Post-modern ironists cloaked behind a veil of buoyantly melodic and lushly romantic synth pop confections, Pet Shop Boys offer wry yet strangely affecting cultural commentary communicated by the Morse code of synth washes and drum machine rhythms. After first emerging in the mid-'80s with "West End Girls" and "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)," Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe quickly established themselves as hitmaking singles artists who were also able to craft emotionally resonant albums, like 1988's Introspective and 1990's Behaviour. The duo navigated the constantly shifting landscape of modern dance-pop with grace and intelligence, moving easily from disco to house music to thoughtful synth pop without losing their distinctive style in the process. Continuing to evolve artistically, Pet Shop Boys incorporated Latin music on 1996's Bilingual, expanded into theater and ballet, and morphed into elder statesmen of electronic pop, still able to release interesting albums after more than 30 years, as evidenced by highlights like 2016's Super and 2020's Hotspot.
Pet Shop Boys formed in London in August 1981, when vocalist Tennant (a former editor at Marvel Comics who later gained recognition as a journalist for Smash Hits magazine) first met keyboardist Lowe (a onetime architecture student) at an electronics shop. Discovering a shared passion for dance music and synthesizers, they immediately decided to start a band. After dubbing themselves Pet Shop Boys in honor of friends who worked in such an establishment -- while also obliquely nodding to the sort of names prevalent among the New York City hip-hop culture of the early '80s -- the duo's career first took flight in 1983, when Tennant met producer Bobby "O" Orlando while on a writing assignment. Orlando produced their first single, 1984's "West End Girls." The song was a minor hit in the U.S. but went nowhere in Britain, and its follow-up, "One More Chance," was also unsuccessful.
Upon signing to EMI, Pet Shop Boys issued 1985's biting "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)." When it too failed to attract attention, the duo's future appeared grim, but Tennant and Lowe then released an evocative new Stephen Hague production of "West End Girls," which became an international chart-topper. Its massive success propelled Pet Shop Boys' 1986 debut LP, Please, into the Top Ten, and when "Opportunities" was subsequently reissued, it too became a hit. Disco, a collection of dance remixes, was quickly rushed into stores, and in 1987 the duo resurfaced with the superb Actually, which launched two more Top Ten smashes -- "It's a Sin" and "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," a duet between Tennant and the great Dusty Springfield. Later that year, "Always on My Mind," a lovely cover of the perennial Elvis Presley standard, reached number one in several countries and the Top Ten in the U.S. A documentary film titled It Couldn't Happen Here was released one year later.
In October 1988, Pet Shop Boys issued their third studio LP, the eclectic Introspective. "Domino Dancing" and "Left to My Own Devices" both reached the Top Ten in Great Britain. The following year, Pet Shop Boys collaborated with a variety of performers, most notably Liza Minnelli, for whom they produced the 1989 LP Results. They also produced material for Springfield, and Tennant joined New Order frontman Bernard Sumner and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr in the group Electronic, scoring a hit with the single "Getting Away with It." Tennant and Lowe reconvened in 1990 for the muted, downcast Behavior, produced by Harold Faltermeyer. Their hit medley of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" was released in 1991, and was followed in 1993 by Very, lauded as one of the duo's finest efforts.
After a three-year absence, Pet Shop Boys resurfaced with Bilingual, a fluid expansion into Latin rhythms. Nightlife followed in 1999 and sparked the dance club hit "New York City Boy," whose success allowed the group to tour the U.S. for the first time in eight years. While on tour, the pair also collaborated with playwright Jonathan Harvey on a musical surrounding gay life and societal criticisms, which the three had been planning since 1997. Closer to Heaven made its West End debut in 2001 and had a successful run for most of the year; Pet Shop Boys' score of the original cast recording was also a hit in the U.K. They still had time to make a record for themselves, too: In April 2002, Tennant and Lowe issued Release and Disco 3 was compiled for release the following year.
Pet Shop Boys continued releasing material throughout the decade's latter half. In 2005, they put together a volume of the Back to Mine series and released their music designed to accompany the 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin, a soundtrack they'd performed a year earlier at a free concert/screening in Trafalgar Square. A year later, they issued Fundamental, a mature, sometimes political album produced by Trevor Horn. The live album Concrete: In Concert at the Mermaid Theatre appeared at the end of the year, and Yes -- a collaborative effort with the production crew Xenomania -- marked the band's tenth studio effort in March 2009. While playing shows in support of that album, Pet Shop Boys also released a hits compilation, Party, to coincide with the Brazilian leg of their tour. In 2010, the tour was documented on the CD/DVD release Pandemonium, and another greatest-hits compilation, Ultimate, arrived.
