10 QUEER CLASSICS FROM PET SHOP BOYS
A deep dive into the back catalogue.
Always On My Mind (1987)
Not many bands could take a country classic made famous by Elvis and morph it into a hi-RNG stomper. Also covered by The Killers, this was gloriously heard in All Of Us Strangers.
The Night I Fell In Love (2002)
From their unexpectedly rocky album, Release, this gem chronicles a gay encounter between a homophobic hip-hop star and a devout fan: “He said we could be secret lovers.”
West End Girls (1985)
First released in 1984, then re-recorded and a global #1 in 1985, this started it all and was later sampled for Madonna’s Jump. Haunting, evocative and a slyly queer classic!
Liberation (1994)
It’s no coincidence this stirring single (about the joys of liberating love) was released the same year Neil came out as gay. A slew of dirty club mixes ensued. Obvs.
Absolutely Fabulous (1994)
This single, sampling dialogue from the Ab Fab TV series, is credited to Absolutely Fabulous, not PSB. It’s still PSB’s biggest hit in Australia, reaching #2.
Oppressive (The Best Gay Possible) (2014)
A 10-minute song (in both slow and fast mixes) crafted around a speech condemning homophobia by Irish drag queen/queer activist Panti Bliss.
Go West (1993)
A cover of a 1970s tune by camp-asfuck trailblazers Village People, PSB recorded their Soviet-style version after debuting it in 1992 at an AIDS fundraiser.
Sexy Northerner (2002)
“It’s not all football and fags,” chants this pounding late night B-side where Neil observes a handsome man with “a cheeky smile” and “a lot of pride”.
Love Comes Quickly (1985)
Released as a single and toying with doubleentendres in its title, it also appeared on PSB’s debut album, Please featuring another gay boy ballad, Later Tonight.
Rent (1987)
A slow-burn anthem for rent boys and trophy husbands, (“I love you/You pay my rent”). It featured in a rather sinister scene from the recent film, Saltburn.
BONUS PSBxMINOGUE In Denial (1999)
Pet Shop Boys sarcasm at its best: “You’re not admitting/You should be quitting/All these queens and fairies/And muscle Marys/ The rough trade boyfriend/Who in his pathetic own way/Denies he’s gay.”