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Before (song)

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For other songs of the same name, see Before (disambiguation).

"Before"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Bilingual
B-side
  • "The Truck Driver and His Mate"
  • "Hit and Miss"
  • "In the Night '95"
Released22 April 1996 (1996-04-22)
GenreDisco[1]
Length4:32
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Paninaro '95"
(1995) 		"Before"
(1996) 		"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)"
(1996)
Music video
"Before" on YouTube

"Before" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 22 April 1996 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Bilingual (1996). Upon its release, the single peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart, number four in Finland, and number one in Hungary. In the United States, it topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Critical reception

[edit]

Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as "a tasteful blend of electro-pop and retro-disco",[2] and an "vigorous and appealing house shuffler". He also noted that it "rides the act's familiar flair for clever lyrics and smooth melodies".[3] Victoria Segal of Melody Maker called it "steeped in standard Petties loser-in-love-and-therefore-in-life melancholy, all panpipes and high-pitched female vocals, a sort of thick sadness curdling Neil Tennant's voice". She noted that the B-side "The Truck Driver and His Mate" was the "killer track", with its "filthiest beat", "synthesised sighs" and Tennant's "voice all over it".[4] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update noted its "gentle cooing".[5]

Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video for "Before" was directed by Howard Greenhalgh.[citation needed]

Track listings

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for "Before"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 22 April 1996
  • CD
  • cassette
 Parlophone [37]
20 May 1996 3×12-inch vinyl [38]
United States 17 June 1996 12-inch vinyl Atlantic [39]
17 July 1996 Enhanced CD [39]
23 July 1996
[40]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ AllMusic Staff. Pet Shop Boys - Bilingual (1996) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  2. ^ Flick, Larry (18 May 1996). "Dance Trax: Brutally Honest Ngedéocello Says A Mouthful" (PDF). Billboard. p. 26. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (29 June 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  4. ^ Segal, Victoria (13 April 1996). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 36. ISSN 0025-9012.
  5. ^ Hamilton, James (27 April 1996). "DJ Directory" (PDF). Music Week. p. 11. Retrieved 16 August 2021 – via Record Mirror.
  6. ^ Before (UK CD1 liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. CDRS 6431, 7243 8 82809 2 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Before (Australian CD single liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. 8828352.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Before (UK CD2 liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. CDR 6431, 7243 882810 2 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Before (UK cassette single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. TCR 6431, 7243 8 82809 4 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Before (Australian cassette single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. 8 82809 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Before (European CD single liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. 7243 8 82834 2 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Before (UK 3×12-inch single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1996. 12RX 6431, 7243 8 82899 6 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Before (US CD single liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Atlantic Records. 1996. 87049-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Before (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Atlantic Records. 1996. 85489-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Before (US 2×12-inch single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Atlantic Records. 1996. 0-85489.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Before (US cassette single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Atlantic Records. 1996. 4-87049.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  18. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9911." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9931." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 19. 11 May 1996. p. 22. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  22. ^ "Pet Shop Boys: Before" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  23. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  24. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 23. 8 June 1996. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  25. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 Nr. 170 (vikuna 18.5. – 24.5. '96)". DV (in Icelandic). 18 May 1996. p. 26. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
  26. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Pet Shop Boys" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  27. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  28. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  30. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  31. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  32. ^ "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  33. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  34. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  35. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  36. ^ "The Year in Music – Hot Dance Music Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. 28 December 1996. p. YE-44. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  37. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 April 1996. p. 27. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  38. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 22 May 1996. p. 25.
  39. ^ a b Mirkin, Steven (10 August 1996). "Pet Shop Boys Reopen on Atlantic With 'Bilingual'". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 32. pp. 14, 16.
  40. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1155. 19 July 1996. pp. 44, 50. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
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