Pet Shop Boys Community

An observation I was hoping to open up the floor to for discussion.

I've noticed in two interviews recently, Neil is seemingly asked about himself and prefers to direct those questions to the lyrics.

The Word video interview wrote:Mon 22 Oct 1990, 1:00 am "the private life is in the songs. Once you’ve done that, you don’t then need to explain it."

The Times wrote:Wed 26 Jul 2017, 1:00 am "I find it too personal to talk about though, really. Obviously one says what (one) wants in the songs themselves"

I find this intriguing. Does anyone have other examples of this? And, what are your thoughts on this topic.
I've been under the impression the lyrics and emotions are mostly characters and interpretations of other people's stories, but these quotes show he really means a lot of it. To me it's so interesting, the idea that you'd find it preferrable to be expressive through your creative works than any other way. One of my favourite songs is 'Words' by F.R David, which is essentially about this.

Now I have to go and listen to Sing Your Life by Morrissey **shakes fist*"

I thought a lot of the 'this is about a character' stuff was to protect people in his life. Obviously some were very clearly imaginings, but not all.

One of my friends years ago said of his lyrics "Well it's all Neil"

These are all songs that Neil has said were inspired by his personal life:

It always comes as a surprise
Bet she’s not your girlfriend
Was it worth it?
Left to my own devices
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
You only tell me you love me when you’re drunk
Footsteps
Love is a catastrophe
Home and dry
E-mail
You choose
Liberation
Love comes quickly
Discoteca
The survivors
One and one make five
Hit and miss
Betrayed
The ghost of myself
Leaving
Breathing space
Being boring
New London boy
For all of us

Does this mean we'll never get his memoir?

I imagine a memoir will be more in a Smash Hits recollection of their social adventures in the industry, rather than a bonk diary.

jasonjohn wrote: Wed 03 Jun 2026, 2:26 am I imagine a memoir will be more in a Smash Hits recollection of their social adventures in the industry, rather than a bonk diary.

It would be funny if he'd been hoarding a waspish diary to be published after his death like Kenneth Williams but I imagine he's too clubbable to do that.

I think that any future Tennant memoir would be more like his serialised diaries that have appeared in some of the editions of Annually over the years, interspersed with additional narrative and insight.

I’d buy it.

I’d love to read both of there autobiography’s , but I don’t think they would ever write them, the stories they must have ,

I wonder if he hadn't become a musician - maybe he would have expressed himself with the art of mime...

Patrick Bateman wrote: Wed 03 Jun 2026, 8:09 am

jasonjohn wrote: Wed 03 Jun 2026, 2:26 am I imagine a memoir will be more in a Smash Hits recollection of their social adventures in the industry, rather than a bonk diary.

It would be funny if he'd been hoarding a waspish diary to be published after his death like Kenneth Williams but I imagine he's too clubbable to do that.

Oooh Matron, what's the bloody point I sayyy, nyyeeessss.

TallThinMan wrote: Wed 03 Jun 2026, 11:48 amI think that any future Tennant memoir would be more like his serialised diaries that have appeared in some of the editions of Annually over the years, interspersed with additional narrative and insight.

Didn't he say something like this recently, about this being what we should expect if he ever decides to write a memoir?

Dog wrote: Tue 02 Jun 2026, 11:24 pm These are all songs that Neil has said were inspired by his personal life:

It always comes as a surprise
Bet she’s not your girlfriend
Was it worth it?
Left to my own devices
I don’t know what you want but I can’t give it any more
You only tell me you love me when you’re drunk
Footsteps
Love is a catastrophe
Home and dry
E-mail
You choose
Liberation
Love comes quickly
Discoteca
The survivors
One and one make five
Hit and miss
Betrayed
The ghost of myself
Leaving
Breathing space
Being boring
New London boy
For all of us

What about the following?

It Couldn't Happen Here
Your Funny Uncle
An Open Mind

You can add "In Denial" and, most of all, "Metamorphosis".

Some others:
This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave
It's a Sin
Jealousy
The View from Your Balcony
Falling
One in a Million
I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing
Yesterday When I Was Mad
Your Early Stuff
Too Many People
The Calm Before the Storm
Why Am I Dancing?
Happiness Is an Option
A New Bohemia
Invisible
To Step Aside
Cricket Wife

Neil from 100 Lyrics:

Inevitably one's own personal and emotional life is a big subject. Indeed, it sometimes seems that for many young songwriters today it is the only subject to write about. We satirised this in a song, 'Ego music' ('Ego music / It’s all about me'), but nonetheless I often write about me, even if I try to disguise 'me' a little. The process of falling in love can be an ecstatic but sometimes very painful experience; writing a song about it is therapeutic, working through what happened and why.