Track-by-Track: From Please to Nonetheless

[MikeyC]

“86” comes from restaurants. To be precise, TGI Fridays. We used it so the kitchen could let the front of house know that something has run out. For example, guacamole for fajitas. Once restocked it would be “68”. The whole thing came from a (made up) story that someone committed suicide from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building but the strength of the wind blew them back into the 68th floor window.

Wow! Good to know, thanks!

[Sandy Shaw]

I was recently thinking about New York city boy since a news event (at least in the U.S.) made a lyric stand out… The former head of the FBI was indicted and arrested for a photo he put on social media last year while on vacation: it showed seashells on a beach spelling out ‘86 47’. The convicted felon’s department of justice managed to get a grand jury to indict Comey for that. (They say you can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.) I mainly use the term ‘86’ when I sing along to these lyrics:

‘If you don’t get that mix
it’s gone eighty-six.’

Apparently the term originated in restaurants meaning ‘to remove’ a dish that was no longer selling.

I had to Google this incident to understand your post!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70vzj1nrddo

[ype]

What I really liked about New York city boy is that it seemed like the most gigantic single release ever. Just endless streams of cd-singles, promo's, 12"s, 12"-promo's - I love that 4x12" box, even if I don't like the song that much :-p
Much the same went for I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more btw, and to a lesser extent Drunk. I miss those multi-format days.

[Gabby]

What I really liked about New York city boy is that it seemed like the most gigantic single release ever. Just endless streams of cd-singles, promo's, 12"s, 12"-promo's - I love that 4x12" box, even if I don't like the song that much :-p
Much the same went for I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more btw, and to a lesser extent Drunk. I miss those multi-format days.

Damn, I didn't know there was a 4x12" set. I have 4 separate 12" (12RDJ) of it. Are the tracks essentially the same as the set? How did I miss that?!!!

EDIT: Just checked Discogs and looks like they are the same mixes of the 4 individual 12" I have, just all together in a set. The track times are a bit off (a lot off in some cases) but I take Discogs info like that with a grain of salt.

[telys]

What I really liked about New York city boy is that it seemed like the most gigantic single release ever. Just endless streams of cd-singles, promo's, 12"s, 12"-promo's - I love that 4x12" box, even if I don't like the song that much :-p
Much the same went for I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more btw, and to a lesser extent Drunk. I miss those multi-format days.

I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more (Give Anymore) got a heapload of mixes because of the separate and later US release.
I learned to play NYC Boy on the piano, nothing fancy, just the melody. A nice tune. My guess is many of you dislike New York city boy mostly because of its connotations but try to listen to the tune.
And btw I heard YMCA on the radio in the car the other day.... damn that's a great song. It took me years to get over the cringe.... but it turned out it was me who needed to mature. So grow up people!

[Lleonard Pler]

After Footsteps, are we going through the whole Further Listening of Nightlife? That'll be such a slog, as bsides of that era may be the very worst of their career, with only 3-4 worth reviewing.

[jasonjohn]

Yeah I can understand peoples frustration. There's an element of "unnecessary" about NYC, and they maybe doubled down a bit too much here. But on the positives:

- Fairly huge in USA clubs. Seemed to be a concerted effort to crack the American mainstream again, no luck but worth a try
- on its own, it has enormous sweetness IMO. The sweeping strings and the vibes are terrific
- everyone probably disagrees, but I still appreciate the shift from harder clubbing into more poignant and theatrical territory on Nightlife

[rathound]

just watched the video for it back. How did they make it so....ugly? It's like a charmless version of Was it Worth it? (which was ace) at the end in Studio 54, and the rest is just wretched.

[jasonjohn]

just watched the video for it back. How did they make it so....ugly? It's like a charmless version of Was it Worth it? (which was ace) at the end in Studio 54, and the rest is just wretched.

oh my, watching the video again brings me nothing but joy

it's got that 90s over-rich feel, maybe also filmed for the US color system?

It's set in the 70s, so ofc it's a bit tacky, but it's also fun and sweet?

Neil over acts. I've never seen someone walk down a street so awkwardly in my life . But besides that, it's just fun and happy to me. But like they said when promoting this album - their fans prefer it when they're glum, which influenced the first single choice

[davidctecno]

Track 121 : Footsteps
Chronology: Nightlife, Track 12

Song with classic choruses more in the style of Take That than Pet Shop Boys. A careful production for a song that is too calm and atypical to end the album.

[Capsigrany]

A nice track to end an album like Nightlife. It’s athmospheric in a good way.

[leesmapman]

Pretty good track. I can see the Take That style now that you mention it.

[Gabby]

Footsteps is one of my least favourite PSB tracks ever.

I'm trying to be kind here, but I just cannot tolerate it.

Just not a foot person

[Lleonard Pler]

It took me years to appreciate it. But now I like it. I wouldn't pick it for listening but it's a good closure for the album. After all the thumping and tension of the previous tracks, here we find the main character of For your own good being serene and reassured by the simple sound of his lover's footsteps. An unlikely (and self-convinced) "happy" ending after all the songs that preceded it. To my ears the melody is like a lullaby.

[Sammy Jenkis]

Having been a bit unimpressed by the run of tracks leading up to this, I like this one. Would have beena bit embarrassed to admit thus a while back as it seemed to be a lightning rod for criticism but I think this is a durable tune with a well crafted lyric and an interesting balance between peril and reassurance,.