The Pet Shop Boys in the 1980s
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Pet Shop Boys: The Eighties Revisited
Although they continue to record successfully today, the Pet Shop Boys songs of the 1980s were among the best material the duo produced.
Full of great melodies, instant hooks as well as clever and thoughtful lyrics, their hit tracks of the period stand up today as well as they did back in the 80s. The pair also had the knack of creating the most memorable music videos of the decade, each one seemingly better than the last.
While several critics state that The Pet Shop Boys cater or speak to a certain core audience, I believe that their lyrics impact listeners from all walks of life. I have enjoyed listening to their songs for many years now, and I don't fall into that supposed music demographic.
I just like a good song when I hear one, and this duo have recorded many that fit into that category. So, let's travel back to the Eighties and relive great synthpop from one of the UK's finest, The Pet Shop Boys.
Image: by Beaucoupkevin [CC-BY-SA-2.5], from Wikimedia Commons
Full of great melodies, instant hooks as well as clever and thoughtful lyrics, their hit tracks of the period stand up today as well as they did back in the 80s. The pair also had the knack of creating the most memorable music videos of the decade, each one seemingly better than the last.
While several critics state that The Pet Shop Boys cater or speak to a certain core audience, I believe that their lyrics impact listeners from all walks of life. I have enjoyed listening to their songs for many years now, and I don't fall into that supposed music demographic.
I just like a good song when I hear one, and this duo have recorded many that fit into that category. So, let's travel back to the Eighties and relive great synthpop from one of the UK's finest, The Pet Shop Boys.
Image: by Beaucoupkevin [CC-BY-SA-2.5], from Wikimedia Commons
Pet Shop Boys: Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe
tennant psb by Natanael Amenabar
The Pet Shop Boys were formed around 1981 by singer Neil Tennant and keyboard player, Chris Lowe. However, it would not be until late 1985 that the duo would enjoy success with the release and re-recording of its first song West End Girls. Since then, the partnership has gone onto register over twenty Top 10 hits in the UK alone, many of them also hugely successful overseas.
In fact, The Pet Shop Boys have become the most successful duo in British rock music, securing more hit singles than any other. Critically acclaimed, the pair have been nominated for several Grammy Awards and in 2009, they were given a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
Pet Shop Boys: 1985-1986
. The album introduced the public to the duo's stylized and synthesized form of Europop dance music. Generally well received by critics, the recording has since sold in excess of three million copies, entering both the UK and US Top 10 following its initial release.Please contained four hit singles, which can be enjoyed below, along with One More Chance. They are:
West End Girls
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
Love Comes Quickly
Suburbia
Pet Shop Boys by gonzalovalenzuela on Flickr
Pet Shop Boys: Please
Released: March 1986
The Pet Shop Boys' first album, Please, has been digitally remastered and now includes remixes of the original tracks, as well as remixed B-Sides from the early singles.
Listen to excerpts from it here.
It is also available in CD format
.
Listen to excerpts from it here.
It is also available in CD format
. 
Pet Shop Boys: 1987
A brand new album from The Pet Shop Boys appeared in 1987. This one was called Actually
, continuing the duo's obsession with releasing albums with one word titles.Again the music from the boys received great critical acclaim, and the recording was soon climbing the charts worldwide. In the UK it settled at Number 2, while across the Atlantic in the US, it brokered the Top 30 at Number 25.
Quite possibly my favourite album from The Pet Shop Boys, it contains four magnificent hit singles, all of which can be heard below:
It's A Sin
What Have I Done To Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield)
Rent
Heart
During this period, another highly successful song was released, the excellent cover version of the Willie Nelson/Elvis Presley hit, Always On My Mind, although this was not included on this album.
tennant psb by Natanael Amenabar
Pet Shop Boys: Actually
Released: September 1987
All of The Pet Shop Boys' earlier albums have now been remastered and the sound quality is superb. Actually has benefitted from this process and you can enjoy the tracks more clearly than ever.
Listen to excerpts of the additional remixes and original tracks here.