Their 2011 effort, The Most Incredible Thing, was a two-disc ballet score composed for the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, while 2012's Format rounded up the duo's B-sides and bonus tracks from the years 1996-2009. Also in 2012, Pet Shop Boys released the sports-themed single "Winner" and performed the track at the 2012 Olympics Summer Games, held that year in their hometown of London. The track landed on that year's album Elysium, which was produced by Kanye West affiliate Andrew Dawson. Stuart Price (Madonna, Seal, Kylie Minogue) was the producer of 2013's Electric, an album that featured no ballads, just dance tracks.
In May 2014, the duo announced more original music, this time with a concert piece scheduled for a July date at Royal Albert Hall commemorating British code breaker Alan Turing and including the BBC Concert Orchestra. Price returned as producer of 2016's Super, the second album in a row where Pet Shop Boys were "electronic purists," meaning no guitars, no orchestral support, and no organic instruments. The following year saw the band issue the Undertow EP, which featured two remixes of Super's "Undertow," a remix of "Burn," and a new version of "Left to My Own Devices," produced by Stuart Price. They were also awarded the Godlike Genius Award by NME.
The duo issued the Agenda EP in early 2019, and the live album CD/DVD/Blu-ray release Inner Sanctum appeared in April; it was recorded during Pet Shop Boys' four-day residency in July 2018 at the Royal Opera House in London. Later in the year, they started issuing songs from their next long-player, including "Dreamland," a collaboration with Years & Years, and "Burning the Heather," which featured Suede's Bernard Butler on guitar. The album, titled Hotspot, arrived in January 2020 and was their third LP to be produced by Price. Discovery (Live in Rio), a concert originally issued on video in 1995, was issued on DVD and CD for the first time in 2021. The duo also released a nearly ten-minute classical-inspired single titled "Cricket Wife."
In May 2022 Pet Shop and British pop duo Soft Cell released the album *Happiness Not Included - Soft Cell first studio album in nearly two decades. The colab included the song “Purple Zone”, blending the best of both Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys, layering a dazzling synth riff and dance floor-ready beat with anthemic vocals. Appropriately for the pandemics, the track laments feeling stuck in the monotony of everyday mundanities: “Let’s get out of this life/ I’m afraid and alone,” goes the chorus. Paralyzed in the purple zone.”
Their much-anticipated “Unity Tour” of North America alongside New Order, rescheduled twice following pandemics delays, kicked off in Fall 2022 and included several venues in Canada and the United States, featuring Paul Oakenfold as special guest DJ.
http://petshopboys.co.uk
DJ Culture
Pet Shop Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Permanent holiday in endless sun
Peace without wisdom, one steals to achieve
Relentlessly, pretending to believe
Attitudes are materialistic, positive or frankly realistic
Which is terribly old-fashioned, isn't it?
Or isn't it?
(DJ Culture) Dance with me
(DJ Culture) Let's pretend
Living in a satellite fantasy
Waiting for the night to end
(DJ Culture DJ D)
Let's pretend we won a war
Like a football match, ten-nil the score
Anything's possible, we're on the same side
Or otherwise on trial for our lives
I've been around the world for a number of reasons
I've seen it all, the change of seasons
And I, my Lord, may I say nothing?
[Chorus]
Now as a matter of pride
Indulge yourself, your every mood
No feast-days, or fast-days, or days of abstinence intrude
Consider for a minute who you are (consider/who you are)
What you'd like to change, never mind the scars (change)
Bury the past, empty the shelf (bury the past)
Decide it's time to reinvent yourself (it's time)
Like Liz before Betty, she after Sean
Suddenly you're missing, then you're reborn
And I, my Lord, may I say nothing?
[Chorus]
Wondering who's your friend (DJ
(DJ Culture) And I, my Lord, (une foix)
(DJ Culture) May I say nothing? (deux fois)
Living in a satellite fantasy
Waiting for the night to end (DJ Culture)
The song "DJ Culture" by Pet Shop Boys is a reflection on the societal influence and impact of the culture of Disc Jockeying. The opening lines of the song "Imagine a war which everyone won, Permanent holiday in the endless sun" posit a utopian society where there is no conflict and only leisure. However, the lines "One steals to achieve, relentlessly, pretending to believe" alludes to the negative impact of materialism on this society. The lyrics point out that this attitude is "terribly old-fashioned," but beg the question "Or isn't it?" highlighting the ambiguous nature of contemporary societal values. The chorus "Let's pretend Living in a satellite fantasy, Waiting for the night to end" is a metaphor for the escapism that DJ culture provides.
