Heart (Pet Shop Boys song)

"Heart" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). It was released as the album's fourth and final single on 21 March 1988. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in April 1988, becoming the duo's fourth and final chart-topper to date in the United Kingdom.[1] The group had initially written the song for Madonna, though they never asked her to record it, instead keeping it for themselves.[2]

"Heart"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Actually
B-side"I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)"
Released21 March 1988
Recorded1987
Genre
Length3:57 (album version)
4:16 (7″ version)
8:55 (12″ version)
LabelParlophone – R 6177
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Always on My Mind"
(1987)		 "Heart"
(1988)		 "Domino Dancing"
(1988)

Background

Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, "Heart" was the fourth and final single from the duo's second studio album, Actually. A new mix different to the album version was released as a single in March 1988, ascending to the top of the charts to become the duo's fourth—and, to date, last—UK number-one single. It was also successful 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 named Heartbeat UK.

The lyrics are 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 Pet Shop Boys' live video album 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 1970s sound.

Despite topping the UK chart for three weeks and being a worldwide success, 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: The Hits collection, the album version of the track was used for the UK release rather than the hit single mix, the reason for this is unknown. The single mix was included on the US release.

Music video

Directed by Jack Bond, director of the band's 1987 film It Couldn't Happen Here, the music video for "Heart" 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 Mokrice Castle, Slovenia, then one of the Yugoslavia republics.

Track listings

7": Parlophone / R 6177 (UK)
  1. "Heart" – 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

Charts

References
  1. "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  2. Raggett, Ned. ""Heart" review". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 232. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Heart" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  5. "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Heart" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  6. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 8663." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5 no. 18. 30 April 1988. p. 23. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  8. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 233. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  9. "Lescharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Heart" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Pet Shop Boys". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Pet Shop Boys" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Heart" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  13. "Charts.nz – Pet Shop Boys – Heart". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  14. "Norwegiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Heart". VG-lista. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  15. Currin, Brian. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts P". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  16. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Heart". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  18. "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Heart". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Heart". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  20. "Jaaroverzichten 1988 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  21. "Top 25 Dance Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49 no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 10. ISSN 0315-5994.
  22. "1988 Year End Eurocharts – Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6 no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 31. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  23. "Top Selling Singles of 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  24. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1988". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  25. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
  26. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1988" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 1 May 2020.

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.
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