Domino Dancing

Last updated

"Domino Dancing"
Dominodancing.jpg
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Introspective
B-side "Don Juan"
Released12 September 1988 (1988-09-12)
Genre
Length
  • 7:40 (album version)
  • 4:18 (7-inch)
Label Parlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Lewis A. Martinée
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Heart"
(1988)		"Domino Dancing"
(1988)		"Left to My Own Devices"
(1988)
Music video
"Domino Dancing" on YouTube

"Domino Dancing" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released in September 1988 by Parlophone as the lead single from their third studio album, Introspective (1988). The song reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart and topped the charts in Finland and Spain. Its music video was directed by Eric Watson and filmed in Puerto Rico.

Contents

Background

Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, and influenced by Latin pop, the song was produced by Lewis A. Martinée, the Miami-based producer behind 1980s freestyle groups such as Exposé. The song was recorded at Martinée's studio in Miami, resulting in a considerably large number of studio musicians being featured on it for a Pet Shop Boys song.

The duo had achieved three number ones in 1987 and 1988, and Domino Dancing was expected to continue this success. However, the public reception to the duo's new Latin sound proved disappointing. Tennant remembers: "...it entered the charts at number nine and I thought, 'that's that, then – it's all over'. I knew then that our imperial phase of number one hits was over." [1]

The single missed the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 18, and was the duo's sixth and, to date, last top-20 entry in the United States. [2] (In fact, they have not made the top 60 since "Domino Dancing".) The song did reach number five on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, where the duo has seen more consistent success. [3]

Critical reception

Jonh Wilde from Melody Maker said, "After taking some delightless turns in recent months, Tennant and Lowe swoon, yup swoon, back with their most exquisite offering for many a moon. It looks as weightless as a kite up there. It comes complete with a spoken interlude that wakes up the glowworms inside me for the first time since that heavenly respite in the middle of Human League's 'Louise'." [4] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Their knack of creating irresistible synthesizer-driven pop songs never seems to diminish. Not their best, but still better than most of the competition." [5] Jack Barron from NME named it Single of the Week, adding, "'Domino Dancing' perfectly captures the omnipresent power dynamics of an unbalanced relationship, which most are. It's a song of acid jealousy burning a hole in a love affair. An emotional Paradise reduced to Hell by the constant flick of a partner's eyes elsewhere in covert flirtation." [6]

Music video

The music video for "Domino Dancing" was directed by Eric Watson and was his sixth of eleven collaborations with the band. The storyline is about a love triangle between two handsome young men who are fighting over a beautiful woman. Rolling Stone magazine calls the video "probably the most homoerotic pop video ever made", citing the slow-motion shots of the boys wrestling on the beach:

As such, the video exemplified the mainstream exploitation of gay sex in the Eighties, most evident in Calvin Klein ads and feature films like Top Gun . Unfortunately, Domino Dancing was every bit as dishonest, titillating the straight world with images it could never acknowledge, then doubling the repression by keeping openly gay expression closeted.

— Jim Farber, Rolling Stone [7]

The video was taped in about four days in the old colonial district of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1988. One of the locations that was featured in the music video is the Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery.

All the lead actors were Puerto Rican; the two boys were David Boira and Adalberto Martinez Mojica and the girl was Donna Bottman, [8] who was an aspiring actress and model. All of them were cast by the Pet Shop Boys.

Domino Dancing (extended version) is a seven-minute dance song, combined with Lowe's synth melodies, Cuban brass and hip hop beats.

Versions

Cast

Track listings

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Domino Dancing"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).
United Kingdom12 September 1988
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 Parlophone [52] [53]
19 September 1988
  • 7-inch vinyl with sticker
  • 12-inch vinyl with sticker
  • CD
 [54]
26 September 198812-inch remix vinyl [55]
Japan9 October 1988Mini-CD EMI [56]

Cover versions

The Swedish Pet Shop Boys tribute band West End Girls released a cover version of "Domino Dancing" in 2005 as a single from their album Goes Petshopping , peaking at number three on the Swedish Singles Chart.

