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Sixth and seventh track from their ninth studio album Fundamental released in May 2006. Written by Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe and produced by Trevor Horn.

Double feature, as "God Willing" is more of an instrumental piece interlude that was supposed to be the intro track in an extended version later released on the Further Listening edition.

Continuing the second half of the album, we have "Luna Park"; as Neil would explain, it's a metaphor about America, however its themes can be applied to any place in this world nowadays.

Moody synths and different sound effects complement the overall cinematic/apocalyptic/maddening atmosphere its lyrics are trying to convey; a place where people are completely desensitized to the daily horrors of the world by using external stimuli: technology, social media platforms, social events, concerts, even addictive substances.

In this specific "park", every distraction is a funfair attraction, circus performers, clowns, neon lights, something to offer escapism, as Luna Parks are referred to any amusement parks but there was a time where they would only open at night, making the apocalyptic/"lunatic" themes being spot on.

From 1 to 10 how would you each song? Is the album version of each song the best from Fundamental to you? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

TRACKLIST:

1. Psychological - 8.6

2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show - 8.8

3. I Made My Excuses and Left - 8.3

4. Minimal - 8.6

5. Numb - 6.7

6. God Willing -

7. Luna Park -

8. I'm with Stupid -

9. Casanova in Hell -

10. Twentieth Century -

11. Indefinite Leave to Remain -

12. Integral -

BONUS:

1. Ring Road -

2. The Performance of My Life -

3. Dancing in the Dusk -

4. Transfer -

B-SIDES:

1. The Resurrectionist -

2. Girls Don't Cry -

3. In Private - 6.5

4. Blue on Blue - 7.8

5. No Time For Tears - 8.4

6. Party Song - 6.4

7. Bright Young Things - 8.4

Fifth track from their ninth studio album Fundamental, released as the album's third single on October 2006. Written by Diane Warren and produced by Trevor Horn.

A delicious, theatrically moody song penned by the one and only Diane Warren, who's been a bit of a polarizing figure but her songwriting talents cannot be denied. The Boys wanted to include this song on their compilation album "PopArt", however they decided to keep it for this particular album and oh, how much it works in here!!

The lyrical content is quite straightforward which makes complete sense with the narrator's intentions of simply going numb instead of going through hurtful emotions. There's a sense of death and hopelessness throughout the album and I feel like this song encapsulates those specific moods perfectly.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Is the album version the best song from Fundamental to you? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements? What are your favorite remixes and live versions?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

Single cover art

Video stills taken from the official music video of “Numb”

Any thoughts or memories you have about the official music video?

---

B-SIDE #1

PARTY SONG

Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, with additional writing credits by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch.

According to Neil, the lyrical content of this song is about "a guy at a club harassing the DJ to play a record he likes but the DJ hates. The song sympathizes with the DJ." And it's pretty evident on the type of vibe/mood the song has.

The production feels unnatural in a way, perhaps trying to evoke the narrator's fake intentions of wanting to party to a song "with a good time lyric". Makes total sense with its inclusion as a b-side for the main song. It's almost like the other side of the coin; faking happiness until you can finally make it through.

B-SIDE #2

BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS

Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, with additional production by Chris Zappel.

Back in 2003, Stephen Fry asked the Boys to write a couple of songs for his film "Bright Young Things", which ultimately weren't used. One of those was this track; with a very ominous and subtly energetic rhythm, its lyrical content describes people who love partying and engaging in debauchery for the sake of escapism.

Once again, this song's inclusion as a b-side for "Numb" works to a tee, some people tend to numb themselves with external stimuli in order to escape everyday life's horrors.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate each b-side? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

---

TRACKLIST:

1. Psychological - 8.6

2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show - 8.8

3. I Made My Excuses and Left - 8.3

4. Minimal - 8.6

5. Numb -

6. God Willing -

7. Luna Park -

8. I'm with Stupid -

9. Casanova in Hell -

10. Twentieth Century -

11. Indefinite Leave to Remain -

12. Integral -

BONUS:

1. Ring Road -

2. The Performance of My Life -

3. Dancing in the Dusk -

4. Transfer -

B-SIDES:

1. The Resurrectionist -

2. Girls Don't Cry -

3. In Private - 6.5

4. Blue on Blue - 7.8

5. No Time For Tears - 8.4

6. Party Song -

7. Bright Young Things -

Hi! 👋🏻

Do you happen to get overwhelmed with emails, slow client replies, or disorganized workflows? Let me be the one to take that off your plate! 👨‍💻

I’m a bilingual (English/Spanish) Operations Coordinator, former linguist and translator, experienced in handling client communication and keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Take a look at what I can handle for you:

• 📧 Inbox management (responding, organizing, prioritizing).

