Pet Shop Boys Community

Nickname wrote: Wed 08 Oct 2025, 3:37 pm
Better strategy:

ACTUALLY:
- It's a sin (june)
- What have I done this? (august) (prior the album)
- Heart (october)
- King's Cross (december)
- Rent (february)

INTROSPECTIVE
- Domino Dancing (july)
- Left to my own Devices (october)
- Always on my mind (single version (december) (prior the album)
- It's Alright (february)

A better strategy than the Christmas number one, followed by their fourth chart topper? nickname, you really are something.

That's barmy. They got Actually bob on. Why would you change anything?

Kings Cross isn't an option anyway. They refused to release it after the fire.

And releasing Always On My Mind when they did resulted in a Christmas number in 1 in the UK, and huge additional sales of Actually around the world.

I edited on thing, using Heart prior the album. I think Heart could got the top too on that way.

ACTUALLY:
- It's a sin (june)
- What have I done this? (august)
(Same charts results)
- Heart (october) (prior the album)
(Maybe a #1 but #2 or #3 almost obvious after the success of the 2 previous songs)
- King's Cross (december)
(IMHO this is a more powerful single than "Rent", I think it could work well on Christmas time. A clear Top 5 for me)
- Rent (february)
(Similar chart position)

INTROSPECTIVE
- Domino Dancing (july)
(A summer song for summer time. Clear Top 5, even a Top 3)
- Left to my own Devices (october)
(With the expectation for a new album, a bit longer version of the song than the proper single version (adding the narrative part) was a potential #1
- Always on my mind (single version (december) (prior the album)
(I see on it a clear #1 for the single, an #1 for the album) There was a TV's show special with the song but I don't think it had a big influence in the success of the song, so they could have saved the song.
- It's Alright (february)
(similar chart result)

In my book, Always on my mind release was one of the wisest things the Boys have decided in their career. it was a cover; anyone who checks Elvis and Willie Nelson legacy has a chance to stumble on the Boys' rendition; It was very timely; now anyone who checks Christmas No 1 lists will see the Boys' name and who knows, he may decide to check out and further delve into the Boys' catalog. The quibble on the part of the Pogues inevitably leads to someone digging out the argument that it was because of the Boys: another visibility there.

So Nickname, let's admit it: there is nothing wrong in the release of Always on my mind both time-wise and marketing wise. If it was relegated to a third single during their post imperial time, it would not have the same charisma and impact longevity-wise. Chart-wise. they would probably not even see top 20 in the USA and number one in Canada because after Domino dancing, they were virtually non-existent there in terms of single sales. Its release was a very clever business-like move, a strategic triumph. It is simply a career peak.

And Heart was catapulted to the top of UK charts partly helped by Always on my mind's strong sales and lingering popularity and that was also a sound decision.

I don't know where I read it but I remember that some prick in Parlophone did not want to release Always on my mind but the Boys were adamant in their decision '(they were on some kind of TV show or mini tour or something like that in one of the Scandavian countries at that time).

My only quibble with Always on my mind is its unusual video that appears to be some kind of weird LSD-induced thing to causal listeners or non-fans . That may explain why it is their second most listened-to song in Spotify but ranks number 6 on Youtube after West End girls, It's a sin, Domino dancing, Go West and What have I done to deserve this? (unless there is some regional restriction etc.). That long intro full of chat (though the lines are funny), a bald, eccentric-looking old man hopping and bounding at the back seat with two males in a car, a zebra in a train station of all things and some evil-looking puppets, with no coherent narrative whatsoever, should leave people confused.They probably scratch their heads and ask what the hell this is.

Even an Always on my mind post with only Discrography cover on screen has 19 million views. I, for myself, never listen to do the original video because that banter etc distracts me.

Undertaker wrote: Wed 08 Oct 2025, 5:20 pm
Kings Cross isn't an option anyway. They refused to release it after the fire.

That's one of their biggest mistakes. I know it's a divisive issue amongst fans but factually if they had released KC as a charity single after the fire it would've without a doubt been nr 1 and a massive one as well. Always on my mind could've been saved for later, an x-mas nr 1 in 1988 instead perhaps.

telys wrote: Thu 09 Oct 2025, 2:30 pm

Undertaker wrote: Wed 08 Oct 2025, 5:20 pm
Kings Cross isn't an option anyway. They refused to release it after the fire.

That's one of their biggest mistakes. I know it's a divisive issue amongst fans but factually if they had released KC as a charity single after the fire it would've without a doubt been nr 1 and a massive one as well. Always on my mind could've been saved for later, an x-mas nr 1 in 1988 instead perhaps.

You can’t use the word “factually” in connection with a hypothetical. I don’t know that it’s a divisive issue. I think most fans can see that it would have been a crass idea.

They could've released their own Candle in the wind in 1997 and we'd now discuss why didn't pull that trick more often. Elton John's cover is the worlds best selling single ever.

Speaking of Elton, was there any plans to release Believe/Song for Guy. It surely would’ve been a Number 1 single, and if it was the follow up to Candle in the Wind, maybe a Christmas Number 1 contender. I don’t think Elton would’ve had an issue with releasing two of his old songs in a row, but two cover versions in a row probably wouldn’t have been the best move for the boys. Apart from seeing it on an evening with Elton, I don’t really know too much about this collaboration.


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PopKid78 wrote: Thu 09 Oct 2025, 10:35 pm Speaking of Elton, was there any plans to release Believe/Song for Guy. It surely would’ve been a Number 1 single, and if it was the follow up to Candle in the Wind, maybe a Christmas Number 1 contender. I don’t think Elton would’ve had an issue with releasing two of his old songs in a row, but two cover versions in a row probably wouldn’t have been the best move for the boys. Apart from seeing it on an evening with Elton, I don’t really know too much about this collaboration.


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No way on God’s green earth would that have been a number one. At best, with multi formats, limited edition sleeves and both sets of fans on board, it would have been a number 14 “smash”.

PSBForTheMasses wrote: Thu 09 Oct 2025, 11:38 am

So Nickname, let's admit it: there is nothing wrong in the release of Always on my mind both time-wise and marketing wise. If it was relegated to a third single during their post imperial time, it would not have the same charisma and impact longevity-wise. Chart-wise. they would probably not even see top 20 in the USA and number one in Canada because after Domino dancing, they were virtually non-existent there in terms of single sales. Its release was a very clever business-like move, a strategic triumph. It is simply a career peak.

I didn't said that. Of course, Always on my mind had to be released but I thought was better one year later to promote Introspective.

I posted this above.
I edited on thing, using Heart prior the album. I think Heart could got the top too on that way.

ACTUALLY:
- It's a sin (june)
- What have I done this? (august)
(Same charts results)
- Heart (october) (prior the album)
(Maybe a #1 but #2 or #3 almost obvious after the success of the 2 previous songs)

Always on my Mind was from a ITV 10th anniversary show of Elvis's death. It was shown on 14th August 1987, so timing wise it wouldn't make sense to wait over a year to release it.

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Sithblade wrote: Fri 10 Oct 2025, 2:58 pm Always on my Mind was from a ITV 10th anniversary show of Elvis's death. It was shown on 14th August 1987, so timing wise it wouldn't make sense to wait over a year to release it.

I also question whether it would have even been number one a year later. By 1988 the UK public were tiring of the Hi-NRG synthpop sound (thanks in a large part to over saturation from S/A/W) and house music was in the ascendancy.

Always On My Mind, was released exactly at the right time. they should however have released Heart in the U.S, which Neil has acknowledged was a mistake that it wasn’t.