Related Research Articles

<i>Introspective</i> 1988 studio album by Pet Shop Boys

Introspective is the third studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 10 October 1988 by Parlophone. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girls & Boys (Blur song)</span> 1994 single by Blur

"Girls & Boys" is a song by the English rock band Blur, released in March 1994 by Food Records as the lead single from the group's third studio album, Parklife (1994). Charting at number five on the UK Singles Chart, "Girls & Boys" was Blur's first top-five hit and their most successful single until "Country House" reached number one the following year. The single surpassed their previous commercial peak "There's No Other Way" by three spots on the UK Singles Chart and saw the group achieve greater worldwide success. In the US, the track reached number 59 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the band's second single to enter the chart after "There's No Other Way". It also reached number four on the Billboard Modern Rock songs chart. Frontman of Blur, Damon Albarn wrote the song's lyrics with bandmembers Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree, while Stephen Street produced it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go West (song)</span> 1979 single by Village People

"Go West" is a song by American disco group Village People, released in June 1979 as the second single from their fourth studio album of the same name (1979). The song was written by Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis. It was successful in the disco scene during the late 1970s. "Go West" found further success when it was covered in 1993 by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Hard</span> 1990 single by Pet Shop Boys

"So Hard" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released in September 1990 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Behaviour (1990). The song is about "two people living together; they are totally unfaithful to each other but they both pretend they are faithful and then catch each other out". It peaked at No. 4 in the United Kingdom and reached the top three in at least seven European countries, including Finland, where it reached No. 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)</span> 1996 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Se a vida é " is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 12 August 1996 as the second single from their sixth studio album, Bilingual (1996). The song is based on "Estrada Da Paixão" by African-Brazilian band Olodum, which was supporting Pet Shop Boys on the South American leg of their Discovery tour in 1994. The band shares songwriting credits with Pet Shop Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can You Forgive Her? (song)</span> 1993 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Can You Forgive Her?" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released as the first single from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). The lyrics describe in the second person a young man's humiliation when his girlfriend accuses him of still being in love with a childhood friend; the woman is "not prepared to share you with a memory", and is "going to go and get herself a real man instead". The title of the song derives from the Anthony Trollope novel of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?</span> 1991 single by Pet Shop Boys

"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their fourth studio album, Behaviour (1990). It was released in the United Kingdom on 11 March 1991 as a double A-side with "Where the Streets Have No Name ", serving as the third single from Behaviour. For the single, Brothers in Rhythm remixed the track. The track was subsequently released as a solo single in the United States and France; it peaked at number 93 on the US Billboard Hot 100. As "Being Boring" and "It's Alright" were not released in the US, tracks from these releases were used on a number of US releases. The accompanying music video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Alright (Pet Shop Boys song)</span> 1989 single by Pet Shop Boys

"It's Alright" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 26 June 1989 as the third and final single from their third studio album, Introspective (1988). It reached number five on the UK Singles Chart. Originally performed by Sterling Void and Paris Brightledge, the song came to the attention of Pet Shop Boys on a house compilation issued by DJ International Records in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing</span> 1993 single by Pet Shop Boys

"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). The song describes a person normally hesitant to unwind and show his feelings, who—because of some event in his life—suddenly becomes willing to loosen up. It was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 1993 by Parlophone as the album's third single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, where it was released in January 1994, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk</span> 2000 single by Pet Shop Boys

"You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 3 January 2000 as the third and final single from their seventh studio album, Nightlife (1999). It reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart but failed to chart in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yesterday, When I Was Mad</span> 1994 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Yesterday, When I Was Mad" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album, Very (1993), on 29 August 1994 by Parlophone. The single peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song was remixed by Jam & Spoon for its single release, among other things removing a compression effect applied to Neil Tennant's voice during the verses. Its music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh. One of the B-sides is a cover of the Noël Coward song "If Love Were All".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberation (Pet Shop Boys song)</span> 1994 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Liberation" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released by Parlophone as the fourth single from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). It peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the lowest-charting single from Very in the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh. The single's B-side, "Decadence", featuring Pat O'Brien was on the Further Listening: 1992–1994 re-release of Very, and the B-sides compilation Alternative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Before (song)</span> 1996 single by Pet Shop Boys

"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 Hot Dance Club Play chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single-Bilingual</span> 1996 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Single-Bilingual" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 11 November 1996 as the third single from their sixth studio album, Bilingual (1996). The track peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is named "Single" on the album version but was retitled "Single-Bilingual" because Everything but the Girl also had a song named "Single", which had been released the previous May. The album version cross-fades with the previous track, "Discoteca", of which both the album and single versions feature an interpolation at the end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absolutely Fabulous (song)</span> 1994 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Absolutely Fabulous" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released by Parlophone and Spaghetti Records as a single for 1994's Comic Relief under the artist name "Absolutely Fabulous"; it is based on the BBC sitcom of the same name created by Jennifer Saunders and features sound bites taken from the first series of the show. The single peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart and number seven on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. It was more successful in Oceania, debuting and peaking at number two in both Australia and New Zealand; in the former country, it is the band's highest-charting single, and in both, it was their last top-10 entry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Red Letter Day</span> 1997 single by Pet Shop Boys

