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
Nightlife
Pet Shop Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no one around
Gotta get yourself out
Away from home
People know how to party
A permanent frown
Won't get you a lover
Way downtown
People know how to party
Nightlife, babe, it's always the same
Living the life every night
Night life, babe, it's always the same
Looking for light every night
Thank all your stars
There's someone around
Gonna get you out there
In streets and bars
People know how to party
Nightlife, babe, it's always the same
Living the life every night
Night life, babe, same old game
Looking for light every night
And when your heart has come around
You won't ever settle down
You won't ever
(You won't ever)
You won't ever say goodnight
(Say goodnight)
To love
Take it from me
I've been there before
And I'm gonna go back there
We all need
People who know how to party
Nightlife, babe, it's always the same
Living the life every night
Night life, babe, same old game
Leaving the lie every night
Nightlife, babe, it's always the same
Looking for light every night
Night life, babe, it's always the same
Living the life every night
The lyrics to "Nightlife" by Pet Shop Boys describe the longing for a vibrant and exciting social life, away from the solitude of being alone at home. The song praises the upbeat and vivacious atmosphere of parties, bars, and clubs. Throughout the song, the Pet Shop Boys emphasize how crucial it is to surround ourselves with lively people who know how to have a good time. The chorus presents the message of the song as an anthem for those who seek an active, fulfilling nightlife.
By describing the monotony and lack of fulfillment of a solitary life, the song is urging individuals to seek social connections and meaningful experiences. The song's refrain, "Nightlife, babe, it's always the same," suggests that this lifestyle is the best way to achieve happiness and excitement. It suggests that the search for love and light is a universal human need that can be found among people who know how to have fun.
Overall, the song creates a vivid picture of the importance of a vibrant nightlife, and the desire to find excitement, connection, and meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're alone
Being lonely and by yourself.
There's no one around
There's nobody nearby to provide company.
Gotta get yourself out
Need to make an effort to change the current situation.
Away from home
Need to step out of the comfort zone.
People know how to party
Society has a culture of engaging in leisure activities.
A permanent frown
Consistent expression of sadness on the face.
Won't get you a lover
Not attracting a romantic partner with a negative attitude.
Way downtown
A faraway location in the city.
Nightlife, babe, it's always the same
The nightlife culture is perpetually monotonous.
Living the life every night
Engaging in a repetitive cycle of partying every night.
Looking for light every night
Seeking for enjoyment in the routine nightlife.
Thank all your stars
Being grateful for what one has achieved.
There's someone around
Having someone nearby offers companionship.
Gonna get you out there
Assuring that one will be introduced to the nightlife culture.
In streets and bars
Engaging in leisure activities in public places.
Night life, babe, same old game
The nightlife culture is a repetitive game.
Leaving the lie every night
Experiencing a deception perpetrated by the nightlife culture every night.
And when your heart has come around
Finding a true love interest and feeling love in return.
You won't ever settle down
Being in love won't make you want to settle down.
You won't ever
Being in love signifies a concrete change in the lifestyle.
You won't ever say goodnight
Being in love won't involve engaging in the nightlife culture anymore.
Take it from me
Accepting the advice given from a more experienced individual.
I've been there before
The singer has experienced the same predicament or lifestyle previously.
We all need
Everybody needs a social life.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER LOWE, NEIL TENNANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
oscarpsb
① West End girls1:04
② Discoteca4:50
③ Being boring10:37
④ Closer to Heaven17:11
⑤ Can you forgive her?21:20
⑥ Only the wind25:30
⑦ What have I done to deserve this30:20
⑧ New York City boy35:15
⑨ Left to my own devices40:22
⑩ Young offender45:12
⑪ Vampire52:57
⑫ You only tell me you love me when you drunk.59:09
⑬ Was it worth it?1:01:42
⑭ Se a vida é (That's the way life is)1:04:59
⑮ I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more.1:08:42
⑯ Always on my mind1:14:00
⑰ Shameless1:18:05
⑱ Opportunities1:23:25
⑲ It's a sin.1:26:49
⑳ It's alright1:32:19
㉑ Footsteps1:39:42
㉒ Go West1:42:46
㉓ Credits1:49:29
.
Antonis Kosmopoulos
The arrangements... I know no other group that has bothered so much to craft alternative arrangements for their live shows. They're ever brilliant.
Procta
they still are at it now! i believe that they did a CD of this setup too.
Charlie Greyfriars
You are so bloody right! Beyond awesome isn't it? ♥️
mcveljo
YES!!! ❤❤❤ I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE them live ONCE AGAIN!! Fucken Plandemic had their shows postponed over 2 years..!! But only 13 more days (God willing!) and I will ENJOY these 2 BRILLIANT guys again!! & Neil’s voice is still SOOO GREAT!! (did I mention they are touring together with New Order..?!) YES!!! 🕺🏼 💃🏻 this is gonna be sooo amazing!! ❤️🔥🖤❤️🔥🖤🎹🎸🎹 Two fantastic Bands together!! Aww 🥰
Bernard Molan
FACT:
In the category of pop music they are the best band to have ever existed. I'm not sure who'd come second, third etc, I'd have to think about it.
Bernard Molan
@mcveljo
I saw them in 1994 and 2007
(Melbourne, Australia).
oscarpsb
① West End girls1:04
② Discoteca4:50
③ Being boring10:37
④ Closer to Heaven17:11
⑤ Can you forgive her?21:20
⑥ Only the wind25:30
⑦ What have I done to deserve this30:20
⑧ New York City boy35:15
⑨ Left to my own devices40:22
⑩ Young offender45:12
⑪ Vampire52:57
⑫ You only tell me you love me when you drunk.59:09
⑬ Was it worth it?1:01:42
⑭ Se a vida é (That's the way life is)1:04:59
⑮ I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more.1:08:42
⑯ Always on my mind1:14:00
⑰ Shameless1:18:05
⑱ Opportunities1:23:25
⑲ It's a sin.1:26:49
⑳ It's alright1:32:19
㉑ Footsteps1:39:42
㉒ Go West1:42:46
㉓ Credits1:49:29
.
Iván Gallardo
God bless you, my dear. 🎩
Leon Vitya
Спасибо за перевод.🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Bernard Molan
If it hasn't been said, thank you.