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Rating: The world of b-sides is fascinating and captivating in certain ways. On the occasion of the release of "Alternative" (1995), their first thematic collection, Neil Tennant, the seasoned leader of the Pet Shop Boys, said: "B-sides allow you to be creative. No rules to follow, no need to sound radio-friendly, the possibility to experiment and broaden the catalog." It's true. And, just to say, credit must be given to the London duo for never holding back in this regard. With the advent of the CD format and, subsequently, digital downloads, Neil and Chris produced an average of two to three b-sides per single. Even in the '80s, their enthusiasm led them to create maxi 45s just to make room for more "lati b" (b-sides).
This anthology 1985/95 is varied, and it brings to the surface passions, obsessions, historical memory, and facets of the duo that otherwise would not have emerged. It's not uncommon for fans to recognize the b-side with more credit than the reference a-side. When the promo of "So Hard" (1990) was sent to London radios, more than one DJ thought the track to promote was the b-side, "It Must Be Obvious," simply because it was more beautiful and complex. It's a matter of taste, but it's not the only case: "You Know Where You Went Wrong," on whose intro producer Shep Pettibone later worked for "Vogue" by Madonna, is of another level compared to the pathetic and sentimental "It's A Sin"; "Miserablism," a cult for many fans, would have certainly sold more than the a-side, the cute "Was It Worth it?"
Let's move on to other noteworthy episodes. "In The Night," musically modest but certainly more appreciated today than its host, the first incarnation of "Opportunities - Let's Make A Lot Of Money," which peeked at #116 on the charts, tells us about the Zazou, carefree jazz musicians playing in Paris during the German occupation; "Paninaro," placed as the first "b" side of "Suburbia," is a detailed homage to the fashion that exploded in Italy in the mid-'80s, which struck Lowe so much that he composed a rap text, entrusting Neil with the classic chorus "Paninaro! O-o-o-o," complete with a promotional clip shot in Milan; "Jack The Lad" (Neil: "'Suburbia' had two b-sides. Mine, this one, and Chris's, 'Paninaro'") takes us back to the traces of Lawrence of Arabia, carried on a sweet, catchy, and moderate melody: it certainly deserved more visibility. "Do I Have To" ("Always On My Mind") is a little gem, appreciated by Neil so much that he proposed performing it live during the tour of the album "Yes" (2009). "One Of The Crowd" ("It's All Right") sees Chris mumbling again on the lyrics: "I want to be one of many, I want to be trendy" on an acidic base. From the same single, Neil has, not surprisingly, his b-side, "Your Funny Uncle," a sweet farewell recounting the procession of a friend's funeral.
"Losing My Mind" ("Jealousy") was created for Liza Minelli, for the album "Results" (1989) produced by the PSB themselves, but Liza rightly wanted to cut the initial laughter (having full solidarity from the writer here) for a track that might make some jester think of "E penso a te."
Once, a taxi driver recognized Neil. "You're in the Pet Shop Boys, right?" "Yes..." "You know what my favorite song is?" "I guess 'West End Girls'...?" "No, 'Hey Headmaster'" "Uh, strange choice!" This is the story linked to the b-side of "Can You Forgive Her?," a finely crafted song but honestly without any pretensions. "Shameless" and "Too Many People," on the other hand, were produced from the matrix of their respective a-sides, "Go West" and "Can You Forgive Her?," and the result is appreciable. "Shameless" is deeply loved by the duo, which didn't include it in the reference album ("Very" - 1993) due to its bold title and some moments: "We're shameless, we're ready to crawl."
Interesting and worth listening to are the instrumental and house-tinged "Euroboy" and "Some Speculation," both extracted from "Yesterday, When I Was Mad." Credible and listenable, the PSB, even when Neil whispers irritably and sings to his loved one in the very refined "Decadence" ("Liberation") or when they cover Noel Coward in "If Love Were All" ("Yesterday, When I Was Mad"). The tone drops, however, when there is excessive experimentation for its own sake; see for yourself "The Sound Of The Atom Splitting" ("Left On My Own Devices"), also played during the intermission of the "Introspective" tour (1988).