As always, Actually can be purchased by way of CD format
.
Listen to excerpts of the additional remixes and original tracks here.
As always, Actually can be purchased by way of CD format
.
Pet Shop Boys: 1988-1989
. This release was notable for its inclusion of more instruments than the pair's previous outings. Instead of just their synthesized sound, many of the tracks included the use of an orchestral backing, giving them a richer quality than had been previously heard.Once again, the album was an astounding success, giving the boys a third Top 3 placing in the UK and another Top 40 entry in the US.
This one also included four of The Pet Shop Boys' biggest hit singles:
Always On My Mind
Domino Dancing
Left To My Own Devices
It's Alright
Image: Mark Farrow @ 3a & Pet Shop Boys (Original album) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Pet Shop Boys: Introspective
Released: October 1988
The Pet Shop Boys final album of the 1980s, Introspective
, has also been remastered and includes demos, remixes and alternative recordings of their hits during this period.
Experience the clarity of this remastering here by sampling excerpts of the tracks from this hit album.
, has also been remastered and includes demos, remixes and alternative recordings of their hits during this period.Experience the clarity of this remastering here by sampling excerpts of the tracks from this hit album.
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The Latest Pet Shop Boys Headlines
Pet Shop Boys in the News
- The best No 1 records: Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
- The Pet Shop Boys also understood the shock of older details: a 30-year-old in an overcoat delivering spoken-word statements about a city, and an opening line ("Sometimes you're better off dead") like a gambit from a Raymond Chandler thriller.
- Posted On Sunday, June 03, 2012 at 08:49:10 AM
- He has had his share of glory days doing production work for Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys and being the editor for a well-known music magazine, but give him charge of the decks, the DJ in him won't stop pumping the tunes. Your diarist thought Dave ...
- Diamond Jubilee and high tea with Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain
- No wonder, Britons dream about her, as the Pet Shop Boys sing. Apparently there is a survey ? often referred to but that I have never actually seen ? that says the most common dream Britons have is of taking tea with the Queen.
- Edinburgh paper celebrates Scottish Cup final with Go West 'parody'
- That something special has turned out to be a video pastiche of the disco hit Go West by the Pet Shop Boys (and before them, the Village People). In the capable hands of the Evening News staff it has become "Go East" by "the Paper Shop Boys", ...
Who's Tweeting About the Pet Shop Boys?
The Pet Shop Boys on Twitter
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About This Pet Shop Boys Fan
With each article, Richard invites you to step into his world of music, television and entertainment. He will introduce you to The Top 10 Albums in the UK, share The 20 Scariest Film Scores Ever? and even give you an up close look at some classical actors like Christopher Lee as Dracula.
For a complete list of Richard's articles on Squidoo, please visit Waxing-Lyrical on Squidoo.
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What Do You Think of the Pet Shop Boys?
Your Comments Are Welcomed!
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jasminewok
May 13, 2012 @ 8:31 am | delete
- they are squidoo
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AlexTedford
May 10, 2012 @ 8:04 pm | delete
- Cool lens :-)
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GiftsBonanza
Apr 23, 2012 @ 7:29 pm | delete
- Now I feel like dusting off their records - thanks :)
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sockii
Apr 23, 2012 @ 2:41 pm | delete
- I really love the Pet Shop Boys and have since the 80s. I actually think one of their more recent releases, "Yes", is one of their finest. Great to see a band keep going after all of these years and still being so creative.
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PaulOnBooks
Apr 23, 2012 @ 1:12 pm | delete
- Well put together tribute to the Pet Shop Boys
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- Load More
by Waxing-Lyrical
The Pet Shop Boys' songs from the 1980s were among my favourites from that decade.
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Pet Shop Boys: Pop Art
PopArt: The Hits
Amazon Price: $15.99 (as of 06/03/2012)
Pop Art brings together all of the Pet Shop Boys most well known and popular tracks to one collection. If you missed some of these songs over the years or want to update to clear digital sound, then this is the album for you.
More 1980s Music
