Head to head: 18 singles vs 18 singles

[Kris]

01 West End Girls vs Can You Forgive Her
Can You Forgive Her? is great, a classic PSB 90s single. But WEST END GIRLS is quite simply a stunning piece of work and my favourite song of all time.
02 Love Comes Quickly vs Go West
The sublime versus the ridiculous. As big a hit as Go West was, it now defines (wrongly) what PSB are about. When really the public should know them for beautiful love songs like LOVE COMES QUICKLY.
03 Opportunities vs I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
Tough one, this. Opportunities is a classic slice of 80s anti-Thatcherite pop but for me the irresistable I WOULDN'T NORMALLY DO THIS KIND OF THING just shades it, despite losing points for an inferior single version.
04 Suburbia vs Liberation
Another toughie. Liberation is a sublime love song but probably not a single. Whereas SUBURBIA, while not a classic, always sounds great after a long gap.
05 It's A Sin vs Yesterday When I Was Mad
I've actually grown a bit bored of IT'S A SIN. Luckily for the legendary number 1, however, it's up against a pretty mediocre opponent in Yesterday When I Was Mad (although the single version is quite good).
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This vs Paninaro 95
Paninaro is a glorious PSB moment and this 90s update was great too. Unfortunately, it still loses out to one of the best ever duets in pop music, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?
07 Rent vs Before
Poor old Discography 2 isn't having much luck. The underrated clubby classic Before would beat most of its challengers on the other side hands down. Unfortunately not RENT, another timeless heartfelt love song from Tennant and Lowe.
08 Always On My Mind vs Se A Vida E
Neither are particular favourites of mine but ALWAYS ON MY MIND wins it for nostalgia value.
09 Heart vs Single-Bilingual
While the pounding Single-Bilingual gets, in my opinon, an unfair press from fans at times, it still has no chance of beating the sheer beauty and corniness of HEART.
10 Domino Dancing vs A Red Letter Day
The single version of A Red Letter Day was a big improvement on the plodding Bilingual mix but DOMINO DANCING remains a classic PSB disco moment and wins this contest easily.
11 Left To My Own Devices vs Somewhere
Somewhere was a last-ditch attempt to get a number one single and rightly failed, although its orchestral mix was genuinely nice. But for true classic orchestral dance-pop, see LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES.
12 It's Alright vs I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
Even though it's a cover version, IT'S ALRIGHT remains a PSB pop classic. I Don't Know What You Want... is a lovely song but not lovely enough in this battle.
13 So Hard vs New York City Boy
SO HARD sounded great in 1990 but now feels a little flat, despite containing an awesome intro. Lucky for it that it still limps past Go West Part 2, a rare genuinely crap moment in the PSB back catalogue.
14 Being Boring vs You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
As moving as Being Boring is, I've never been able to warm to it quite as much as other PSB songs. So I'll opt for the soaring heartbreak ballad that is DRUNK.
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously vs Home And Dry
It could be argued that Streets preceded Go West on the damaging novelty song front. HOME AND DRY, on the other hand, is a subtle and moving slice of mid-tempo pop.
16 Jealousy vs I Get Along
I Get Along is a decent stab at Beatles-esque pop but loses points for a rash single edit. The sublime doomed love of JEALOUSY therefore wins comfortably.
17 DJ Culture vs Miracles
DJ Culture remains a very underrated PSB single, one that suffered ultimately from being too off-the-wall for its own good. But it still falls short of the warm and beautiful MIRACLES, one of the best PSB singles for ages.
18 Was It Worth It vs Flamboyant
While FLAMBOYANT is slightly overrated, it's a welcome return to hi-NRG and far better than Was It Worth It?, a throwaway pop effort that lacks spark.

I make that 13-5 to Discography 1.

[Desire]

01 Can You Forgive Her
02 Go West
03 I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
04 Suburbia
05 It's A Sin
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Before
08 Always On My Mind
09 Heart
10 Domino Dancing
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 It's Alright
13 New York City Boy
14 You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously
16 I Get Along
17 DJ Culture
18 Was It Worth It


I didn't have a problem with any of these! The only feud I found just a little tough was Dj Culture Vs Miracles!

[Desire]

01 Can You Forgive Her
02 Go West
03 I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
04 Suburbia
05 It's A Sin
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Before
08 Always On My Mind
09 Heart
10 Domino Dancing
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 It's Alright
13 New York City Boy
14 You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously
16 I Get Along
17 DJ Culture
18 Was It Worth It

Mmmm - I like the choices and the order. I think I'll burn a cd with these!