• 💬 Customer support via email/chat (async communication only, no calls).

• 📅 Scheduling & internal coordination.

• 🌐 English ↔ Spanish communication with clients.

• 📱 Social media interactions & DMs.

• 📋 Project management and miscellaneous personal tasks (previously discussed).

Here's some of my experience as a 5+ year freelancer:

• I've managed high-volume inboxes with fast, professional responses, as someone with a background on creative writing and translation.

• Supported global (US, Canada, LATAM, Australia, etc.) client-facing operations remotely with ease.

• Coordinated calendars and concurrent projects while maintaining professional asynchronous communication with my clients.

• Helped business owners stay organized and responsive without constant oversight.

• Handled situations where delayed replies actually cost opportunities.

These are the main tools I’ve worked with: Google Workspace, Notion & ClickUp.

I can adapt very quickly to any other CRM systems you're already accustomed to and I have experience making personalized proposals and invoices.

I’m a good fit if you need someone who:

• Communicates clearly and professionally

• Has a proactive mindest without needing constant supervision.

• Can bring structure to messy or busy operations.

• Actually enjoys keeping things organized and neat.

💰 My rates are usually between $1,500 – $2,500 USD/mo depending on workload since I'm based in México, which is usually ideal for US/LATAM teams.

If you're currently running a startup agency or you're someone who needs immediate organization before your business or personal communications become a bottleneck, send me a quick DM and tell me exactly what you need help with.

I'll be more than happy to offer any type of immediate personal services you need.

Thanks and have a great start of the week! 😊

Fourth track from their ninth studio album Fundamental, released as the album's second single on July 2006. Written by Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe and produced by Trevor Horn.

🤖 EM-AI-EN-AI-EM-EI-EL MINIMAL 🤖

In this phenomenal fast-paced synth-pop track with beautiful orchestral arrangement, the Boys take a "minimalistic" approach to their lyrical content while spelling/chanting minimal.

It's no secret that the Boys have been both praised and criticized for usually leaning into minimalistic aesthethics throughout their career, so it makes sense for them to make this anthem. However, taking into account certain meanings of what minimalistic art is all about, for instance "rejection of emotional connection", one can imagine that this song contains multiple interpretations, perhaps too philosophical but adequate for the overall theme of the album.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Is the album version the best song from Fundamental to you? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements? What are your favorite remixes and live versions?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

Single cover art (CD1)

Single cover art (CD2)

Video stills taken from the official music video of “Minimal”

Any thoughts or memories you have about the official music video?

---

B-SIDE #1

IN PRIVATE (with Elton John)

Written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, with production by Stuart Crichton.

The original version of this song dates back to their "Introspective" sessions in the late 80s/early 90s as one of many songs they wrote for Dusty Springfield's "Reputation" album.

This version, however, holds a deeper meaning in contrast to the original. Its lyrical content details a situation in which someone is confronting their lover for not acknowledging their relationship in public. As both Neil and Elton are openly gay public figures, we can assume that it means something way more heartbreaking as it could be about someone closeted who's not willing to come out or admit of being our narrator's lover.

B-SIDE #2

BLUE ON BLUE

Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

According to Neil, this thumping synth track that could be part of their earlier albums "it's about being with your lover by the sea—the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea. And the metaphor is that two unhappy "blue" people together can make each other happy"

B-SIDE #3

NO TIME FOR TEARS

Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, with additional production by Sven Helbig.

Originally released as part of the Boys' 2005 electronic and orchestral album Battleship Potemkin to accompany the 1925 silent film of the same name by Sergei Eisenstein.

