What is the best Pet Shop Boys b-side

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I thought it'd be fun to test a more obscure poll here. Although ILM has its share of PSB fans and PSB sure have their share of great b-sides.

Poll Results

Option	Votes
I Want a Dog	6
Miserablism	6
Your Funny Uncle	5
Shameless	3
Paninaro	3
The Truck Driver And His Mate	2
We All Feel Better In The Dark	2
Don Juan	2
In The Night	2
Decadence	1
What Keeps Mankind Alive?	1
Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend	1
The Resurrectionist	1
I Get Excited	1
The Sound Of The Atom Splitting	1
The View From Your Balcony	0
Always	0
Sexy Northerner	0
Sail Away	0
Lies	0
The Ghost Of Myself	0
Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus	0
Delusions Of Grandeur	0
Screaming	0
Silver Age	0
Party Song	0
Break 4 Love	0
Searching For The Face Of Jesus	0
No Time For Tears	0
Blue On Blue	0
In Private	0
Girls Don't Cry	0
I Didn't Get Where I Am Today	0
Transparent	0
We're The Pet Shop Boys	0
Positive Role Model	0
Friendly Fire	0
Between Two Islands	0
The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On	0
Confidential	0
Hey Headmaster	0
Was That What It Was?	0
Overture To Performance	0
Music For Boys	0
Losing My Mind	0
Jack The Lad	0
It Must Be Obvious	0
You Know Where You Went Wrong	0
One Of The Crowd	0
A New Life	0
That's My Impression	0
Too Many People	0
Violence (Hacienda Version)	0
The Calm Before The Storm	0
To Step Aside	0
How I Learned To Hate Rock'n'Roll	0
Betrayed	0
Hit And Miss	0
A Man Could Get Arrested	0
Girls And Boys (Live in Rio)	0
Euroboy	0
Some Speculation	0
If Love Were All	0
Do I Have To?	0

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 13 April 2007 00:24 (nineteen years ago)

"In the Night" is still maddeningly sexy and insinuating.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 13 April 2007 00:37 (nineteen years ago)

miserabilism is the best pet shop boys song period.

― bell_labs, Friday, 13 April 2007 01:25 (nineteen years ago)

(At least it's the best Pet Shop Boys b-side ;) )

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 13 April 2007 01:56 (nineteen years ago)

"I Get Excited", I say!

― Capitaine Jay Vee, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:30 (nineteen years ago)

I NEED ALTERNATIVE 2

― HI DERE, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:37 (nineteen years ago)

Also this is the hardest poll imaginable because I can see ten songs I could vote for without even blinking.

― HI DERE, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:38 (nineteen years ago)

well, we all know how geir and i voted ;D

― bell_labs, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:44 (nineteen years ago)

sinister northerners!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Orbitzsoda.jpg

― bell_labs, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:51 (nineteen years ago)

wrong thread sorry

― bell_labs, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:52 (nineteen years ago)

i've gotta thank ilm for recommending Alternative in other threads. it's great.

― abanana, Friday, 13 April 2007 02:52 (nineteen years ago)

Also this is the hardest poll imaginable because I can see ten songs I could vote for without even blinking

OTM. The quality of these B-sides makes me regret even looking at the Beatles thread.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 13 April 2007 03:03 (nineteen years ago)

[i]miserabilism is the best pet shop boys song period.[/]

God's truth

― Davey D, Friday, 13 April 2007 03:35 (nineteen years ago)

dammit

― Davey D, Friday, 13 April 2007 03:35 (nineteen years ago)

"To Step Aside" is actually an A-Side isn't it? It was on Bilingual.

― LeRooLeRoo, Friday, 13 April 2007 05:19 (nineteen years ago)

man this is REAL hard. i'm down to 5 but... man alive.

haven't heard any of the last eight. it's not worth it i'd imagine.

― pisces, Friday, 13 April 2007 08:29 (nineteen years ago)

In the case of "Miserabilism", I can understand how it didn't fit in on the otherwise rather dark "Behaviour" album. But why did they make it the b-side of "Was It Worth It?" rather than turning the single around? "Was It Worth It?" is hardly among their best work, while "Miserabilism" would have been an obviously great single.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 13 April 2007 08:39 (nineteen years ago)

i think we need to lobby for polling that allows multiple ticks. that way we can do 'which of these if any are 'any good at all'". then you get nice bar charts to see how the crowd responds market research stylee, rather than "one registered-user one vote" style

― Alan, Friday, 13 April 2007 09:55 (nineteen years ago)

I really really want either LJ or here to do answer grid polling (or at least for LJ to allow banks of scalar questions)

There is a purity to the OMOV thing which is working well I think - esp if Bomfunk MCs win.

I am voting for "Shameless" anyway.

― Groke, Friday, 13 April 2007 10:13 (nineteen years ago)

One could do with more options although in this kind of poll I agree one pick pr voter is sufficient.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 13 April 2007 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

POXXV: PSB B-sides.

