It's a Sin

"It's a Sin" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, the song was released on 15 June 1987 as the album's lead single. It became the duo's second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks atop the chart. Additionally, the single topped the charts in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, while reaching number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. A demo of the track was first cut in 1984 with Bobby Orlando, and the song's form in the demo remained intact to the final version, although the released production is far more dramatic.[1]

For the song by Eddy Arnold, see It's a Sin (Eddy Arnold song). For the television series, see It's a Sin (TV series).

"It's a Sin"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Actually
B-side"You Know Where You Went Wrong"
Released15 June 1987
Recorded1987
GenreSynth-pop
Length4:59
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Julian Mendelsohn
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Suburbia"
(1986)		 "It's a Sin"
(1987)		 "What Have I Done to Deserve This?"
(1987)
Audio sample
"It's a Sin"
  • file
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Writing and inspiration

In this song, Tennant describes some impressions he got from his time at the Catholic St Cuthbert's High School in Newcastle upon Tyne. "At school they taught me how to be / So pure in thought and word and deed / They didn't quite succeed", the lyrics say. He ended up feeling that everything he had done or was going to do was a sin. Tennant has said that he wrote the lyrics purging his emotions in a moment of frustration and anger, but it wasn't something serious:

People took it really seriously; the song was written in about 15 minutes, and was intended as a camp joke and it wasn’t something I consciously took very seriously. Sometimes I wonder if there was more to it than I thought at the time. But the local parish priest in Newcastle delivered a sermon on it, and reflected on how the Church changed from the promise of a ghastly hell to the message of love.[2]

In the coda, we can hear Tennant reciting a part of the Confiteor in Latin, which translated into English is "I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, act and omission, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault".

There are sounds recorded at locations such as Westminster Cathedral. The video clip uses religious images throughout to reinforce the feel of the song.

The dramatic, overblown production style of the song, loaded with synthesizers, orchestra hits and bookended by a non sequitur sample of a NASA countdown, has come to exemplify the most theatrical extremes of the Pet Shop Boys' musical style.[3] It remains a concert staple, being one of only two songs (alongside "West End Girls") that has been played during every Pet Shop Boys tour.[4]

The band stated at the time that they had been keen for Stock Aitken Waterman to produce the song, as they were huge fans. Neil has stated that Pete Waterman hated the demo so they turned instead to SAW's remix engineer Phil Harding to remix the song for the US release (which went uncredited on the sleeve). They would work with him again on "I'm Not Scared", the single they wrote for the Patsy Kensit vehicle Eighth Wonder and remixes of "Always on My Mind".

Other recordings

In 2004, the band participated in Passport Back to the Bars, a series of benefit concerts to raise funds for Shelter and War Child, set in the various Barfly venues.[5] Their show at the Camden Town Barfly (17 March 2004) was noted as their first-ever without backing musicians;[6] it included a new arrangement of "It's a Sin", which would later be recorded in the studio.

In 2018, Swedish metal group Ghost covered the song the deluxe version of the album Prequelle.

In 2021, British electronic group Years & Years covered the song to coincide with the release of the Channel 4 series It's a Sin, which starred frontman Olly Alexander in the lead role.[7]

Controversy

At the time of the single's release, British DJ Jonathan King accused the Pet Shop Boys of plagiarising the melody for "It's a Sin" from Cat Stevens' 1971 song "Wild World". He made the claims in The Sun newspaper, for which he wrote a regular column during the 1980s. King went so far as to release his own cover version of "Wild World" as a single, using a similar musical arrangement to "It's a Sin", in an effort to demonstrate his claims. This single flopped, while the Pet Shop Boys sued King, eventually winning out-of-court damages, which they donated to charity.[8]

Music video

Directed by Derek Jarman, the "It's a Sin" video marked the experimental director's first of several collaborations with the band. It extended the lyrical themes of the song by showing Tennant under arrest by an inquisition with Lowe as his jailer and Ron Moody in the role of his judge, interspersed with brief clips of personifications of the seven deadly sins.

