Track-by-Track: From Please to Nonetheless

[Sandy Shaw]

Re: Drunk

Props to the brilliant BJ Cole on pedal steel guitar on this.

[Gabby]

Track 114: You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
Chronology: Nightlife, Track 5

The best song from the Nightlife era by some margin - in fact one of the best Pet Shop Boys songs full stop. Absolutely gorgeous tune, gorgeous production, brilliant lyrics. I'd love Dolly to cover it.

I do wish a proper C&W singer of note would pick up on this (and not some problematic one BTW!). Dolly would be a great choice. Amazed nobody has covered it yet.

[telys]

Track 114: You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
Chronology: Nightlife, Track 5

The best song from the Nightlife era by some margin - in fact one of the best Pet Shop Boys songs full stop. Absolutely gorgeous tune, gorgeous production, brilliant lyrics. I'd love Dolly to cover it.

It's been seen before, and will continue to be seen, that we often disagree, as is to be expected, especially regarding this album as a whole. But for this song, my opinion is exactly the same. Nothing more to add to the description you've already given.

If I had to choose their ten best songs, this would be one of them. The video is magnificent, one of their top five or six.

If I had to show someone who Pet Shop Boys are and what they're capable of with just one song, this would be one of the first I'd think of.
An absolute masterpiece. Nothing more, nothing less

The praise for Drunk seems to be unanimous... except for me then... I don't know if I even like it that much at all. So could somebody explain to me (rationally please) what makes Drunk so good?
To me, the lyrics aren't anything particular, one of Neil's worst actually. The arrangement is on non-PSB territory where they mostly stumble instead of excel.
I do have to say that some of the remixes are ace! I got the double 12'' maxi package and it's a killer.

[Disco.]

Best song on Nightlife, beautiful !

[Gabby]

The best song from the Nightlife era by some margin - in fact one of the best Pet Shop Boys songs full stop. Absolutely gorgeous tune, gorgeous production, brilliant lyrics. I'd love Dolly to cover it.

It's been seen before, and will continue to be seen, that we often disagree, as is to be expected, especially regarding this album as a whole. But for this song, my opinion is exactly the same. Nothing more to add to the description you've already given.

If I had to choose their ten best songs, this would be one of them. The video is magnificent, one of their top five or six.

If I had to show someone who Pet Shop Boys are and what they're capable of with just one song, this would be one of the first I'd think of.
An absolute masterpiece. Nothing more, nothing less

The praise for Drunk seems to be unanimous... except for me then... I don't know if I even like it that much at all. So could somebody explain to me (rationally please) what makes Drunk so good?
To me, the lyrics aren't anything particular, one of Neil's worst actually. The arrangement is on non-PSB territory where they mostly stumble instead of excel.
I do have to say that some of the remixes are ace! I got the double 12'' maxi package and it's a killer.

Don't get me wrong, Drunk isn't a favourite of mine either. I just think to do it justice requires someone with the right credentials to cover it.

[Capsigrany]

In my opinion it is a very good single in all terms. It also works perfectly well in Nightlife (which I think it is an unfairly underrated PSB album) and I consider it an outstanding and effortless pop song. Its only low point for me are its bsides, not among their best.

[NotInvisible]

So could somebody explain to me (rationally please) what makes Drunk so good?

It has one of their best melodies ever, the lyrics are a brilliant combination of funny and sad, the production is absolutely killer. But since all art is subjective, if it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work for you. Personally I think 'breaking formula' is when Pet Shop Boys are at their best, but even in that context ...Drunk is extraordinary. A rare late '90s masterpiece.

[davidctecno]

Track 115: Vampires
Chronology: Nightlife, Track 6

Funny joke: "You´re a vampire, I´m a vampire too".It's not one of the best songs, but the nocturnal atmosphere and "vampiric" style fit the album's theme well. Neil's version is better than the overacted one from the musical Closer to Heaven.

[NotInvisible]

Ugh. All that needs to be said about Vampires. We're now firmly in the 'functional, forgettable, regrettable' stage of Nightlife. It's easy to see why they blew up what Pet Shop Boys 'were' after this album.

[TallThinMan]

I like 'Vampires'. It has an unusual chord change and a really funky bassline amongst other things.

[NOBODY75]

Another excellent track that completes a very, very good A-side of the album.
Craig Armstrong's production is spectacular.

[Debussy]

I love Vampires and the production. A great album track. I recall there was a 12 minute fan mix?

[Lleonard Pler]

Good album track that adds flavour to the Nightlife theme. Catchy melody. If anything, it would benefit of a shorter edit.

[Sandy Shaw]

Track 115: Vampires
Chronology: Nightlife, Track 6

Funny joke: "You´re a vampire, I´m a vampire too".It's not one of the best songs, but the nocturnal atmosphere and "vampiric" style fit the album's theme well. Neil's version is better than the overacted one from the musical Closer to Heaven.

I really like David Burt's CTH version as well as the Nightlife version - he sang the sh*t out of it!

[scousepsbfan]

Not a huge fan of this track, but the demo is interesting. The middle bit 'it's a reflex' has a lovely chord change and works better on the demo. As for the CTH version, I love the rough (ad-lib?) 'coughing singing' towards the end. Makes it sound like he's really living the words.