I know this band has had a lot of great albums, singles, album cuts, videos etc. But this still maybe my all time favorite! this and October Symphony are probably my 2 favorite PSB songs! and Being Boring still gives me chills sometimes especially the video.

I agree, the "Behavior" album is still one of my favorites. "Being Boring" and "October Symphony" really speak to me because, now that I'm older and wiser - I admit, I don't think I ever planned to live into my 40's. Compared to my friends, I am the proverbial "last of the bunch" and it is often sad to realize those people from my youth are no longer around. This album really hits home that way for me.

lurves it.

This would be among my ten favourite songs by any artist. Exquisite and moving introspection, one of the best pop music reflections on the passing of time.

The funny thing is bout his song and the album itself, when it for was released it pretty much went no where and the single barely made it into the top 20.

lazycrockett said:

disregarding the reviews and the critics or the chart success,

upon it's release it was obvious that this album was a really

special one and probably the best they'd ever get. with the

lead single "being boring" still being, probably, their best cut

ever.

this whole album is a timeless classic. from an era when an

album was still an experience rather than just some songs

thrown together. it has a heart and a soul.

I heard that the video was just to homoerotic to air for most audiences in 1990, and that slowed the single's success.

Probably my favourite of their songs.

My favorite is another beautiful clip, "Domino Dancing" from 1988.

Cinny said:

I heard that the video was just to homoerotic to air for most audiences in 1990, and that slowed the single's success.

iirc mtv didn't play it until something like 22:00

Cinny said:

I heard that the video was just to homoerotic to air for most audiences in 1990, and that slowed the single's success.

I don't think the problem was the video, because "Domino Dancing" is more homoerotic and that didn't stop the song from being a hit. I think the problem was that people were used to the classical upbeat Pet Shop Boys songs, like "West End Girls", "It's A Sin" or "Heart", and not to their more introspective and reflective music. "Being Boring" was an atypical single, it went nowhere, but now it's the favourite PSB song for many fans.

[Edited 8/22/13 14:23pm]

Javi said:

Cinny said:

I heard that the video was just to homoerotic to air for most audiences in 1990, and that slowed the single's success.

I don't think the problem was the video, because "Domino Dancing" is more homoerotic and that didn't stop the song from being a hit. I think the problem was that people were used to the classical upbeat Pet Shop Boys songs, like "West End Girls", "It's A Sin" or "Heart", and not to their more introspective and reflective music. "Being Boring" was an atypical single, it went nowhere, but now it's the favourite PSB song for many fans.

[Edited 8/22/13 14:23pm]

Hmmm... while true some of it maybe upbeat. I always found a lot of those songs dark, look at West End Grils and Rent! those have a very seedy undertone.

And they had done political or social music like with Suburbia and It's Alright but those still had an upbeatness to them though.

Most of the tracks on Behavior are very slow minus a few like How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously which was inspired by New Jack Swing

Welp, I was 9 and didn't see this video back then, but managed to see something like "Express Yourself" by Madonna. So... I don't think the airplay was there.

my friend in China saw PSB last night lucky bastard

In America when BB was released the PSB's were declining. While they maintained their fan base casual listeners and radio turned a deaf ear to them. Ask around today and the majority of americans only remember them for West End Girl.

Cinny said:

My favorite is another beautiful clip, "Domino Dancing" from 1988.

I love this track.

And Being Boring.

But Rent really does it for me.

Gunsnhalen said:

Javi said:

I don't think the problem was the video, because "Domino Dancing" is more homoerotic and that didn't stop the song from being a hit. I think the problem was that people were used to the classical upbeat Pet Shop Boys songs, like "West End Girls", "It's A Sin" or "Heart", and not to their more introspective and reflective music. "Being Boring" was an atypical single, it went nowhere, but now it's the favourite PSB song for many fans.

[Edited 8/22/13 14:23pm]

Hmmm... while true some of it maybe upbeat. I always found a lot of those songs dark, look at West End Grils and Rent! those have a very seedy undertone.

And they had done political or social music like with Suburbia and It's Alright but those still had an upbeatness to them though.

Most of the tracks on Behavior are very slow minus a few like How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously which was inspired by New Jack Swing

Was it? I didn't know about it.

[Edited 8/22/13 23:38pm]

lazycrockett said:

In America when BB was released the PSB's were declining. While they maintained their fan base casual listeners and radio turned a deaf ear to them. Ask around today and the majority of americans only remember them for West End Girl.

Yeah, it's annoying. Same case with Bowie: many Americans say they only remember "Let's Dance". I mean, both "West End Girls" and "Let's Dance" are great songs, but come on, with such impressive catalogues and you can only name those songs?

Javi said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Hmmm... while true some of it maybe upbeat. I always found a lot of those songs dark, look at West End Grils and Rent! those have a very seedy undertone.

And they had done political or social music like with Suburbia and It's Alright but those still had an upbeatness to them though.

Most of the tracks on Behavior are very slow minus a few like How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously which was inspired by New Jack Swing

Was it? I didn't know about it.

[Edited 8/22/13 23:38pm]

Yup! on the special edition of Behavior in the linear notes (Where the boys were awesome and gave a retrospect on every song) And they said they were listening to a lot of Bobby Brown at the time.

