Posted: Thu 13 May 2004, 10:43 am
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.
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.
The only feud I found just a little tough was Dj Culture Vs Miracles! 