[Shopper]

01 West End Girls - wins by a whisker for bringing PSB to public attention
02 Go West - Responsible for bringing PSB briefly back to the top
03 Opportunities - classssssssic
04 Suburbia - I prefer the original "please" version though
05 It's A Sin - One of the best pop songs ever
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This - PSB best collaboration
07 Rent - fantastic heartleft lyics
08 Always On My Mind - I love SAVE, but Always on my mind is what a true cover version should aim to do..
10 A Red Letter Day - dont like the single version of Domino dancing
11 Left To My Own Devices - my fave song ever
12 It's Alright - Prefer the Album version, but this was poppy and good
13 So Hard - Genius !
14 You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk - Nightlife's finest moment
15 Home And Dry - PSB came back on top lyrical form, after a rather hollow Nightlife
16 Jealousy vs I Get Along - Tie : I am not a fan of both
17 Miracles - Warm and beautiful..
18 Was It Worth It - Cant believe this didnt even go Top 20 ! fab pop song

D1-11/D2-6/Tie-1

[Avalon]

01 West End Girls
02 Love Comes Quickly
03 Opportunities
04 Suburbia
05 It's A Sin
06 Paninaro 95
07 Rent
08 Always On My Mind
09 Heart
10 Domino Dancing
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 It's Alright
13 So Hard
14 You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
15 Where The Streets Have No Name
16 Jealousy
17 DJ Culture
18 Flamboyant

Shocking to see how virtually all my preferences go towards the earlier work. I do like PSB's post-Discography singles a lot (esp. Before, I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more, NYC boy and Can you forgive her?), but in the end I seem to be a child of the 80s, so sorry I said

[Stuckle]

01 Can You Forgive Her
02 Love Comes Quickly
03 I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
04 Liberation
05 Yesterday When I Was Mad
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Before
08 Se A Vida E
09 Heart
10 A Red Letter Day
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
13 So Hard
14 You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously
16 Jealousy
17 Miracles
18 Was It Worth It

[Ramzy]

I think it's largely how they're paired... I love all the Please stuff, for example, but since it's paired with the Very singles, it's no contest for most of them (in my probably incorrect opinion). Interesting to do, though.

Can you forgive her?
Go West
I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing
Liberation
It's a sin
What have I done to deserve this?
Rent
Always on my mind
Single-bilingual (unless it's the album version of Heart, in which case it's that)
A red letter day
Left to my own devices
It's alright
So hard
You only tell me you love me when you're drunk
Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you)
Jealousy
Miracles
Was it worth it?

So it's 10-8 for the first 18. Closer than I expected, because by and large Discography would wipe the floor with a 1993-2004 collection.

[andmaste]

our votes so far:

West End Girls - Can You Forgive Her 12-25
Love Comes Quickly - Go West 17-20
Opportunities - I Wouldn't Normally Do 24-13
Suburbia - Liberation 25-12
It's A Sin - Yesterday When I Was Mad 33-4
What Have I Done To Deserve This - Paninaro 95 27-10
Rent - Before 33-3 (+ 1 draw)
Always On My Mind - Se A Vida E 30-6 (+ 1 draw)
Heart - Single 29-6 (+ 2 draws)
Domino Dancing - A Red Letter Day 17-20
Left To My Own Devices - Somewhere 33-4
It's Alright - I Don't Know 15-21 (+ 1 draw)
So Hard - New York City Boy 33-4
Being Boring - Drunk 23-13 (+ 1 draw)
Streets/Seriously - Home And Dry 25-12
Jealousy - I Get Along 30-6
DJ Culture - Miracles 8-29
Was It Worth It - Flamboyant 14-23

[Ghost within this house]

For me, the Blues win 'em all, except Red Letter Day, and Flamboyant

So that's 16 - 2

Makes me sound like an old stick-in-the-mud!!