The second verse "Let's pretend we won a war, Like a football match, ten-nil the score" leads into an ambiguous scenario where the lines "Anything's possible, we're on the same side, Or otherwise on trial for our lives” hint at the idea that sometimes the only thing standing between the person and the center of the dancefloor is a treacherous dance partner. The bridge echoes the overall theme that the song portrays, with lines such as "Decide it's time to reinvent yourself" alluding to the transformative and musically immersive culture of DJing.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagine a war which everyone won
Think about a war where there is no loss for anyone.
Permanent holiday in endless sun
Picture a never-ending vacation under the sun.
Peace without wisdom, one steals to achieve
Though everyone is in peace, they seek their gains through wrong means.
Relentlessly, pretending to believe
With full force and without stopping, people pretend to have faith in things they don't.
Attitudes are materialistic, positive or frankly realistic
People's behavior focuses on possessions, being optimistic, or harshly practical.
Which is terribly old-fashioned, isn't it?
Such beliefs are outdated, right?
Or isn't it?
Perhaps it isn't old-fashioned after all.
(DJ Culture) Dance with me
In the culture of DJ, dance with me.
(DJ Culture) Let's pretend
In this grand world of DJ, let's imagine.
Living in a satellite fantasy
Living in an unreal world via the satellite.
Waiting for the night to end
Awaiting the cessation of night.
(DJ Culture DJ D)
The DJ and his music.
Let's pretend we won a war
Imagining the triumph of a combat.
Like a football match, ten-nil the score
A comparison of war victory to winning in football with a score of ten to none.
Anything's possible, we're on the same side
In this new world, all is achievable and we stand together.
Or otherwise on trial for our lives
Otherwise, we could face a life-threatening trial.
I've been around the world for a number of reasons
Throughout my life, I have traveled around the globe for many purposes.
I've seen it all, the change of seasons
I have watched the transition between all the seasons.
And I, my Lord, may I say nothing?
Can I not speak, please?
Now as a matter of pride
Pride suggests us to do something.
Indulge yourself, your every mood
You have the liberty to pamper and follow your every feeling.
No feast-days, or fast-days, or days of abstinence intrude
No day of feasting or fasting is prohibited.
Consider for a minute who you are (consider/who you are)
Think once about who you are (think of self-identity).
What you'd like to change, never mind the scars (change)
Irrespective of the past damages, focus on what change you want.
Bury the past, empty the shelf (bury the past)
The past is gone, forget it entirely and start afresh.
Decide it's time to reinvent yourself (it's time)
Choose now to revamp yourself completely.
Like Liz before Betty, she after Sean
Like the transition in personalities of Liz, then Betty, next Sean.
Suddenly you're missing, then you're reborn
You vanished for a moment, and then you come to life, renewed.
Wondering who's your friend (DJ
Questioning about who is by your side in the DJ world.
(DJ Culture) And I, my Lord, (une foix)
And I will say nothing again, my Lord.
(DJ Culture) May I say nothing? (deux fois)
Can I say nothing, please? (twice repeated)
Living in a satellite fantasy
Living in an artificial world built by technology.
Waiting for the night to end (DJ Culture)
Awaiting the darkness to leave in this DJ lifestyle.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER LOWE, NEIL TENNANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Blakdog333
By AllGuts NoGlory
Consider for a minute who you are (consider/who you are)
What you'd like to change, never mind the scars (change)
Bury the past, empty the shelf (bury the past)
Decide it's time to reinvent yourself (it's time)
Like Liz before Betty, she after Sean
Suddenly you're missing, then you're reborn
And I, my Lord, may I say nothing?
(AND This is some kind of conditioning for men to convince them their lives will be easier reborn as a woman) - It's easier for them to overcome their pain by becoming a woman.
@Blakdog333
please go to Left To My Own Devices (Divizes) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed1tv_gCOUA
William Waller ('Roundhead' General) knew of the farce of this 'Satelite Fantasy' island culture He was called upon to oppose the advance of Sir Ralph Hopton and the Royalist western army, and though more or less defeated in the hard-fought battle of Lansdowne (near Bath) he was able to encircle Hopton in DEVIZES. However, Hopton and a relieving force from Oxford inflicted a crushing defeat upon Waller's army at the Battle of Roundway Down (13 July 1643). Hopton was Waller's intimate personal friend, and some correspondence passed between the opposing generals, a quotation from which (Gardiner, Civil War, i. 168) is given as illustrative of "the temper in which the nobler spirits on either side had entered on the war". Waller wrote:-
That great God, who is the searcher of my heart, knows with what a sad sense I go upon this service, and with what a perfect hatred, I detest this war without an enemy.. but I look upon it as sent from God . . .
