Track-by-Track: From Please to Nonetheless

[Birthday Boy]

Somewhere was one of my favourites on PopArt back when I first discovered Pet Shop Boys. The intro sounded particularly beautiful in my opinion, and I also used to love the outro since Somewhere was the last song on the "Art"-CD, which was my favourite of the two. So in a way the song always concluded a beautiful journey in the days before I got all my music in a digital format.

When I learned years later that it's actually a cover, I started to like it less, and nowadays I rarely listen to it tbh. However, it still makes me feel nostalgic once in a while.

[NotInvisible]

Somehow better and worse than I remember. Love the ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ bit, though.

[NOBODY75]

The word "desperation" also crossed my mind when it came out. It always irritates me a little, and the passing years have only worsened that feeling. For me, this song is by far their worst cover. I simply find it tacky. Probably their worst single.

[Capsigrany]

Not bad but not their best effort, I think that today it sounds better than when it was released. Its an understandable move as it was linked to the Savoy residency at the time.
But the PSB Extended-mix is brilliant, it improves the song in my opinion.

[NOBODY75]

The View From Your Balcony is a pleasant listen. Average standard for their B-sides.
I really like The Boy Who. It sounds fresh and distinct, and it's a better song and sounds much more like Bilingual than some of the others they included. As usual, I find their decision to leave it out incomprehensible. I don't remember who wrote that its place in the track order would be instead of Electricity as the fourth song on the album... I completely agree.

[Towa]

I really like The Boy Who. It sounds fresh and distinct, and it's a better song and sounds much more like Bilingual than some of the others they included.

Yes, but most of all it really sounds very Danny Tenaglia - much more so than Before and SNF do.

[NOBODY75]

Yes, of course. Tenaglia and Barbara Tucker were valuable and prestigious collaborations for Before, but I think The Boy was better suited to a Tenaglia production and mix

[Towa]

Agreed. I still love Before though, and I find it difficult to imagine how it would sound without DT — it’s not only the production that’s quite un-PSB, the composition itself is also different to most PSB songs. I wonder how a more typical PSB version of Before would sound.

Oh, Somewhere! I never play it nowadays. I liked it when it came out — I loved the hysterical OTT orchestral arrangement, but the drums and the bass felt a bit tired to me. Ok idea but subpar execution imho. The cd sleeves and the 12” cover were the best things about it

[telys]

Somewhere is great track. Much better than the pompous original. And the extended mix is a work of its own.
There is absolutely no need to dis it.

[sterlinglush]

I think it was 'Somewhere' that led me to connect the dots about their covers: typically the lyrics don't specifically reference gay experience, but simply by covering those songs, they turn them into commentary. I've always enjoyed their version of the song, even if it's not one I always choose from my very long PSB playlist these days. Agreed on the extended mix. Maybe I should give it/them another listen.

[Disco.]

The extended mix is great !

[Patrick Bateman]

This was the moment I thought PSB were desperate. I lost interest in them for a while, but it didn't help I went through a rough period myself. No positive associations with that song.

Yes, you could argue it's a standalone release to promote the residency and the Bilingual Special Edition but it's their worst single to date and, after A Red Letter Day, another retread of the Go West template to ever-diminishing returns. Still, I'm sure they will bounce back with a brilliant album full of smash hits.

[rathound]

First single of theirs I actively disliked. Can see the link up with the live shows but it's just not good. Dated high NRG and felt they were miles off being contemporary. A real disappointment after the excellent Bilingual

Will give the extended mix another listen though, see if thats any better. edit: not really. It feels like what people who don't like PSB think PSB always sound like

[NotInvisible]

Yes, you could argue it's a standalone release to promote the residency and the Bilingual Special Edition but it's their worst single to date and, after A Red Letter Day, another retread of the Go West template to ever-diminishing returns.

It doesn't sound anything like Go West or A Red Letter Day, though. I'd stick that label on New York City Boy. Thematically it's a Go West retread - same message and metaphor, and in that respect it was tired even in 1997. Maybe that's what trips people up, because musically it's in a whole different camp (!) and no male backing singers in sight.

[Towa]

It doesn't sound anything like Go West or A Red Letter Day, though. I'd stick that label on New York City Boy. Thematically it's a Go West retread - same message and metaphor, and in that respect it was tired even in 1997. Maybe that's what trips people up, because musically it's in a whole different camp (!) and no male backing singers in sight.

Musically, with its OTT orchestral arrangement to a dance beat, it most of all reminds me of Left to my own devices. Not the “typical” PSB cover version, it’s neither Always on my mind/Losing my mind nor Go West/A Red letter day (ok, not a cover but you know what I mean ). Not at the same level as Left to my own devices though

I have noticed that many of you like the Extended mix, so I took a listen for the first time in many years, but I still don’t like it The slow part in the beginning is quite nice, but then at around 4 minutes when the faster drums comes it all gets a bit silly, imho. …and the the regular version comes. Back then I found it dated and tired, and now in 2026 I still feel the same way. In many cases, when the years and the references to what was contemporary at the time have passed , I appreciate “dated” tracks more than I did at time of their release, but not so with Somewhere. I love the orchestra, but not the rhythm arrangement.