[Mr Love]

01 West End Girls
02 Love Comes Quickly
03 Opportunities
04 Suburbia
05 It's A Sin
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Before
08 Always On My Mind
09 Heart
10 A Red Letter Day
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
13 So Hard
14 Being Boring
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously
16 Jealousy
17 Miracles
18 Flamboyant

[Guest]

Its an old poll, but very interesting.
So here come:

West End Girls
Love Comes Quickly
I Wouldn't Normally Do
Liberation
It's A Sin
Paninaro 95
Before
Se A Vida E
Single
Domino Dancing
Left To My Own Devices
It's Alright
New York City Boy
Being Boring
Home And Dry
I Get Along
Miracles
Was It Worth It

[Joemoz]

01 West End Girls vs Can You Forgive Her
Two incredibly strong singles, but Can you forgive her? is perhaps my all time favourite.
02 Love Comes Quickly vs Go West
And what a contrast to the first matchup - Go West wins but only because Love comes quickly is one of my least favourite PSB songs.
03 Opportunities vs I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing
Not really any contest. Opportunities is a decent enough track but IWN is just fabulous. 3-0 to the newer ones so far...hardly surprising though, since I rank Very so much higher than Please. I imagine things will be levelled out as we go on...
04 Suburbia vs Liberation
This time no doubt either - Liberation should never have been a single, while Suburbia is vintage PSB.
05 It's A Sin vs Yesterday When I Was Mad
This is almost impossible for me. My old all-time favourite song, perhaps the one that played the most important part in making me a PSB fan, versus one of the best tracks on Very, and one of my favourite singles. I simply cannot decide, it will have to be a tie.
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This vs Paninaro 95
And again, this battle of titans is followed by mediocrity. Though What have I done has always stood for me as the weak point of their imperial phase, it still wins hands-down against the mystery that was P95.
07 Rent vs Before
A joke - Before couldn't beat any of the tracks on D1, and certainly not an essential PSB song like Rent. 3½-3½!
08 Always On My Mind vs Se A Vida E
I am not as big a fan of Always on my mind as several others, and I was thrilled with Se a vida e when it came out, but in the end there is no contest, really.
09 Heart vs Single-Bilingual
I really like Single-Bilingual, unlike some, but it does not stand a chance against the mighty Heart.
10 Domino Dancing vs A Red Letter Day
It is really starting to get embarassing for the second phase. Who in their right mind would choose the trite A red letter day over the fantastic Domino Dancing?
11 Left To My Own Devices vs Somewhere
Somewhere is good, but nothing on Left to my own devices.
12 It's Alright vs I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
Disappointed though I was with 'I don't know' when it came out, it is slightly better than the single version of It's Alright.
13 So Hard vs New York City Boy
New York city boy was a great single - one that really returned PSB to European airwaves, despite how much people here want it not to be so, but So Hard is classic PSB and so has to win.
14 Being Boring vs You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
I appreciate the great lyrics of Being Boring, but the music has never really done enough for me. 'Drunk' on the other hand turned out to be one of the most touching things they'd ever done (which is not what I expected after all the talk of banjos and the weird title).
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously vs Home And Dry
No contest - a match-up like this really illustrates how bad it went for PSB around 2002. 'Streets' has never been a particular favourite of mine, but in comparison it sounds like a masterpiece.
16 Jealousy vs I Get Along
Much though I liked 'I get along' and it somewhat saved Release for me, it cannot beat the grandiosity of Jealousy.
17 DJ Culture vs Miracles
And again a clash of titans is followed by a clash of mice. DJ Culture is OK, but only wins because of relatively poor opposition.
18 Was It Worth It vs Flamboyant
I almost want to award it to Flamboyant, because it's such a great track, and really one of those that has restored my faith in Neil and Chris' ability to still make great music, but it would shallow of me to forget how much I appreciated and still appreciate Was it worth it

So, all in all, despite a good start for phase 2, a crushing victory for phase 1. 12½-5½ at last count. Part of the reason, I think, lies in poor choice of singles in the second half. While few of the singles on Discography could reasonably have been substituted for other album tracks, it is still and atrocity that 'Before', 'I don't know what you want' and 'Home & Dry' were singles, when To Step Aside, Delusions of Grandeur and Closer to Heaven were not. If those had been substituted, it could have been a much closer battle.

[BlueSwan]

01 Can You Forgive Her
02 Love Comes Quickly
03 Opportunities
04 Liberation
05 It's A Sin
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Rent
08 Always On My Mind
09 Heart
10 Domino Dancing
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
13 So Hard
14 You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously
16 Jealousy
17 Miracles
18 Flamboyant[/quote]

[Shopper]

..

[Zeus On The Loose]

01 Can You Forgive Her
02 Love Comes Quickly
03 Opportunities
04 Suburbia
05 It's A Sin
06 What Have I Done To Deserve This
07 Before
08 Always On My Mind
09 Heart
10 Domino Dancing
11 Left To My Own Devices
12 I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
13 So Hard
14 Being Boring
15 Where The Streets Have No Name/...Seriously
16 Jealousy
17 Miracles
18 Flamboyant