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Heart (Pet Shop Boys song)

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"Heart"
Song
B-side"I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)"

"Heart" is a song recorded by Pet Shop Boys which reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in April 1988[1] (see 1988 in music), becoming their last native number 1 song to date. The song was included on the group's second studio album, Actually. The group had initially written the song for Madonna, though they never asked her to record it, instead keeping it for themselves.[2]

Song

Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, "Heart" was the fourth and final single from the duo's second studio album, Actually. Remixed as a single and released in March 1988, it rocketed to the top of the charts to become the duo's fourth—and, to date, last—UK number one single. It was also a massive hit across Europe.

The genesis of the song goes back to the sessions for the duo's first album Please in early 1986 with Shep Pettibone. Originally the duo had planned to offer it to Hi-NRG singer Hazell Dean or—more notoriously—Madonna, but they ultimately kept it for themselves. The duo's version of the song was intended to be used in the Steven Spielberg-produced film Innerspace, but the dance sequence it was intended for was at the wrong tempo for the song. The song was originally called "Heartbeat", but was changed after Culture Club drummer Jon Moss announced the formation of a group Heartbeat UK.

The lyrics are noted for being more traditional than most Pet Shop Boys songs, being a straightforward declaration of love—a characteristic common in many pop songs. On the commentary of the live Pet Shop Boys DVD Cubism, Tennant reveals that the "oh – ah – oh'oh ah" refrain which repeats throughout the song features the vocals of himself, Pavarotti and Wendy Smith (of Prefab Sprout).

The song was re-recorded for Actually with producer Andy Richards, and was mixed by Julian Mendelsohn. The single remix is an edit of the Richards' version with the use of wah-wah guitar, giving the song more of a '70s sound.

Despite topping the UK charts for three weeks and being a huge worldwide hit, the duo themselves tend to dismiss it, with Lowe stating in 2001: "It just shows that chart positions aren't the be all and end all. 'Heart' isn't in the same league as 'Being Boring'." However, many fans regard the song highly and Pet Shop Boys like it enough to have performed the song on their 1989 tour, the Fundamental world tour in 2006 and 2007 as well as their Pandemonium tour in 2009/2010.

When included on the retrospective PopArt collection, the album version of the track was used for the U.K. release rather than the hit single mix, the reason for this is unknown. The single mix was included on the U.S. release.

Music video

Directed by Jack Bond, director of the band's 1987 film It Couldn't Happen Here, the "Heart" music video is based on the 1922 film Nosferatu. The video opens with Tennant and his bride (Danijela Čolić-Prizmić) being driven to a castle (Mokrice Castle) with Lowe as his chauffeur. As he goes to bed with his bride, the Vampire, played by Ian McKellen, spies them. Later he seduces the bride and bites her. Finally Lowe drives Nosferatu and his bride away, leaving Tennant to stare bitterly after them from a castle window. The video was shot in Slovenia, then one of the republics forming Yugoslavia.

Track listing

7": Parlophone / R 6177 (UK)

  1. "Heart" (single version) – 4:16
  2. "I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)" – 4:53

12": Parlophone / 12 R 6177 (UK)

  1. "Heart" (disco mix) – 8:27
  2. "I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)" – 4:53
  3. "Heart" (dance mix) – 6:08
  • also released on MC (TCR 6177) and CD (CDR 6177)

12": Parlophone / 12 RX 6177 (UK)

  1. "Heart" (12" remix) – 8:55
  2. "Heart" (dub mix) – 5:15
  3. "I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)" – 4:53

Chart performance

Chart (1988) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[3] 18
Austrian Singles Chart[4] 3
Belgian Singles Chart[citation needed] 6
Canadian Dance/Urban Singles Chart[5] 1
Dutch Singles Chart[6] 11
European Singles Chart[citation needed] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] 1
French Singles Chart[8] 36
German Singles Chart[9] 1
Irish Singles Chart[10] 1
Italian Singles Chart[11] 26
New Zealand Singles Chart[12] 1
Norwegian Singles Chart[13] 6
Polish Singles Chart[citation needed] 2
South African Singles Chart[14] 6
Spain (AFYVE)[15] 2
Swedish Singles Chart[16] 9
Swiss Singles Chart[17] 1
UK Singles Chart[1] 1

References

  1. ^ a b "Pet Shop Boys | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  2. ^ Raggett, Ned. ""Heart" review". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, NSW, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 330. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  5. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  6. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  7. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  8. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". lescharts.com. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  9. ^ "charts.de". charts.de. 14 November 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  10. ^ Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  11. ^ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: P". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  12. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  13. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  14. ^ Brian Currin (25 May 2003). "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (P)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  15. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  16. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  17. ^ Steffen Hung. "Pet Shop Boys - Heart". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 23 June 2012.

Notes

  • "Interviews: Pet Shop Boys". This is not retro. March 2004. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  • Heath, Chris (2001). "Heart". In Actually / Further Listening 1987–1988 [CD liner notes]. London: Pet Shop Boys Partnership.
  • Longmire, Ernie and Steffen Gärtner (1989–2006). "Pet Shop Boys: Heart" (TXT). Gardner's Pet Shop Boys Discography. Gardner Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
  • Raggett, Ned. "Heart". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
Preceded by UK number-one single
9 April 1988 – 23 April 1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by European Hot 100 number-one single
23 April 1988 – 28 May 1988
Preceded by Irish IRMA number-one single
9 April 1988 – 23 April 1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New Zealand RIANZ number-one single
13 May 1988 		Succeeded by
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