Track listings

7": Parlophone / R 6158 (UK)

  1. "It's a Sin" – 4:59
  2. "You Know Where You Went Wrong" – 5:51

12": Parlophone / 12R 6158 (UK)

  1. "It's a Sin" (Disco Mix) – 7:39
  2. "You Know Where You Went Wrong" – 5:51
  3. "It's a Sin" (7" version) – 4:59

CD: Parlophone / CDR 6158 (UK)

  1. "It's a Sin" (7" version) – 4:59
  2. "You Know Where You Went Wrong" – 5:51
  3. "It's a Sin" (Disco Mix) – 7:39

12": Parlophone / 12RX 6158 (UK)

  1. "It's a Sin" (Remix) (Ian Levine) – 8:15
  2. "You Know Where You Went Wrong" (Rough Mix) – 6:38

12": EMI-Manhattan / V-19256 (US)

  1. "It's a Sin" (Phil Harding Latin Vocal Mix) (aka Miami Mix) – 9:14
  2. "It's a Sin" (Phil Harding Latin Dub Mix) – 4:20
  3. "It's a Sin" (Remix) – 8:15
  4. "It's a Sin" (Disco Mix) – 7:39
  5. "You Know Where You Went Wrong" – 5:51

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[48] Gold 50,000*
Finland — 6,311[49]
Portugal (AFP)[50] Gold 30,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[51] Gold 25,000^
Sweden (GLF)[52] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53] Silver 250,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes
  1. Buskin, Richard (December 2010). "Pet Shop Boys 'It's A Sin'". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  2. Sullivan, Andrew (2009). "For Hard-Core Petheads: The Tennant Interview In Full". The Daily Dish. www.theatlantic.com. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  3. Raggett, Ned. "It's a Sin". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
  4. Studer, Wayne. "Songs That the Pet Shop Boys Have Performed "Live"". Geowayne.com. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  5. Youngs, Ian (27 February 2004). "Charity gig tickets fetch £1,375". BBC News. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
  6. "The new single 'Flamboyant' out on 29 March". The Guardian. 17 March 2004. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
  7. "Years & Years release stripped back cover of 'It's a Sin'". CelebMix. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  8. Street-Porter, Janet (3 April 2005). "Editor-At-Large: He lured boys. He's a bully. Now he bleats". The Independent. London. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 232. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  11. "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0905." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  13. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99 no. 50. 12 December 1987. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  14. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 37. 19 September 1987. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  15. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 31. 8 August 1987. p. 16. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  16. "Lescharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  17. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 40. 10 October 1987. p. 22. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It's a Sin". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Pet Shop Boys" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  21. "Charts.nz – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  22. "Norwegiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin". VG-lista. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  23. "Polish Singles Chart". LP3. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  24. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts P". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  25. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 43. 31 October 1987. p. 24. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  26. "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  27. "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  28. "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  29. "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  30. "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  31. "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  32. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 14, 1987". Cash Box. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  33. "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  34. Christopher, Kimberley (2000). Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Harare.
  35. "National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report (701). 28 December 1987 – via Imgur.
  36. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1987". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  37. "Jaaroverzichten 1987 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  38. "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM. Vol. 47 no. 12. 26 December 1987. p. 5. ISSN 0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  39. "European Charts of the Year 1987 – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. p. 34. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  40. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  41. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  42. "1987 Polish Singles Chart". LP3. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  43. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1987". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  44. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1987". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  45. "Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Singles". Record Mirror. London. 23 January 1988. p. 36. ISSN 0144-5804.
  46. "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  47. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1987" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  48. "Austrian single certifications – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin" (in German). IFPI Austria. 21 September 1990. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  49. "Pet Shop Boys" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  50. "European Gold & Platinum Awards 1987" (PDF). Music and Media. worldradiohistory.com. 26 December 1987. pp. 44–46. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  51. "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1979–1990". Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano.
  52. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. 10 November 1987. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  53. "British single certifications – Pet Shop Boys – It's a Sin". British Phonographic Industry. 1 December 1987. Retrieved 5 March 2020. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type It's a Sin in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.

References
  • Heath, Chris (2001). "It's a Sin". In Actually / Further Listening 1987-1988 [CD liner notes]. London: Pet Shop Boys Partnership.
  • Longmire, Ernie and Steffen Gärtner (1989–2006). "Pet Shop Boys: It's a Sin" (TXT). Gardner's Pet Shop Boys Discography. Gardner Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
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