Pet Shop Boys Community

Ramzy wrote: Sat 08 Mar 2025, 4:55 pm

ea39 wrote: Sat 08 Mar 2025, 3:46 pm Brilliant examples. Didn't Neil describe the middle eight in Winner as one of the strongest they've done? I mean, it's fine, but he should really read this thread...

He also said It Doesn't Often Snow Etc was the best pop song they wrote in the 90s so I'm not sure he's a reliable source

DopeFiend wrote: Sat 08 Mar 2025, 6:16 pm By the way do we count Was It Worth It? "I don't know why I don't know why, I never thought I'd fall in love" I always really love that bit, just gush over it.

I suppose it's probably technically a coda, but absolutely the best part of the song. It nails the happy-sad thing they do so well. Gives me goosebumps.

If only the members wrote the title of the song to which the middle eight belonged to...

To step aside middle eight is a moment of beauty and warmth.

I agree with most mentions in the thread. They are masters of the middle eight.

I'd add The way it used be: Don't give me all your northern pain... (although the I was there caught on Tenth avenue could count as middle eight too).

daveid wrote: Sat 08 Mar 2025, 6:58 pm The DJ culture middle-8 is one of their best and is the best part of the song. It's pure Bowie.

One of their most haunting moments is the middle 8 of Memory of the future. It's my personal highlight of Elysium and a truly numinous moment.

Ooh yes, chills. I love Memory of the future.

I also like One in a million - well, it's not so much the middle eight as the bridge right before it, which sounds gorgeous and probably has something to do with chord changes and arpeggios or something something (not musically literate here!!). For some reason, this reminds me of a Limahl song called I Was A Fool.

Feel free to leave
if you think you’re trapped
But please believe
I’ll always want you back

But talking of Bowie... Is this the most aggressive middle eight in the PSB canon?

(Will-o-the-wisp)
You were always such a free spirit
Aren’t you getting bored?
A will-o-the-wisp
and charming with it
who loved to be adored

The chorus is such a Bowie move.
Sung with a sneer of condescension.
Tossing out German station names as though he owns the place.
Spitting bars with such aggression.

Don't get me wrong, I ADORE Will-o. Neil needs to sing tipsy more often. Allegedly (hem hem!).

Will-o-the-wisp is a cool track, we probably don't talk about it enough.

The whole thing is a middle eight to me, lol, because it never really "settles" into a normally shaped song. It's always leaning forward.

Feel like they should have followed Wisp with another banger instead of dropping off into ballad land. Maybe a German translation A Certain Das gewisse Etwas instead of Je ne sais quoi

Leans? It positively hurtles! All pistons go, like the aforementioned party train. It pains me that I may never see Will-o done live, because it could open the heck out of a set. But yeah, it would need a suitable follow-on track so all that momentum doesn't go over a cliff.

But now you mention A certain je ne sais quoi:

It’s all perception
How people see you
And when they see you
they want to be you

Un, deux, trois, quatre

The numbers always tickle me.