Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)
Encyclopedia
"Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" is a 1991 single by UK synthpop
duo Pet Shop Boys
. The song is a medley of covers of U2
's "Where the Streets Have No Name
" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You
", the 1960s single by Frankie Valli
, though in an arrangement informed by the 1981 disco version of the song by Boystown Gang rather than the original. The song accompanied "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?", the third single from their 1990 album, Behaviour, as a double A-side
in the UK (both singles were released separately in the U.S.). Released in March 1991, this song was the band's fifteenth consecutive Top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
. The band have said that they thought the guitars in the original sounded similar to a sequencer
.
In the liner notes for the album Discography: The Complete Singles Collection, the Pet Shop Boys stated that they wanted to turn "a mythic rock song into a stomping disco record."
The Pet Shop Boys version has been significantly changed in its musical arrangement from the original version. In contrast to the U2 version's instrumental build-up, the Pet Shop Boys version opens abruptly with synthesized and sampled noises and a drum machine
. The musical climax of the song is also changed in other elements; a background vocal sample of "burning down love" is played right at the start, and synthesized horns erupt with even higher notes immediately following each chorus. Singer Neil Tennant
performs the lyrics with no vocal exertion or stresses, in contrast to Bono's performance. In addition, at the transition between "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Can't Take My Eyes off You", Tennant sings the two lines one after the other, with no change in pitch — pointing out the similarities in the two songs. Following the release of the single, U2 issued a statement saying "What have we done to deserve this?". Tennant mentioned to The People
in 2002 that he had "managed at long last to patch things up with Bono" after meeting him at one of Elton John
's homes in the south of France.
This version has been paired with "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?
", a song criticizing the insincere humanitarian messages of a number of pop stars during the 1980s and the institutionalization of rock and roll.
The Pet Shop Boys have performed the medley live as recently as during their 2007 Fundamental tour, as well as at the Moscow Live 8 concert
of 2005.
MC: EMI USA / 4KM-50351 (US)
12": Parlophone / 12 R 6285 (UK)
12": Parlophone / 12 RX 6285 (UK)
12": EMI USA / V-56217 (US)
CD: Parlophone / CD R 6285 (UK)
CD: EMI USA / E2-56217 (US)
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
duo Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
. The song is a medley of covers of U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's "Where the Streets Have No Name
Where the Streets Have No Name
"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's third single in August 1987. The song's hook is a repeating guitar arpeggio using a delay effect, played during the song's introduction and...
" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Can't Take My Eyes off You
"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 single by Frankie Valli. The song was among Valli's biggest hits, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning a gold record. It was Valli's biggest "solo" hit until he hit #1 in 1975 with "My Eyes Adored You"...
", the 1960s single by Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
, though in an arrangement informed by the 1981 disco version of the song by Boystown Gang rather than the original. The song accompanied "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?", the third single from their 1990 album, Behaviour, as a double A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
in the UK (both singles were released separately in the U.S.). Released in March 1991, this song was the band's fifteenth consecutive Top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at #4 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The band have said that they thought the guitars in the original sounded similar to a sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
.
In the liner notes for the album Discography: The Complete Singles Collection, the Pet Shop Boys stated that they wanted to turn "a mythic rock song into a stomping disco record."
The Pet Shop Boys version has been significantly changed in its musical arrangement from the original version. In contrast to the U2 version's instrumental build-up, the Pet Shop Boys version opens abruptly with synthesized and sampled noises and a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
. The musical climax of the song is also changed in other elements; a background vocal sample of "burning down love" is played right at the start, and synthesized horns erupt with even higher notes immediately following each chorus. Singer Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
performs the lyrics with no vocal exertion or stresses, in contrast to Bono's performance. In addition, at the transition between "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Can't Take My Eyes off You", Tennant sings the two lines one after the other, with no change in pitch — pointing out the similarities in the two songs. Following the release of the single, U2 issued a statement saying "What have we done to deserve this?". Tennant mentioned to The People
The People
The People, previously known as the Sunday People, is a British tabloid Sunday-only newspaper. The paper was founded on 16 October 1881.It is published by the Trinity Mirror Group.In July 2011 it had an average daily circulation of 806,544....
in 2002 that he had "managed at long last to patch things up with Bono" after meeting him at one of Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's homes in the south of France.
This version has been paired with "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?
How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?
"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" is, together with double A-side "Where the Streets Have No Name ", the third single from Pet Shop Boys' album Behaviour. It was released in the UK as a double A-side by Parlophone Records on 11 March 1991. It was subsequently released as a single in its...
", a song criticizing the insincere humanitarian messages of a number of pop stars during the 1980s and the institutionalization of rock and roll.
The Pet Shop Boys have performed the medley live as recently as during their 2007 Fundamental tour, as well as at the Moscow Live 8 concert
Live 8 concert, Moscow
On 2 July 2005, a Live 8 concert was held in Red Square, Moscow, Russia. Although not on such a large scale as the concerts held at Hyde Park, London and Philadelphia, it was still a momentous occasion for Russia, and had an impressive line up....
of 2005.
Track listing
7": Parlophone / R 6285 (UK)- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (7" edit) – 4:31
- "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (single version) – 4:10
MC: EMI USA / 4KM-50351 (US)
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (original 7" mix) – 4:31
- "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:28
12": Parlophone / 12 R 6285 (UK)
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (extended mix) – 6:44
- "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:03
- "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:28
12": Parlophone / 12 RX 6285 (UK)
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (David MoralesDavid MoralesDavid Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
Remix) – 6:24 - "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Mo Mo Remix) – 6:51
- "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Ragga Zone Remix) – 6:27
- All tracks remixed by David MoralesDavid MoralesDavid Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
- Also released on CD in Holland (560-20 4266 2)
- All tracks remixed by David Morales
12": EMI USA / V-56217 (US)
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (12" Dance Mix) – 7:35
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (Sound Factory Mix) – 4:37
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (Red Zone Mix) – 6:18
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (Eclipse Mix) – 1:38
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (Ska reprise) – 2:59
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (7" version) – 4:33
- Tracks 1-5 remixed by David MoralesDavid MoralesDavid Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
- Tracks 1-5 remixed by David Morales
CD: Parlophone / CD R 6285 (UK)
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" – 5:35
- "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:03
- "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:28
- "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Classical reprise) – 3:05
- Tracks 2, 4 remixed by Brothers in RhythmBrothers in RhythmBrothers In Rhythm is a house music duo consisting of producers / remixers and DJs Steve Anderson and Dave Seaman. As a duo and individually, they have remixed and/or produced tracks by Lulu, M People, Secret Life, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue, Garbage,...
- Tracks 2, 4 remixed by Brothers in Rhythm
CD: EMI USA / E2-56217 (US)
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (original 7" mix) – 4:31
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (12" Dance Mix) – 7:36
- "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (Red Zone Mix) – 6:20
- "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:28
- "I Want a Dog" (Techno Funk Mix) – 4:08
- Tracks 2–3 remixed by David MoralesDavid MoralesDavid Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
- Tracks 2–3 remixed by David Morales
Charts
| Chart positions | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
4 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
7 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
13 |