Also they said So Hard was the only track on the album they didn't think was great.

lazycrockett said:

In America when BB was released the PSB's were declining. While they maintained their fan base casual listeners and radio turned a deaf ear to them. Ask around today and the majority of americans only remember them for West End Girl.

Yeah the last top 20 hit was Domino Dancing.

but even with their first few albums i am suprised Rent, Heart, Love Comes Quickly etc. Did not hit the charts in America.

Supringingly enough So Hard reached the hot 100 but after that never again...

To be fair though they do have a pretty good amount of respect with music fans! if you go on rate your music.com there albums are rated very highly as is the same with Amazon and other sites.

Gunsnhalen said:

Javi said:

Was it? I didn't know about it.

[Edited 8/22/13 23:38pm]

Yup! on the special edition of Behavior in the linear notes (Where the boys were awesome and gave a retrospect on every song) And they said they were listening to a lot of Bobby Brown at the time.

Also they said So Hard was the only track on the album they didn't think was great.

Yeah, I read that, but I didn't remember.

-------

What struck me most of those liner notes was what they say about "My October Symphony". The relationship between music and political context they describe is very interesting. Also, the Johny Marr colaboration and the Marvin Gaye-like backing vocals... I even bought a Shostakovich box set because of it! Well, actually, it is among my favourite PSB songs, as it is among yours!

-------

By the way, in that interview they say that they wrote the chorus of "Being Boring" with Stock, Aitken and Waterman in mind. When I read that, I thought: they've gone nuts, definitely. But it's true, the sequence of the chorus has a touch of SAW, though they certainly wouldn't be able to compose a whole song as rich and deep as "Being Boring".

Javi said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Yup! on the special edition of Behavior in the linear notes (Where the boys were awesome and gave a retrospect on every song) And they said they were listening to a lot of Bobby Brown at the time.

Also they said So Hard was the only track on the album they didn't think was great.

Yeah, I read that, but I didn't remember.

-------

What struck me most of those liner notes was what they say about "My October Symphony". The relationship between music and political context they describe is very interesting. Also, the Johny Marr colaboration and the Marvin Gaye-like backing vocals... I even bought a Shostakovich box set because of it! Well, actually, it is among my favourite PSB songs, as it is among yours!

-------

By the way, in that interview they say that they wrote the chorus of "Being Boring" with Stock, Aitken and Waterman in mind. When I read that, I thought: they've gone nuts, definitely. But it's true, the sequence of the chorus has a touch of SAW, though they certainly wouldn't be able to compose a whole song as rich and deep as "Being Boring".

That is so weird! kind of like how the original version of West End Girls was a Bobby O production. Bobby o is good for upbeat dance music but for a song like WEG it just didn't sound right.

Also in return... My October Symphony inspired November Rain by Guns N Roses

Gunsnhalen said:

Javi said:

Yeah, I read that, but I didn't remember.

-------

What struck me most of those liner notes was what they say about "My October Symphony". The relationship between music and political context they describe is very interesting. Also, the Johny Marr colaboration and the Marvin Gaye-like backing vocals... I even bought a Shostakovich box set because of it! Well, actually, it is among my favourite PSB songs, as it is among yours!

-------

By the way, in that interview they say that they wrote the chorus of "Being Boring" with Stock, Aitken and Waterman in mind. When I read that, I thought: they've gone nuts, definitely. But it's true, the sequence of the chorus has a touch of SAW, though they certainly wouldn't be able to compose a whole song as rich and deep as "Being Boring".

That is so weird! kind of like how the original version of West End Girls was a Bobby O production. Bobby o is good for upbeat dance music but for a song like WEG it just didn't sound right.

Also in return... My October Symphony inspired November Rain by Guns N Roses

Javi said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Javi said:

Yeah, I read that, but I didn't remember.

-----

What struck me most of those liner notes was what they say about "My October Symphony". The relationship between music and political context they describe is very interesting. Also, the Johny Marr colaboration and the Marvin Gaye-like backing vocals... I even bought a Shostakovich box set because of it! Well, actually, it is among my favourite PSB songs, as it is among yours!

-----

By the way, in that interview they say that they wrote the chorus of "Being Boring" with Stock, Aitken and Waterman in mind. When I read that, I thought: they've gone nuts, definitely. But it's true, the sequence of the chorus has a touch of SAW, though they certainly wouldn't be able to compose a whole song as rich and deep as "Being Boring".

That is so weird! kind of like how the original version of West End Girls was a Bobby O production. Bobby o is good for upbeat dance music but for a song like WEG it just didn't sound right.

Also in return... My October Symphony inspired November Rain by Guns N Roses

OMG. I don't believe you!

aardvark15 said:

Javi said:

OMG. I don't believe you!

It's true. Axl Rose was a big fan of them back in the day and was really mad when he saw them in concert because they didn't do Being Boring during the tour for Behaviour

Interesting, I had no idea.

aardvark15 said:

Javi said:

OMG. I don't believe you!

It's true. Axl Rose was a big fan of them back in the day and was really mad when he saw them in concert because they didn't do Being Boring during the tour for Behaviour

Which in retrospect makes no sense! i saw an old video were they even did ''This must be the place i waited years to leave'' they would do that but not Being Boring

Gunsnhalen said: