Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in a hi-fi shop in Chelsea in 1981. Tennant had bought a Korg synthesizer and the pair bonded over their shared love of electro-pop singles like ‘Souvenir’ by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and ‘Bedsitter’ by Soft Cell. The pair formed Pet Shop Boys, named after some friends who worked in a pet shop. Tennant’s an excellent vocalist, able to switch between a deadpan speaking voice and a gorgeous pure tenor.
As the duo’s profile grew, Tennant quit his day job as the deputy editor of Smash Hits magazine. The pair’s first single for Parlophone, ‘West End Girls’, was a number-one hit in the UK and the USA. The duo were wildly successful over the second half of the 1980s, enjoying four UK #1 singles. Even as the hits became smaller, the duo’s music continued to develop into the new decade – 1990’s Behaviour is often regarded as their best record.
The pair have continued to make music together, but this list is entirely drawn from their peak years between 1985 and 1993. The duo have some excellent deep cuts (‘King’s Cross’!) and b-sides (‘Paninaro’!), but this list entirely consists of singles. Apologies to ‘Heart’, the UK #1 hit I wasn’t able to squeeze onto this list.
10 Best Pet Shop Boys Songs
#10 Always On My Mind
single, 1987, later included on Introspective, 1988 In 1987, the Pet Shop Boys appeared on Love Me Tender, a TV special marking the 10th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. Lowe and Tennant’s performance of ‘Always On My Mind’ was so well-received that they recorded a studio version and released it as a single. The ballad was written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, and was first recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972.
#9 It’s A Sin
from Actually, 1987 The Pet Shop Boys presaged their second album with the provocative ‘It’s a Sin’. Neil Tennant wrote the song about his time in a Catholic school in Newcastle-on-Tyne. Impresario Jonathan King accused the duo of ripping off Cat Stevens’ ‘Wild World’ – he recorded ‘Wild World’ in a Pet Shop Boys-style arrangement to prove his point. King’s single flopped and the Pet Shop Boys sued him – they donated their proceeds to charity.
‘It’s a Sin’, at its heart, is a heavy metal record,” Tennant said. “There is a huge link between hi-NRG music and heavy metal: the urgency, the chords, the slightly histrionic melody.
from Very, 1993 The Pet Shop Boys launched the publicity campaign for their fifth album with the lead single ‘Can You Forgive Her?’. After the sedate and accomplished Behaviour, they’re more frivolous and energetic here. The title’s derived from a 19th-century Anthony Trollope novel, while the lyrics are some of Tennant’s most witty. “You drift into the strangest dreams/Of youthful follies and changing teams.”
#7 Being Boring
from Behaviour, 1990 ‘Being Boring’ was written about Tennant’s childhood friend Christopher Dowell. They both moved to London in the 1980s, but their lives took wildly different turns; Tennant became a pop star, while Dowell died young from AIDS. It wasn’t very successful on the charts but has become one of the duo’s best-loved songs. They initially didn’t include it on their setlists on the Behaviour tour but added it after pressure from fans.
During our tour in 1991, when we performed in L.A., our manager told us Axl Rose, the lead singer of Guns N’ Roses, was outside our dressing room. When Axl came in, he said, “Man, why didn’t you play ‘Boring’?”
Neil Tennant
#6 Love Comes Quickly
from Please, 1986 The Pet Shop Boys’ second single from their debut Please was the first song that Tennant and Lowe ever wrote together. The lyrics aren’t as cutting as much of Tennant’s work – it’s a musing about the inevitability of love. But the melody and vocal are irresistibly gorgeous – there’s a terrific synth bass line driving the song. Roxy Music’s Andy Mackay adds saxophone to the song’s conclusion.
#5 Where The Streets Have No Name/Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You
non-album single, 1991 The Pet Shop Boys enjoyed a #4 hit with their incongruous pairing of U2’s ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’ and Frankie Valli’s ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’. The Pet Shop Boys wanted to turn “a mythic rock song into a stomping disco record”. U2’s response to the campy reimagining of their song was a witty statement that read “what have we done to deserve this?”
#4 Liberation
from Very, 1993 ‘Liberation’ was the least successful single from Very. It’s gorgeous, however, adding strings to a lush ballad. Like ‘Love Comes Quickly’, it’s Tennant’s gorgeous voice navigating a lovely melody. The melody recalls ‘Suburbia’, a single from Please. The song was accompanied by a virtual reality video, which toured the UK in a booth.
