What have Seriously done to deserve this?

[Dog]

It's really strange that it has never been released on any Further Listening either, but maybe it's because the single version is a remix by Brothers In Rhythm and they have only included their own remixes on the FL collections. But as a de facto single A-side it should definitely have been included on a compilation at least!

I thought the same, however the single version of I wouldn’t normally do this kind of thing appears on FL and that’s a remix by Beatmasters, also didn’t Motiv-8 remix a red letter day which also appears on FL.

I think PSB have qualified this by saying they did work on both of these remixes.

[Gabby]

OK, stick with me here - if PSB disavow Seriously as a single, then it qualifies for Obscure, right?

[TwizzleUK]

OK, stick with me here - if PSB disavow Seriously as a single, then it qualifies for Obscure, right?

They've never played the album version arrangement live before, but I doubt we'll hear that at the Obscure gigs.

[telys]

OK, stick with me here - if PSB disavow Seriously as a single, then it qualifies for Obscure, right?

They've never played the album version arrangement live before, but I doubt we'll hear that at the Obscure gigs.

They did play it on Performance tour in a quite elaborate arrangement, which was based on the 7'' mix but added a rap in the beginning and in the middle/end. So at this time it was not disavowed, the contrary, they did a whole lot with the song on the tour. During the tour Seriously was the current PSB single (along with Streets). So the disavowment must have come at a later stage, but before Discography.
As I said before, it was a mistake by the boys to add "two new tracks" to Discography when Streets actually was a new track on Discography. Removing Was it worth it would've made space available for Seriously.

[TallThinMan]

As I said before, it was a mistake by the boys to add "two new tracks" to Discography when Streets actually was a new track on Discography. Removing Was it worth it would've made space available for Seriously.

Not sure what you're on about as 'Discography' came out eight months after 'Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)'.

[telys]

As I said before, it was a mistake by the boys to add "two new tracks" to Discography when Streets actually was a new track on Discography. Removing Was it worth it would've made space available for Seriously.

Not sure what you're on about as 'Discography' came out eight months after 'Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)'.

Well, Streets did not appear on any album before it appeared on Discography. It could have been seen as a single off Discography.
DJ Culture was also released before Discography.

[TallThinMan]

As I said before, it was a mistake by the boys to add "two new tracks" to Discography when Streets actually was a new track on Discography. Removing Was it worth it would've made space available for Seriously.

Not sure what you're on about as 'Discography' came out eight months after 'Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)'.

Well, Streets did not appear on any album before it appeared on Discography. It could have been seen as a single off Discography.
DJ Culture was also released before Discography.

I see what you mean. I don't think any of us thought of Streets as a new track by the time of Discography's release.

[rathound]

OK, stick with me here - if PSB disavow Seriously as a single, then it qualifies for Obscure, right?

They've never played the album version arrangement live before, but I doubt we'll hear that at the Obscure gigs.

They did play it on Performance tour in a quite elaborate arrangement, which was based on the 7'' mix but added a rap in the beginning and in the middle/end. So at this time it was not disavowed, the contrary, they did a whole lot with the song on the tour. During the tour Seriously was the current PSB single (along with Streets). So the disavowment must have come at a later stage, but before Discography.
As I said before, it was a mistake by the boys to add "two new tracks" to Discography when Streets actually was a new track on Discography. Removing Was it worth it would've made space available for Seriously.

One of the highlights of the whole Performance show. In fact I think the 7"/Video version stands the test of time as well as any of their songs. Its a brilliant track, one of my favourites no doubts

[Tentenlad]

The boys seem to have a a bit of an obsession with things sounding 'dated' and 'How Can You...' is the ultimate example of this. The initial reviews of the album labelled 'How Can You' as having a dated swing beat sound - so this was 'rectified' by remixing it for the single. However that remix sounded even more dated and of its time within a few months, so I believe this really put them off including it in and compilations...

[markus]

I have to disagree. In 1990, Dennis Pop and Dr Alban created international hits like “No Coke” built around that bassline. A few years later, Ace of Base developed a similar bass-driven sound and conquered the world with “All That She Wants” in 1993.
Seen in that context, the video mix of “How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?” from 1991 sounded fresh and ahead of its time. Even in 2003, a Swedish journalist and huge PSB fan described them as trend-sensitive in his review of Disco 3. I believe this is largely thanks to moments like 1991, when they genuinely seemed on top of their game.

[Tentenlad]

I'm not sure if inspiring Ace of Base is something PSB want to be known for...

[markus]

I'm not sure if inspiring Ace of Base is something PSB want to be known for...

Nobody said they were inspired by PSB.

[Ramzy]

It's not a bad track but I'm not surprised they've been reluctant to return to it. The album version is, to my ears, the weakest song on Behaviour, but at least it has a bit of energy. In flattening the swingbeat with the single mix, BIR make the song seem oddly exhausted - the melody doesn't match the aggression of the rhythm track and there's not much else happening in the middle to bring the elements together. It's interesting that someone mentioned Ace of Base - where the off-beat piano chords are absolutely essential to driving the song forward. Seriously, by contrast, has nothing at all in that area of the arrangement, meaning the chorus sounds almost like a breakdown. Then there's the fact the overall sound is a bit muted and squelchy. It just feels kind of unfinished to me. I understand why they wanted to remix it, but I reckon the album version sounds a lot more like a single.

[Drico One]

I think I prefer the single version - or the 12" mix of it anyway. Of course, that's missing the "You've got to have fun(k)" sample - or whatever it's called. But it's poignant if a little too slow for a single.

The original is punchier, but a little more abrasive too. It always stuck out on Behaviour. It's an update of their manifesto. I'm not surprised they have basically buried it. It could almost be about them today. Almost.

To be fair to Brothers in Rhythm, they transformed the original into something very different. Artistically, I'm delighted to have this, but as an exercise in making the track suitable for single release, they captured a sadness and melancholia that wasn't really part of the original's DNA. From one perspective, their reading brings to mind the perils and exploitation of "fame". But Neil was in fairly vindictive, catty mood in the lyric, so I think this is a slight mismatch that gives us a very welcome addition to their catalogue but a sub-par single. I don't think this song was saveable as a single. It's just not in the same league as most of what surrounded it in their singles discography at the time.

Drico.

[markus]

Some fans say they felt too fancy, too superior — like there was a wall there. PSB in their own elite world, the listener left outside. That was the feeling I got from the video: Pet Shop Boys supremacy. Not arrogance, but real superiority.
For me, that only made them more interesting. For others, maybe it didn’t — which could explain why it flopped, and why they seem to regret that song now.