The intriguing aspect of this double CD is that someone who only marginally knows the group might ultimately prefer this, let's call it, "alternative collection" to an anthology strictly tied to the hits. This is because the tracks are less commercial, maybe less accessible, but better defined and crafted. Yet still faithful to the line: that's why I doubt that someone who detests the group would end up appreciating it in the presence of "Alternative."
On the other hand, for those who follow (albeit with a distracted eye) the band's evolution and appreciate its stages and maturation, it's certainly a must.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
06 Jack the Lad (04:31)
(Tennant/Lowe)
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Ooooooh oooooh
Lawrence in the desert, how was he to know
Under so much pressure from the men back home?
Play with fire, you must be mad
Are you only Jack the Lad?
Play with guns, you must be bad
Or hiding something, Jack!
Telling lies in public, breaking codes at home
Underneath the blankets, for another role
Tell these lies, you must be mad
Are you only Jack the Lad?
To feast with panthers every night
You must be careful, Jack!
Don't let them try to restrain you
This is your only religion
Don't let them try to detain you
You're not the only fool
We all fall, even Jack the Lad
We all fall, even Jack the Lad
Will fall
Philby in the desert
looking for a phone
Waiting on the pavement
for a call from home
Play with fire, you must be mad
Are you only Jack the Lad?
Turn your back on friends you had
They must have hurt you, Jack!
Don't let them try to restrain you
This is your only religion
Don't let them try to detain you
You're not the only fool
We all fall, even Jack the Lad
We all fall, even Jack the Lad
Don't let them try to restrain you
This is your only religion
Don't let them try to detain you
You're not the only fool
We all fall, even Jack the Lad
We all fall, even Jack the Lad
Will fall...
09 I Want a Dog (04:58)
I want a dog, a Chihuahua
When I get back to my small flat
I want to hear somebody bark
Oh, you can get lonely
I want a dog
Don't want a cat
scratching its claws all over my habitat
giving no love and getting fat
Oh, you can get lonely
and a cat's no help with that
Bulldog, hound and pug and labrador
Collie, retriever and Doberman pincher
Husky, Dalmatian, Saint Bernard und Dachshund
Mongrel, beagle, Cocker spaniel
I want a dog
to walk in the park
When it gets dark
my dog will bark at any passers-by
Oh, you can get lonely
I want a dog
I want a dog, a Chihuahua
When I get back to my small flat
I want to hear somebody bark
Oh, you can get lonely
11 I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too) (04:54)
(Tennant/Lowe)
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(Excited)
(Excited)
(Excited Excited Excited Excited)
(Excited Excited Excited Excited)
(I get excited)
(I get excited)
We're both in the gutter, that's no surprise
What does it matter, when I look in your eyes?
We've lost all our money, we're thrown out of bars
We're lying in the gutter, but we're looking at the stars
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I hear the sound of the subway, the sigh of the heat
The click of the visitors' heels on the street
The rattle of the taxi, the scream of the cars
The clatter of the dustbin and the beat of my heart
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why
(Excited Excited Excited Excited)
(Excited Excited Excited Excited)
You're in my soul
My body moves to your control
Baby, I've been thinking about you
All night long, and the neighbours are talking
I don't know why, I don't know why (Excited) (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why
(Excited) (I get excited)
We're both in the gutter, that's no surprise
What does it matter, when I look in your eyes?
We've lost all our money, we're thrown out of bars
We're lying in the gutter, but we're looking at the stars
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why
(Excited Excited Excited Excited)
(Excited Excited Excited Excited)
(Ooooooooh)
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I get excited, you get excited too (Excited) (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why (I get excited)
I don't know why, I don't know why (I get excited)
I get excited, you get excited too
15 Your Funny Uncle (02:16)
(Tennant/Lowe)
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A windy day
The cars in slow formation
Not far away
A final destination
One mother's son
His father's distant gaze, regretting
Where they went wrong
He always found it too upsetting
Me and my friend
We lived our lives completely
From start to end
You and your friend, so sweetly
With strength and pride
In spite of everything, and swimming
Against the tide
To obstinately hope of winning
And at the end
Your funny uncle staring
At all your friends
With military bearing
And stopped to stand
To smile and speak of you directly
Goodbye, shake hands
Like you did everything correctly
To wipe away the tears
No more pain, no fear
No sorrow or dying
No waiting or crying
These former things have passed away
Another life begins today
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