Before (song)

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)
RecordedJune 1995
StudioBass Hit, Axis (New York City)[1]
Genre
Length4:32
Label
Songwriters
Producers
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 Dance Club Play chart.

Background and recording

"Before" was written and recorded in New York City in June 1995.[5] Pet Shop Boys' intention was to make a song for the American market. Their original plan was to work with David Morales, but he canceled after the studio had been booked.[a] Danny Tenaglia agreed to produce the track on short notice.[7] Barbara Tucker, Karen Bernod, and Carole Sylvan sang backing vocals, and Peter Daou played keyboards.[8]

Lyricist Neil Tennant described "Before" as a love song and "a song of encouragement".[9] He compared it to "Love Comes Quickly" (1986), addressed to someone who had experienced romantic disappointment.[7]

Release

"Before" preceded the album's September release, issued on 22 April 1996 by Parlophone. It was Pet Shop Boys' 26th hit single, debuting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart the week of 4 May.[10] The song was in rotation on 67 radio stations in 19 countries across Europe in May,[11] and it reached number five on the Airplay 100 chart in the UK.[12]

The CD1 single featured two new songs, "The Truck-Driver and His Mate" and "Hit and Miss", as well as a new instrumental version of the 1985 song "In the Night", remixed for use as the theme song of the BBC One programme The Clothes Show.[10][b] A second CD single featured five remixes of "Before": the Classic Paradise mix and the Aphrodisiac mix by Love to Infinity; the Hed Boys mix and the extended mix by Dave Lee (aka Joey Negro) and Andrew Livingstone; and a remix by the song's producer, Danny Tenaglia.[13]

In the United States, a different set of remixes was released on 12-inch double vinyl on 17 June and as a CD maxi-single in July.[14] An enhanced CD contained bonus multimedia content, including the music video, song lyrics, and photos.[15]

"Before" was Pet Shop Boys' debut on their new American label, Atlantic Records.[16] At the time, Pet Shop Boys continued to perform well on the dance charts, but radio airplay had declined in the US.[17] Atlantic launched a marketing campaign to promote the single through both club and radio play. In July, the radio edit of "Before" was sent to contemporary hit radio, alternative, and campus radio stations. The college stations also received a recorded interview of Tennant conducted by Stephin Merritt.[14][18]

In May, Atlantic's gay marketing division promoted "Before" with launch parties at gay nightclubs paired with local advertising in Minneapolis, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, where Pet Shop Boys had previous commercial success. Prior to the US release, 300 import copies of the 12-inch single were sent to club DJs, with a third of them going to gay clubs. "Before" reached number one on Billboard magazine's Dance Club Play chart.[14] It also peaked at number seven on both the Maxi-Singles Sales and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts.[19]

Artwork

The photos of the duo on the single sleeves were done by Brad Branson, using a solarization technique. Designer Mark Farrow applied spot varnish to enhance the effect. CD1 (pictured) showed Neil Tennant and CD2 featured Chris Lowe.[20]

The sleeve of the UK promotional 12-inch vinyl of "Before" used a photo showing male nudity from a book by artist Richard Prince.[21][3] It was intended as a humorous representation of "before arousal". The image was used in duplicate on promotional copies of "The Truck-Driver and His Mate".[22][20]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as "a tasteful blend of electro-pop and retro-disco",[3] and a "vigorous and appealing house shuffler". He also noted that it "rides the act's familiar flair for clever lyrics and smooth melodies".[23] 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".[24] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update noted its "gentle cooing".[25]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Before" was directed by Howard Greenhalgh.[13]

Track listings

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the liner notes of Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 and Before.[8][1]

Pet Shop Boys

Additional musicians

Technical personnel

  • Pet Shop Boys – production
  • Danny Tenaglia – production
  • Dana Vlcek – recording and mix engineer
  • Rob Rives – assistant engineer

Artwork

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Before"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 22 April 1996
  • CD
  • cassette
 Parlophone [56]
20 May 1996 3×12-inch vinyl [57]
United States 17 June 1996 12-inch vinyl Atlantic [58]
17 July 1996 Enhanced CD [58]
23 July 1996
[18]

