Not long before I starting choosing a ‘record of the week’, back in 1985, Pet Shop Boys released the original, Bobby Orlando produced version of West End Girls. It charted very modestly in Canada, but wasn’t officially released in the UK. Follow-up singles One More Chance and Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) hardly fared any better. The duo’s decision to re-record their debut single proved to be a good one. At the end 1985, I made this new version my record of the week, and it went on to become a worldwide hit (I don’t claim any connection between those two events 😉).

Fast forward to 2024… To date, Pet Shop Boys amassed 18 of my weekly accolades. More than any other artist. Guess that makes them my all-time favourite act. This week, they add a 19^th gong to their name, and it’s an extra special one this time…

Pet Shop Boys aren’t only known for their great singles. Their B-sides are often equally brilliant. In fact, most of their B-sides are better than other artists’ A-sides! Take for instance Paninaro (later a single in it’s own right), You Know Where You Went Wrong, Do I Have To?, Your Funny Uncle, Screaming, We’re The Pet Shop Boys, No Time For Tears… the list is endless.

Forty years into their career, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe never stopped delivering. No disrespect to their new single Feel, but I love it’s B-side Everybody Will Dance. A classic, hi-NRG Pet Shop Boys track, that has waited nine years to be released. It was written and demoed in 2015 during song-writing sessions prior to the recording of their album Super. However, they decided against recording it themselves because they felt it was ‘a little young’ for them. Tennant & Lowe intended  to offer it to someone else instead. I’m glad they finally decided to put this gem out!

Everybody Will Dance by Pet Shop Boys is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.

More Pet Shop Boys @ Carte Blanche Music

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In the Wildcards 2024 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.