#3 West End Girls
from Please, 1986 The Pet Shop Boys’ debut single has remained their signature song. They released a 1984 version, recorded with US producer Bobby Orlando, as their very first single. Orlando envisaged the song as a rap record with a British accent – the song was a club hit. The duo severed ties with Orlando and re-recorded ‘West End Girls’ with Stephen Hague. The final version is slower and more sophisticated. The portrait of London’s nightlife rightfully became a huge hit, topping the charts in the UK and the US.
#2 Domino Dancing
from Introspective, 1988 The lead single from Introspective, ‘Domino Dancing’ marked the end of the duo’s UK single chart dominance. It entered the chart at #9 – Tennant later said “I knew then that our imperial phase of number one hits was over.” ‘Domino Dancing’ adds Latin pop to the duo’s sound, and it works beautifully – the brass and piano add layers to the duo’s well-crafted pop.
#1 What Have I Done To Deserve This?
from Actually, 1987 ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ was written in 1984, with American songwriter Allee Willis – Willis’ other writing credits include the Earth, Wind & Fire classic ‘September’. The group couldn’t find a suitable female singer for the duet. Tennant’s favourite LP was Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis, but Springfield declined. She changed her mind after hearing ‘West End Girls’ on the radio and offered her services. The success of the song reignited Springfield’s faded career – she hadn’t enjoyed a top 40 hit in the UK since 1970. The contrast between Tennant’s deadpan and Springfield’s soaring and husky vocals is magical.
Graham Fyfe is probably the only music blogger to appreciate Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande. Aphoristic Album Reviews features reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.
28 Comments
They were true pioneers of electo pop whatever you call it the minute I hear one of their tunes I automatically think of the 80s and getting to know more genres of music.
I bought the Discography compilation in my early twenties, mainly because I always was fascinated West End Girls. It was pretty key for expanding my horizons away from just classic rock.
I admit that I was never a big fan of the Pet Shop Boys but I will give them credit where due. They were better than most of the other synth pop bands around at the time.
Much the same I would not buy their albums or go to a show of theirs but I would also not run over to the radio to turn them off either.
But were they as good as Ultravox?
I think their songs hold up really well. Early 1980s synth-pop sometimes sounds tinny and thin to me, but they had lush and detailed arrangments.
I don’t know if they were as good as Ultravox. I’m never delved into either band.
I remember you having an ex who was big on Ultravox.
My ex wife was an Ultravox fan. She hated it when Joe Dolce kept their hit “Vienna” off the number one spot.
I liked the Pet Shop Boys back in the ’80s. While nowadays I’m generally not particularly fond of synth pop, I cannot ignore the fact that their songs were very catchy and done pretty well!
I tend to think that any band that enjoys prolonged success has something to offer – they were huge for a while in the 1980s. Do you like their Elvis cover?
That’s a fair statement, Graham. I’m generally not a fan of reinterpreting a well-known tune like “Always On My Mind” by putting a dance groove to it. I also didn’t like Bananarama’s version of “Venus”. At the same time, I recognize modernizewd renditions can breathe new life into songs that may have been forgotten.
I like Tennant’s vocal on it – I feel like he’s a bit undervalued as a singer sometimes.
My favorite song by them is Home and Dry (Ambient Mix). It’s what I imagine it would sound like if Brian Eno ever produced a Rufus Wainwright record. Gorgeous, poignant, and haunting.
Cool, I just took a listen now. My list is less well-informed than usual – I got to Bilingual, decided it was a step down from before and stopped. They have so many killer early singles that it’s hard to fit anything else.
I’ve got three favourites that didn’t make your list: In Denial, Legacy and You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You’re Drunk.
Yeah, you obviously know their discography much better than I do – I stopped at Bilingual.
I’m with you on the #1 – though Go West was my intro to the group, it will always have a place on such lists for me!
Growing up in the Church, Go West is funny because it has exactly the same melody as a popular 1970s worship song named ‘Give Thanks’. ‘Give Thanks’ was copyrighted first, but didn’t become popular until the mid-1980s, so it seems they were both developed without one ripping off the other.
And that’s good they can co-exist without lawsuits and such!
I have to admit….I only know two songs. West End Girls that I actually liked in the 80s and What Have I Done To Deserve This?. I need to go over their catalog.
Those are two of the best ones. I reckon their records hold up really well. Some early synth-pop sounds pretty tinny, but their records sound lush and Tennant is a good vocalist.
