Pet Shop Boys’ best B-sides, demos and live tracks – from ‘Paninaro’ to ‘The Boy Who Couldn’t Keep His Clothes On’

After the release SMASH – The Singles 1985-2020, an album that celebrates the best best of Pet Shop Boys (Simon Button wrote for Attitude: “There’s not a duff song to be heard”) we were inspired to take a look back at this feature.

Originally appearing in Attitude Issue 350, the writer James Hodge had a look at the band’s best B-sides, demos, and live tracks that don’t always come to mind.

If, like us, you love Pet Shop Boys classics like ‘It’s a Sin’ why not try out some of these?

B-side: ‘Paninaro’

While lead single ‘Suburbia’ encapsulated gritty working-class life, minimalist banger ‘Paninaro’ is a celebration of 80s Milan, where expensive fashion and high-class living were worshipped: New Romantic lovers of “Armani, Versace, Cinque”. 

Collaboration: ‘In Denial’

A duet from the Pet Shop Boys’ musical, Closer To Heaven, ‘In Denial’ highlights the need to reconnect with the world after a heavy night out. And who better to deliver such guidance than the goddess of the gays herself, Kylie Minogue?

Album track: ‘Kings Cross’

Unlike ‘West End Girls’, ‘Kings Cross’ paints a bleaker portrait of London, with Tennant recalling his arrival in the capital where he hoped to start anew, only to find himself surrounded by the “dead and wounded” dreamers swallowed by the city. 

Live song: ‘Pandemonium’

The Pet Shop Boys’ best songs encourage the listener to both feel deeply and to dance hard. This song charts the chaos of a relationship between two wild cards. Tennant has hinted that it is inspired by the tempestuous relationship between Kate Moss and Pete Doherty. The live 2013 mash-up with ‘Can You Forgive Her?’ is especially epic.

Demo: ‘Sodom and Gomorrah Show’

“Sun, sex, sin, divine intervention, death and destruction”, the narrator proclaims at the start of this track. Rather than recounting a holiday to Gran Canaria, this song spears the catastrophising news channels. A rare demo was released as a Fundamental album bonus track on iTunes.

B-side: ‘The Boy Who Couldn’t Keep His Clothes On’

The Pet Shop Boys have ruled the charts for over 40 years, and this track captures what their music means to gay men — the boys who can’t help but take their tops off and dance mindlessly to great music, “body in the crowds, head in the clouds”.