing is doing best with their ratio of 10s given vs 10s lost (it's easy not to lose a 10 when you gave four of them, @Some People) – ALL of Domino's 10s (and obviously the 11) are still in.
I will never not be disappointed that this didn't turn out to be a cover of the marvelous Skeeter Davis song.