― energy flash gordon, Friday, 13 April 2007 10:28 (nineteen years ago)

whatever would Geir do without the poll function now??

i had to be boring and vote for 'In The Night' but 'The Sound Of The Atom Splitting' and 'One Of The Crowd' are 2nd and 3rd. haven't heard many of the later ones tho.

― blueski, Friday, 13 April 2007 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

I feel a kind if kinship with Geir now.

― Groke, Friday, 13 April 2007 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

The truck driver and his mate

― MusicLover, Friday, 13 April 2007 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

that's Groke and Geir alright

― blueski, Friday, 13 April 2007 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

another vote for miserablism. thought i'd be out on a limb here.

― grimly fiendish, Friday, 13 April 2007 11:43 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, I can't remember if I voted for "I Want A Dog" or "Jack the Lad" or "Don Juan" or "We All Feel Better in the Dark" or "Some Speculation" or "Paninaro" or "You Know Where You Went Wrong" or "It Must Be Obvious" or "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend". ("In The Night" and "Miserablism" felt too obvious.)

― HI DERE, Friday, 13 April 2007 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

I voted for 'Your Funny Uncle' but it could have went to any one of 8 or 9 quite easily.

― Billy Dods, Friday, 13 April 2007 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

where be the love for "The Sound of the Atom splitting?"

― danzig, Friday, 13 April 2007 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

Sometimes PSB fail when trying out an entirely different genre, and I feel like the failed both with "...Atom Splitting" and with the album version of "It's Alright". Trying to combine pop with acid house just didn't sound right.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 13 April 2007 22:14 (nineteen years ago)

yes it did

― blueski, Friday, 13 April 2007 22:17 (nineteen years ago)

I went with "I Want a Dog," though I've never thought of it as a B-side. (I hope somebody votes for "The Sound Of The Atom Splitting," however.)

― xhuxk, Friday, 13 April 2007 23:31 (nineteen years ago)

This is easy. I only know one of these songs and don't particularly wish to hear more.

― Bimble, Saturday, 14 April 2007 05:31 (nineteen years ago)

"We All Feel Better In The Dark"

― Bimble, Saturday, 14 April 2007 05:31 (nineteen years ago)

OK, we'll see if this is a runaway win for "Miserabilism", then.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 19 April 2007 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

can we see the degree of winnage in these polls?

― Alan, Thursday, 19 April 2007 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

Only by reading the comments.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 19 April 2007 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

was POSITIVE ROLE MODEL a bside? wow i'd forgotten that. being 'back on eberything' = a fine concept for a pop song i feel.

― pisces, Friday, 20 April 2007 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus

Is this for real? What's it available on? Is there heavy breathing?

― sw00ds, Friday, 20 April 2007 20:52 (nineteen years ago)

does I want a Dog count?

I went for Your Funny Uncle. But it is totally a mood vote.

― Gukbe, Friday, 20 April 2007 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

Is this for real? What's it available on? Is there heavy breathing?

Yes. Done for some compilation thingy, different version on I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Anymore. Yes, by robots.

does I want a Dog count?

Of course, it's the b-side to Rent.

― energy flash gordon, Saturday, 21 April 2007 01:51 (nineteen years ago)

Tighter than I expected from the responses. But of course they have several fantastic singles between them (even though personally I am not fan of "I Want a Dog")

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 09:15 (nineteen years ago)

I missed this poll but would have voted for "Your Funny Uncle" for reasons of personal emotional resonance.

Sad to see the lack of love for "Do I Have To?"

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 09:18 (nineteen years ago)

"Do I Have To" is sure among their greater b-sides. Not that there's anything that comes close to "Miserabilism" IMO (still cannot see why that one wasn't the a-side while "Was It Worth It" was the b-side)

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

Top 5 are pretty much on I think, except I've never liked "Miserablism", his phrasing is so clumsy.

― Groke, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

"Was That What It Was" is also among my favourites and that one has no votes at all.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

My favourite of the 0-votes is "Hey Headmaster", which I persist in thinking is a sophisticated allegory for the plight of the Major government after Black Wednesday.

― Groke, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

i wish i'd voted for DO I HAVE TO now.

― pisces, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:00 (nineteen years ago)

It probably wouldn't have picked up any votes, but it's a shame that the Swing Version of "Can You Forgive Her" wasn't listed.

I voted for "Shameless". Sad to see nul points for "Sexy Northerner", "The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On"... and especially "Too Many People", which is something of a personal anthem.

― mike t-diva, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 10:05 (nineteen years ago)

"Do I Have To?" is just marvelous.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

I had almost expected "Shameless" to perform even better. It is sort of the ultimate anti-rockist song and as such one would expect it to be an ILM favourite.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

I voted for "Shameless"! Not for that reason, mind you.

― Groke, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sad "Don Juan" scored so low but PSYCHED that "I Want A Dog" scored so high!

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Unfair. "I Want a Dog" was also on an album, so this poll is skewed by its increased exposure.