On the context of the movie, the song represents a call for freedom and, as I've done a bit of research, it holds a lot of emotional significance for Neil as he performed it at his father's funeral.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate each b-side? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

---

TRACKLIST:

1. Psychological - 8.6

2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show - 8.8

3. I Made My Excuses and Left - 8.3

4. Minimal -

5. Numb -

6. God Willing -

7. Luna Park -

8. I'm with Stupid -

9. Casanova in Hell -

10. Twentieth Century -

11. Indefinite Leave to Remain -

12. Integral -

BONUS:

1. Ring Road -

2. The Performance of My Life -

3. Dancing in the Dusk -

4. Transfer -

B-SIDES:

1. The Resurrectionist -

2. Girls Don't Cry -

3. In Private -

4. Blue on Blue -

5. No Time For Tears -

6. Party Song -

7. Bright Young Things -

Third track from their ninth studio album Fundamental released in May 2006. Written by Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe and produced by Trevor Horn.

In this somber, reflective and moody track, we find the narrator mourning their relationship as they find the person they love with someone else, feeling an awkward tension -I felt I should apologise for what I hadn’t heard- and clumsiness on their part for being an "intruder" -In the crowded court of your love, I was now a supplicant-, which then would lead to them trying to "save face" by making tons of excuses and leaving them alone.

The intro is quite an interesting piece to analyze; Chris singing this haunting melody on a Nokia phone that would be kept in order to build the entire intro around it with a gorgeous orchestral arrangement, adding to the sorrowful experience.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Is the album version the best song from Fundamental to you? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements? What are your favorite remixes and live versions?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

TRACKLIST:

1. Psychological - 8.6

2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show - 8.8

3. I Made My Excuses and Left -

4. Minimal -

5. Numb -

6. God Willing -

7. Luna Park -

8. I'm with Stupid -

9. Casanova in Hell -

10. Twentieth Century -

11. Indefinite Leave to Remain -

12. Integral -

BONUS:

1. Ring Road -

2. The Performance of My Life -

3. Dancing in the Dusk -

4. Transfer -

B-SIDES:

1. The Resurrectionist -

2. Girls Don't Cry -

3. In Private -

4. Blue on Blue -

5. No Time For Tears -

6. Party Song -

7. Bright Young Things -

Second track from their ninth studio album Fundamental released in May 2006. Written by Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe and produced by Trevor Horn.

Sun! Sex! Sin! Divine intervention! Death and destruction!

We continue this journey with an interesting and very unique composition made out of several elements such as spoken word as part of the intro which would make us feel like we're the audience of a wicked reality TV show, however the demo version has a circus/freak show type of sound effects with some hilarious "WEEE"s in between, and over the top maximalist production.

"Sodom and Gomorrah" have served as symbols of sinfulness and everything that's "immoral", including homosexuality, at least in the eyes of conservative folks.

The lyrical content, however, contains multiple interpretations, one of those could be how we're constantly being fed augmented lies within the real world through sensationalism and nowadays social media platforms, nonetheless it's still our own reality being processed through a more extremist lens.

Another interpretation could be about being closeted or even a foreigner and then discovering a brand new world full of exciting things that could led to our own destruction either physically or mentally, if we get trapped inside those places or experiences.

It's also worth mentioning the mini jump scare right before the spoken word introduction. I remember I was listening to this song with headphones at a really high volume and I genuinely let out the most obnoxious scream ever 😮‍💨

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Is the album version the best song from Fundamental to you? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements? What are your favorite remixes and live versions?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

TRACKLIST:

1. Psychological - 8.6

2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show -

3. I Made My Excuses and Left -

4. Minimal -

5. Numb -

6. God Willing -

7. Luna Park -

8. I'm with Stupid -

9. Casanova in Hell -

10. Twentieth Century -

11. Indefinite Leave to Remain -

12. Integral -

BONUS:

1. Ring Road -

2. The Performance of My Life -

3. Dancing in the Dusk -

4. Transfer -

B-SIDES:

1. The Resurrectionist -

2. Girls Don't Cry -

3. In Private -

4. Blue on Blue -

5. No Time For Tears -

6. Party Song -

7. Bright Young Things -

First track from their ninth studio album Fundamental released in May 2006. Written by Neil Tennant & Chris Lowe and produced by Trevor Horn.

Probably one of the most eerie and disturbing ways to open an album. The production is absolutely superb, with mysterious sounds/whispers mixed with electronic synths that genuinely makes you feel like you're hearing voices while entertaining paranoid thoughts and Neil's voice/narration works as a third person describing your state of mind.