West End Girls would be good in any version…it’s a strong song.
good stuff great picks!
Thanks for reading!
I somehow missed seeing this post earlier. I LOVE the Pet Shop Boys, who were among my favorite acts during the years 1986-88. “West End Girls” is one of my top 10 all-time favorite songs, with “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” not far behind. I love their version of “Always On My Mind” too.
I didn’t catch up with them until more than a decade later – I was a bit young for them at the time. I only knew West End Girls when I bought the Discography compilation, but it’s just stacked with classics.
West End Girls is my fav Pet Shop Boys song. Today it still sounds as good as it did when it came out in 1986.
Yeah, it’s pretty amazing for a first single, and it encapsulates them neatly. You could easily argue they never topped it.
Graham Fyfe is probably the only music blogger to appreciate Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande. Aphoristic Album Reviews features reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.
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They were true pioneers of electo pop whatever you call it the minute I hear one of their tunes I automatically think of the 80s and getting to know more genres of music.
I bought the Discography compilation in my early twenties, mainly because I always was fascinated West End Girls. It was pretty key for expanding my horizons away from just classic rock.
I admit that I was never a big fan of the Pet Shop Boys but I will give them credit where due. They were better than most of the other synth pop bands around at the time.
Much the same I would not buy their albums or go to a show of theirs but I would also not run over to the radio to turn them off either.
But were they as good as Ultravox?
I think their songs hold up really well. Early 1980s synth-pop sometimes sounds tinny and thin to me, but they had lush and detailed arrangments.
I don’t know if they were as good as Ultravox. I’m never delved into either band.
I remember you having an ex who was big on Ultravox.
My ex wife was an Ultravox fan. She hated it when Joe Dolce kept their hit “Vienna” off the number one spot.
I liked the Pet Shop Boys back in the ’80s. While nowadays I’m generally not particularly fond of synth pop, I cannot ignore the fact that their songs were very catchy and done pretty well!
I tend to think that any band that enjoys prolonged success has something to offer – they were huge for a while in the 1980s. Do you like their Elvis cover?
That’s a fair statement, Graham. I’m generally not a fan of reinterpreting a well-known tune like “Always On My Mind” by putting a dance groove to it. I also didn’t like Bananarama’s version of “Venus”. At the same time, I recognize modernizewd renditions can breathe new life into songs that may have been forgotten.
I like Tennant’s vocal on it – I feel like he’s a bit undervalued as a singer sometimes.
My favorite song by them is Home and Dry (Ambient Mix). It’s what I imagine it would sound like if Brian Eno ever produced a Rufus Wainwright record. Gorgeous, poignant, and haunting.
Cool, I just took a listen now. My list is less well-informed than usual – I got to Bilingual, decided it was a step down from before and stopped. They have so many killer early singles that it’s hard to fit anything else.
I’ve got three favourites that didn’t make your list: In Denial, Legacy and You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You’re Drunk.
Yeah, you obviously know their discography much better than I do – I stopped at Bilingual.
I’m with you on the #1 – though Go West was my intro to the group, it will always have a place on such lists for me!
Growing up in the Church, Go West is funny because it has exactly the same melody as a popular 1970s worship song named ‘Give Thanks’. ‘Give Thanks’ was copyrighted first, but didn’t become popular until the mid-1980s, so it seems they were both developed without one ripping off the other.
And that’s good they can co-exist without lawsuits and such!
I have to admit….I only know two songs. West End Girls that I actually liked in the 80s and What Have I Done To Deserve This?. I need to go over their catalog.
Those are two of the best ones. I reckon their records hold up really well. Some early synth-pop sounds pretty tinny, but their records sound lush and Tennant is a good vocalist.
West End Girls would be good in any version…it’s a strong song.
good stuff great picks!
Thanks for reading!
I somehow missed seeing this post earlier. I LOVE the Pet Shop Boys, who were among my favorite acts during the years 1986-88. “West End Girls” is one of my top 10 all-time favorite songs, with “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” not far behind. I love their version of “Always On My Mind” too.
I didn’t catch up with them until more than a decade later – I was a bit young for them at the time. I only knew West End Girls when I bought the Discography compilation, but it’s just stacked with classics.
West End Girls is my fav Pet Shop Boys song. Today it still sounds as good as it did when it came out in 1986.
Yeah, it’s pretty amazing for a first single, and it encapsulates them neatly. You could easily argue they never topped it.