Glad to see "Funny Uncle" scored high, and "Truck Driver" socred at all.

― Gukbe, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

You may argue that "In The Night" and "Paninaro" were on an album too. Both were on "Disco". Plus a new mix of "Paninaro" was even a single later on.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 20:27 (nineteen years ago)

Any of you have PSB albums available through Soulseek? All I can find are greatest hit comps.

― littlewhiteearbuds, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 21:58 (nineteen years ago)

"Hit And Miss" and "Some Speculation" deserve some love, as does their cover of "We're The Pet Shop Boys".

― LeRooLeRoo, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:07 (nineteen years ago)

Any of you have PSB albums available through Soulseek? All I can find are greatest hit comps.

-- littlewhiteearbuds, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 21:58 (1 hour ago)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

type in just the individual track titles. helps me no end.
oh and when looking for pet shop boys stuff look for the reamastered stuff and remastered b sides under 'further listening' (the 2nd cds that accompnied the albums when they were re issued 5 years or so back).

― pisces, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 23:30 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't vote but "Miserablism" is really great.

― Spencer Chow, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 23:31 (nineteen years ago)

I would have voted for In The Night or Paninaro. I did not vote.

― admrl, Thursday, 26 April 2007 04:29 (nineteen years ago)

eleven months pass...

poor showing for Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend.

― pisces, Tuesday, 22 April 2008 16:40 (eighteen years ago)

also "It Must Be Obvious"

― HI DERE, Tuesday, 22 April 2008 16:46 (eighteen years ago)

"Do I Have To?" is SO not the worst b-side.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 22 April 2008 17:30 (eighteen years ago)

NO i really wish i'd have voted for that.

Can we re-do this poll in a way that we can pick 5 faves??!

― pisces, Tuesday, 22 April 2008 17:48 (eighteen years ago)

dammit, how could i miss this one!

― daavid, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 02:27 (eighteen years ago)

Missed this! Would've voted for "One Of The Crowd" (found this at karaoke once, which was baffling - vocodered Chris Lowe b-side, surefire classic!).

"Party Song" needs more love - has a brutal Vitalic quality while still, uh, swinging. And it interpolates "That's The Way (I Like It)"!

― etc, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 02:57 (eighteen years ago)

poor showing for Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend.

There are so many good ones...

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 10:17 (eighteen years ago)

I am so glad I Want A Dog won!!! I just love the way Tennant sings "I want to hear somebody...bark".

― Grandpont Genie, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 10:23 (eighteen years ago)

Well, I am glad "Miserabilism" won :)

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 23 April 2008 12:18 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

Do I Have To? live and in full on this tour! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxfWxMm9UNs

rubbishy quality but man alive was this the highlight of tonight's manchester gig.

i'm hoping they give this a lick of production paint and bring it out again like new order did with 1963 and u2 did with the sweetest thing.

― piscesx, Monday, 21 December 2009 03:21 (sixteen years ago)

Yes, it was a highlight when I saw them in September, but they muffled its impact by playing it beside "Kings Cross." Awesome songs, but in the context of the show momentum killers.

― Hell is other people. In an ILE film forum. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 21 December 2009 03:22 (sixteen years ago)

seven years pass...

Heh, it's just occurred to me while listening to Alternative that on the outro to 'Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend', Neil seems to do a take-off of Alison Moyet on the outro to Yazoo's 'Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)' ...

― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Saturday, 29 April 2017 17:46 (nine years ago)

Ha, nice catch!

For comparison with these results, here's the top twenty b-side entries from the tracks ballot from 2011 (with points, vote count & #1s):

8 Paninaro B-side 398 17 2
22 I'm Not Scared B-side 195 8 0
30 In The Night B-side 157 7 0
31 We All Feel Better In The Dark B-side 138 6 1
34 Your Funny Uncle B-side 124 6 0
35 One More Chance B-side 123 5 0
36 The Truck Driver and his Mate B-side 120 6 0
40 Miserabilism B-side 106 6 0
42 It Must Be Obvious B-side 98 5 0
43 Some Speculation B-side 98 4 0
49 Do I Have To? B-Side 76 4 0
54 A Man Could Get Arrested B-side 67 3 0
55 That's My Impression B-side 65 3 0
59 Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend B-side 62 3 0
60 Fugitive B-side 56 3 0
61 Was That What It Was? B-side 55 3 0
66 Shameless B-side 50 3 0
69 We're The Pet Shop Boys B-side 49 3 0
76 I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too) B-Side 42 2 0
78 Jack The Lad B-side 41 2 0

― etc, Saturday, 29 April 2017 23:52 (nine years ago)

six years pass...

impossible to choose but i’d vote for It Must Be Obvious in a heartbeat

― scanner darkly, Sunday, 18 February 2024 04:16 (two years ago)

sorry but the way Neil pronounces "Chee wah wah" disqualifies that song from winning any poll

― frogbs, Sunday, 18 February 2024 04:23 (two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.