According to Neil, its very cryptic lyrical content "...is basically about how you imagine things, of how being afraid of a directionless terrorism in a way is like being afraid of the dark."

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

TRACKLIST:

1. Psychological -

2. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show -

3. I Made My Excuses and Left -

4. Minimal -

5. Numb -

6. God Willing -

7. Luna Park -

8. I'm with Stupid -

9. Casanova in Hell -

10. Twentieth Century -

11. Indefinite Leave to Remain -

12. Integral -

BONUS:

1. Ring Road -

2. The Performance of My Life -

3. Dancing in the Dusk -

4. Transfer -

B-SIDES:

1. The Resurrectionist -

2. Girls Don't Cry -

3. In Private -

4. Blue on Blue -

5. No Time For Tears -

6. Party Song -

7. Bright Young Things -

Hi! 👋🏻

Do you happen to get overwhelmed with emails, slow client replies, or disorganized workflows? Let me be the one to take that off your plate! 👨‍💻

I’m a bilingual (English/Spanish) Operations Coordinator, former linguist and translator, experienced in handling client communication and keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Take a look at what I can handle for you:

• 📧 Inbox management (responding, organizing, prioritizing).

• 💬 Customer support via email/chat (async communication only, no calls).

• 📅 Scheduling & internal coordination.

• 🌐 English ↔ Spanish communication with clients.

• 📱 Social media interactions & DMs.

• 📋 Project management and miscellaneous personal tasks (previously discussed).

Here's some of my experience as a 5+ year freelancer:

• I've managed high-volume inboxes with fast, professional responses, as someone with a background on creative writing and translation.

• Supported global (US, Canada, LATAM, Australia, etc.) client-facing operations remotely with ease.

• Coordinated calendars and concurrent projects while maintaining professional asynchronous communication with my clients.

• Helped business owners stay organized and responsive without constant oversight.

• Handled situations where delayed replies actually cost opportunities.

These are the main tools I’ve worked with: Google Workspace, Notion & ClickUp.

I can adapt very quickly to any other CRM systems you're already accustomed to and I have experience making personalized proposals and invoices.

I’m a good fit if you need someone who:

• Communicates clearly and professionally

• Has a proactive mindest without needing constant supervision.

• Can bring structure to messy or busy operations.

• Actually enjoys keeping things organized and neat.

💰 My rates are usually between $1,500 – $2,500 USD/mo depending on workload since I'm based in México, which is usually ideal for US/LATAM teams.

If you're currently running a startup agency or you're someone who needs immediate organization before your business or personal communications become a bottleneck, send me a quick DM and tell me exactly what you need help with.

I'll be more than happy to offer any type of immediate personal services you need.

Thanks and have a great start of the weekend! 😊

Released in 2017 as a bonus track with the Further Listening edition of “Release”. Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

Making extensive use of vocoder effects, the Boys present various situations in which people tend to indulge in harmful behavior: "rage is a commodity as hot as it gets." Very fitting with our current global climate.

There's also a really interesting line about a British gangster named Ronnie Kray and the fact that he was gay, few people knew about it and wouldn't dare say a word for obvious reasons. If any of you guys know more about him, you're free to share any fun facts!

Later on, the Boys would repurpose this track to conceive “Up and Down”, a b-side from the “Yes” era.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

“DISCO 3” + BONUS:

1. Time on My Hands - 7.3

2. Try It (I'm In Love with a Married Man) - 8.1

3. If Looks Could Kill - 7

4. Miracles - 9

5. Flamboyant - 9.4

6. Love Life - 7

7. Motoring - 5

8. The Night Is a Time to Explore Who You Are - 7

9. Reunion - 6.8

10. A Powerful Friend - 5.2

11. No Excuse -

12. Jack & Jill Party (with Pete Burns) -

B-SIDES:

1. We're the Pet Shop Boys - 7.5

2. Transparent - 6

3. I Didn't Get Where I Am Today - 8

Released only as a limited single in the UK and then in 2017 with the Further Listening edition of “Release”. Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

Another one of those songs the Boys wrote back in 1983, as well as If Looks Could Kill, this synth-rock tune describes a character or persona who seems to be this dominant figure in someone else's life but is dissatisfied with his own routine. As Neil would say "It's definitely a sexual liaison based on power and money rather than love."