God in his good time send us the blessing of peace and in the meantime assist us to receive it!
We are both upon the STAGE and must ACT such PARTS as are ASSIGNED us in this tragedy, let us do it in a way of honour and without personal animosities.
- Neil Tennant, what 'role' were you forced to choose and how 'early' was this difficult age? All the 'world' IS a stage.. and it is high time we wrote our own parts!
@VIJAYSURYASVIDEOS
Of course there is a reason for this .It is basically due to the basic ignorance of the present generation about the Golden Oldies .There are very few good songs now. So it is as if the frog in the abandoned well only knew about it. For more Golden Oldies, see the links below.
.....................................................
HERE ARE MY FAVORITE WESTERN SONGS !
.....................................................
One of My Favorite Western Songs * is at the link below.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1380961922098728&id=100005547992816
One of My Favorite Female Western Songs * is at the link below.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1377471112447809&id=100005547992816
[* View edit history by tapping the 3 dots on the top right for previous song links.]
@PaoloRumi
Oscar Wilde: "and I, my Lord, may I say nothing?"
@XKT035
I thought the Acropolis reference made him Lord Byron
@traviswalton8806
DJ Culture is one of my favourite PSB songs - extremely underrated - because it contains one of their most political first verses ever. It's about how during the Gulf War ("permanent holiday, in endless sun"), the Western politicians were almost regurgitating Winston Churchill and WWII ideals ("peace without wisdom, one steals to achieve")), to justify the war against Iraq ("relentlessly, pretending to believe"). Neil Tennant compares their ("materialistic") attitudes to those of WWII sentiments ("which is terribly old-fashioned, isn't it?") but in an artificial (like a DJ samples old records, so did the politicians - they sampled old ideals from WWII) and insincere way.
@omarsharif2995
Loved this song since my student life but I had no idea about the real meaning of it. Thank you for explaining it so nicely.
@Blakdog333
No Feast Days (No Power), No Fast (No Physical Health) or Abstinence (Moral Health) intrude (are seen in these days)... These are the words of Lucifer (The Deceiver).. Beautifully delivered words of evil intent... Intended to weaken you Socially, Physically and Morally.
Sympathy for the Devil (principalities powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places)
... or it's just a pop-song.
@Blakdog333
By AllGuts NoGlory
Consider for a minute who you are (consider/who you are)
What you'd like to change, never mind the scars (change)
Bury the past, empty the shelf (bury the past)
Decide it's time to reinvent yourself (it's time)
Like Liz before Betty, she after Sean
Suddenly you're missing, then you're reborn
And I, my Lord, may I say nothing?
(AND This is some kind of conditioning for men to convince them their lives will be easier reborn as a woman) - It's easier for them to overcome their pain by becoming a woman.
@Blakdog333
I am here to help.. This song tells of the demoralization and perversion of the UK, the farce of the wars we 'win' and 'alliances' we've made. ..believing we are something we are not, whilst actually being isolated and trapped in a 'satellite' fantasy.. and quite accurately predicts the coming plastic surgery, unhealthy lifestyles and endless wars.. released 1991.
BUT, if you are hearing this and have eyes to see, then be uplifted.. the night is almost over!
@Blakdog333
please go to Left To My Own Devices (Divizes) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed1tv_gCOUA
William Waller ('Roundhead' General) knew of the farce of this 'Satelite Fantasy' island culture He was called upon to oppose the advance of Sir Ralph Hopton and the Royalist western army, and though more or less defeated in the hard-fought battle of Lansdowne (near Bath) he was able to encircle Hopton in DEVIZES. However, Hopton and a relieving force from Oxford inflicted a crushing defeat upon Waller's army at the Battle of Roundway Down (13 July 1643). Hopton was Waller's intimate personal friend, and some correspondence passed between the opposing generals, a quotation from which (Gardiner, Civil War, i. 168) is given as illustrative of "the temper in which the nobler spirits on either side had entered on the war". Waller wrote:-
That great God, who is the searcher of my heart, knows with what a sad sense I go upon this service, and with what a perfect hatred, I detest this war without an enemy.. but I look upon it as sent from God . . .
God in his good time send us the blessing of peace and in the meantime assist us to receive it!
We are both upon the STAGE and must ACT such PARTS as are ASSIGNED us in this tragedy, let us do it in a way of honour and without personal animosities.
- Neil Tennant, what 'role' were you forced to choose and how 'early' was this difficult age? All the 'world' IS a stage.. and it is high time we wrote our own parts!
@nmuzza1
This is probably my all time favourite PSB song. Soooo underrated! Love it! ❤️
@davidbrianjones
same here - this and Purple Zone