Notes

  1. ^ Pet Shop Boys eventually worked with Morales on "New York City Boy" (1999).[6]
  2. ^ "In the Night '95" had also been a B-side to "Paninaro '95" the previous year.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Before (UK CD1 liner notes). Parlophone. 1996. CDRS 6431, 7243 8 82809 2 1.
  2. ^ AllMusic Staff. Pet Shop Boys - Bilingual (1996) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Flick, Larry (18 May 1996). "Dance Trax: Brutally Honest Ngedéocello Says A Mouthful" (PDF). Billboard. p. 26. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  4. ^ Edwards, Luke; Elliott, Mark (16 June 2023). "Best Pet Shop Boys Songs: 30 Synth-Pop Hits Always On Our Mind". Dig!. Archived from the original on 30 May 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  5. ^ Heath, Chris (2018). Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone Records. p. 1. 0190295788292.
  6. ^ Heath, Chris (2017). Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone Records. pp. 2, 16. 0190295921132.
  7. ^ a b Heath 2018, pp. 15–16.
  8. ^ a b Heath 2018, p. 34.
  9. ^ "Product: Before". petshopboys.co.uk. London. 22 April 1996. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "New Entries: Singles" (PDF). Hit Music. No. 185. London. 4 May 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 29 May 2025 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ Kops, Pieter (18 May 1996). "Airplay Action" (PDF). Music & Media. London. p. 33. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Radio Activity" (PDF). Hit Music. No. 186. London. 11 May 1996. p. 25. Retrieved 29 May 2025 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ a b Gorman, Paul (13 April 1996). "Pet Shop Boys" (PDF). Music Week. London. pp. 22–23. Retrieved 16 May 2025 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ a b c Mirkin, Steven (10 August 1996). "Pet Shop Boys Reopen on Atlantic with 'Bilingual'" (PDF). Billboard. New York. pp. 14, 16. Retrieved 25 May 2025 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ Atwood, Brett (17 August 1996). "Reviews & Previews" (PDF). Billboard. New York. p. 78. Retrieved 25 May 2025 – via World Radio History.
  16. ^ Atwood, Brett (22 June 1996). "Atlantic Opens 'Arena' for Cybercasts" (PDF). Billboard. New York. p. 76. Retrieved 25 May 2025 – via World Radio History.
  17. ^ Galipault, Gerry (1996). "Pet Shop Boys still rule the dance floor but not the airwaves". Pause & Play. Columbus, Ohio. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1155. 19 July 1996. pp. 44, 50. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Pet Shop Boys: Chart History". Billboard. New York. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  20. ^ a b Hoare, Philip; Heath, Chris (2006). Pet Shop Boys, Catalogue. New York: Thames & Hudson. pp. 212–15. ISBN 9780500513071.
  21. ^ Burgoyne, Patrick (1 February 2018). "Mark Farrow and Pet Shop Boys: The Perfect Pop Marriage?". Creative Review. London. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  22. ^ Heath 2018, p. 21.
  23. ^ Flick, Larry (29 June 1996). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  24. ^ Segal, Victoria (13 April 1996). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 36. ISSN 0025-9012.
  25. ^ Hamilton, James (27 April 1996). "DJ Directory" (PDF). Music Week. p. 11. Retrieved 16 August 2021 – via Record Mirror.
  26. ^ Before (Australian CD single liner notes). Parlophone. 1996. 8828352.
  27. ^ Before (UK CD2 liner notes). Parlophone. 1996. CDR 6431, 7243 882810 2 7.
  28. ^ Before (UK cassette single sleeve). Parlophone. 1996. TCR 6431, 7243 8 82809 4 5.
  29. ^ Before (Australian cassette single sleeve). Parlophone. 1996. 8 82809 4.
  30. ^ Before (European CD single liner notes). Parlophone. 1996. 7243 8 82834 2 7.
  31. ^ Before (UK 3×12-inch single sleeve). Parlophone. 1996. 12RX 6431, 7243 8 82899 6 2.
  32. ^ Before (US CD single liner notes). Atlantic Records. 1996. 87049-2.
  33. ^ Before (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Atlantic Records. 1996. 85489-2.
  34. ^ Before (US 2×12-inch single sleeve). Atlantic Records. 1996. 0-85489.
  35. ^ Before (US cassette single sleeve). Atlantic Records. 1996. 4-87049.
  36. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  37. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  38. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 9911". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  39. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Image 9931". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  40. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 19. 11 May 1996. p. 22. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  41. ^ "Pet Shop Boys: Before" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  42. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  43. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 23. 8 June 1996. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  44. ^ "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.
  45. ^ "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".
  46. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  47. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  48. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 28/4/1996 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  49. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  50. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Before". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  51. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  52. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  53. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  54. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  55. ^ "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.
  56. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 April 1996. p. 27. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  57. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 18 May 1996. p. 25.
  58. ^ a b Mirkin, Steven (10 August 1996). "Pet Shop Boys Reopen on Atlantic With 'Bilingual'". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 32. pp. 14, 16.
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