According to geowayne, there's a "lascivious" innuendo specifically on the lyrics "pizza boys deliver what he needs on demand." While I'm no stranger to sexual jokes and I must say I'm pretty dirty minded myself, I fail to fully understand it, although I can kinda imagine its meaning. Do any of you guys know exactly what the innuendo is?

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

“DISCO 3” + BONUS:

1. Time on My Hands - 7.3

2. Try It (I'm In Love with a Married Man) - 8.1

3. If Looks Could Kill - 7

4. Miracles - 9

5. Flamboyant - 9.4

6. Love Life - 7

7. Motoring - 5

8. The Night Is a Time to Explore Who You Are - 7

9. Reunion - 6.8

10. A Powerful Friend -

11. No Excuse -

12. Jack & Jill Party (with Pete Burns) -

B-SIDES:

1. We're the Pet Shop Boys - 7.5

2. Transparent - 6

3. I Didn't Get Where I Am Today - 8

Hi! 👋🏻

Do you happen to get overwhelmed with emails, slow client replies, or disorganized workflows? Let me be the one to take that off your plate! 👨‍💻

I’m a bilingual (English/Spanish) Operations Coordinator, former linguist and translator, experienced in handling client communication and keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Take a look at what I can handle for you:

• 📧 Inbox management (responding, organizing, prioritizing).

• 💬 Customer support via email/chat (async communication only, no calls).

• 📅 Scheduling & internal coordination.

• 🌐 English ↔ Spanish communication with clients.

• 📱 Social media interactions & DMs.

• 📋 Project management and miscellaneous personal tasks (previously discussed).

Here's some of my experience as a 5+ year freelancer:

• I've managed high-volume inboxes with fast, professional responses, as someone with a background on creative writing and translation.

• Supported global (US, Canada, LATAM, Australia, etc.) client-facing operations remotely with ease.

• Coordinated calendars and concurrent projects while maintaining professional asynchronous communication with my clients.

• Helped business owners stay organized and responsive without constant oversight.

• Handled situations where delayed replies actually cost opportunities.

These are the main tools I’ve worked with: Google Workspace, Notion & ClickUp.

I can adapt very quickly to any other CRM systems you're already accustomed to and I have experience making personalized proposals and invoices.

I’m a good fit if you need someone who:

• Communicates clearly and professionally

• Has a proactive mindest without needing constant supervision.

• Can bring structure to messy or busy operations.

• Actually enjoys keeping things organized and neat.

💰 My rates are usually between $1,500 – $2,500 USD/mo depending on workload since I'm based in México, which is usually ideal for US/LATAM teams.

If you're currently running a startup agency or you're someone who needs immediate organization before your business or personal communications become a bottleneck, send me a quick DM and tell me exactly what you need help with.

I'll be more than happy to offer any type of immediate personal services you need.

Thanks and have a great start of the week! 😊

Previously unreleased until 2017 with the Further Listening edition of “Release”. Written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

A rather somber/atmospheric synth-pop track that reminds me of Kavinsky's "Nightcall", not only because of the vocoder effects but it has similar themes about romanticizing the night as it's the perfect time to reveal any truths about you or your surroundings; it's always been thought that the night gives people a fake sense of freedom the light tends to ironically "dim" in a way. Quite an interesting theme to cover, especially right after Nightlife.

From 1 to 10 how would you rate this song? Do you have any favorite lyrics or production elements?

1-4: Not good/Skip

5-6: Average, but wouldn't skip

7-8: Good song, quite enjoyable

9: Amazing song

10: Masterpiece/Magnum opus

---

“DISCO 3” + BONUS:

1. Time on My Hands - 7.3

2. Try It (I'm In Love with a Married Man) - 8.1

3. If Looks Could Kill - 7

4. Miracles - 9

5. Flamboyant - 9.4

6. Love Life - 7

7. Motoring - 5

8. The Night Is a Time to Explore Who You Are -

9. Reunion -

10. A Powerful Friend -

11. No Excuse -

12. Jack & Jill Party (with Pete Burns) -

B-SIDES:

1. We're the Pet Shop Boys - 7.5

2. Transparent - 6

3. I Didn't Get Where I Am Today - 8