"A Red Letter Day" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 17 March 1997 as the fourth single from their sixth studio album, Bilingual (1996). The single peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, making it another top 10 single for the group. However, it then fell straight out of the UK top 40 the following week. At the time, this was a record as the biggest such fall to ever occur in UK chart history, but it was then beaten the following year by Embrace with their single "My Weakness Is None of Your Business".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Boy</span> 1999 single by Pet Shop Boys

"New York City Boy" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 22 September 1999 as the second single from their seventh studio album, Nightlife (1999). In the UK, the single peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached the charts in numerous European countries, peaking at number three in Spain, and number four in Finland and Hungary. In the US, the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 53 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Know What You Want but I Can't Give It Any More</span> 1999 single by Pet Shop Boys

"I Don't Know What You Want but I Can't Give It Any More" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their seventh studio album, Nightlife (1999). Released on 19 July 1999 as the album's lead single, it peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, number two on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, and number 66 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart.

<i>Christmas</i> (Pet Shop Boys EP) 2009 EP by Pet Shop Boys

Christmas is an extended play (EP) by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was released on 14 December 2009 by Parlophone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)</span> 1991 single by Pet Shop Boys

"Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. The song is a medley of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", a 1967 song by Frankie Valli, though in an arrangement informed by the 1982 disco version of the song by the Boys Town Gang rather than the original. The song accompanied "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?", the third single from their fourth studio album, Behaviour (1990), as a double A-side in the United Kingdom (both singles were released separately in the United States). Released in March 1991, the song became the duo's 15th consecutive top-20 entry in the UK, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart.

References

  1. ↑ "Between the Lines: Introspective" PetShopBoysatDeadofNight. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 489.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003, (Record Research Inc.), page 202.
  4. ↑ Wilde, Jonh (17 September 1988). "Singles". Melody Maker . p. 35. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . 24 September 1988. p. 21. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Barron, Jack (24 September 1988). "Singles". NME . p. 16. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Farber, Jim (14–28 December 1989). "Beyond the Big Hair – Video News and Notes". Rolling Stone . p. 235. ISSN   0035-791X.
  8. ↑ Domino Dancing: Girl in the music video: Donna Bottman
  9. ↑ Video on YouTube [ dead link ]
  10. ↑ Domino Dancing (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1988. R 6190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ Domino Dancing (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. EMI Records Japan. 1988. XP10-2024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ↑ Domino Dancing (US cassette single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. EMI Manhattan Records. 1988. 4BX-50161.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Domino Dancing (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1988. 12R 6190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ Domino Dancing (UK CD single liner notes). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1988. CDR 6190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ Domino Dancing (UK cassette single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1988. TCR 6190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ Domino Dancing (Australian 12-inch single sleeve). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1988. ED 378.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ↑ Domino Dancing (UK 12-inch remix single vinyl disc). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone. 1988. 12RX 6190.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ Domino Dancing (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Pet Shop Boys. EMI Manhattan Records. 1988. V-56116.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  20. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  21. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  22. ↑ "RPM 100 Singles" (PDF). RPM . Vol. 49, no. 9. 17 December 1988. p. 6. ISSN   0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
  23. ↑ "RPM 20 Dance Singles" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 6. 26 November 1988. p. 14. ISSN   0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
  24. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 101, no. 3. 21 January 1989. p. 74. ISSN   0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  25. ↑ "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 5, no. 45. 5 November 1988. p. 28. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  26. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 43. 22 October 1988. p. 24. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  29. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Domino Dancing". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  30. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 1 June 2022.Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Pet Shop Boys" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  31. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Pet Shop Boys" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  32. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  33. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  34. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing". VG-lista. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  35. ↑ "Discos más populares de Latinoamérica". El Siglo de Torreón. 30 January 1989. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  36. ↑ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  37. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  38. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  39. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  40. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  41. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  42. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  43. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  44. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 10, 1988". Cash Box . Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  45. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  46. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1988 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  47. ↑ "Top 25 Dance Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 10. ISSN   0033-7064 – via World Radio History.
  48. ↑ "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.
  49. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  50. ↑ "Top 100 Singles – Year-End Chart 1988" (PDF). Music Week Awards. Music Week . 4 March 1989. p. 12. ISSN   0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  51. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  52. ↑ Smith, Robin (10 September 1988). "News: Get Dancing". Record Mirror . p. 4. ISSN   0144-5804.
  53. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week . 10 September 1988. p. 31.
  54. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week. 17 September 1988. p. 40.
  55. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week. 24 September 1988. p. 38.
  56. ↑ "ドミノ・ダンシング | ペット・ショップ・ボーイズ" [Domino Dancing | Pet Shop Boys] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 22 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.