Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls

Last updated
"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls"
BOLPBAPG.jpeg
Single by Book of Love
from the album Lullaby
B-side "Tubular Bells"
ReleasedMay 24, 1988
Recorded1987–1988
Genre Synth-pop, new wave
Length4:26(album version)
4:48 (single version)
Label Sire Records
Songwriter(s) Theodore Ottaviano
Producer(s) Flood and Ted Ottaviano
Book of Love singles chronology
"Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)"
(1987)		"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls"
(1988)		"Lullaby"
(1989)
Music video
Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls on YouTube

"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" is the fifth single released by the American synth-pop band Book of Love. The song was the first single released prior to the band's second album Lullaby in 1988.

Contents

"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" became the band's highest-charting single at no. 90 in the Billboard Hot 100, and their only track that crossed over into mainstream pop. [1] [2] In the dance clubs, the song was a smash, and made it to no. 5 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, spending 11 weeks on the chart. [1]

"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" became one of the first songs ever to address the issue of the AIDS epidemic, featuring the lyrics of "strangers in the night exchanging glances, but sex is dangerous, I don't take my chances...safe sex, safe sex." [2]

"We talked about AIDS at a time when people were not talking about it." -Susan Ottaviano [3]

The B-side to the single is a cover of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells", originally became famous as the theme song in popular horror movie The Exorcist . For the track, the band sampled band member Lauren Roselli crying "Mother, make it stop!", channeling Linda Blair's role as Regan from the movie. [2] For the 12" release of the single, "Tubular Bells" and "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" were mixed together as a fourteen-minute medley by Scott Blackwell and Bob Brockmann. The album Lullaby also begins with a shorter version of "Tubular Bells", which flows seamlessly into "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls", the second track on the album. [2]

A promotional video was shot and released for "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls”; an alternate version of the video was also released using the medley edit of "Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls”.

Track listings

1988 7" Single (Sire Records 7-27858)

Side A: "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (7" Edit) - 4:30

Side B: "Tubular Bells" (7" Mix) - 4:23

1988 7" Promo Single (Sire Records 7-27858-A)

Side A: "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (7" Edit) - 4:30

Side B: "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (7" Edit) - 4:30

1988 7" Promo Single (PRO-S-3281)

Side A: "Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Medley Edit) - 4:25

Side B: "Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Medley Edit) - 4:25

1988 12" Maxi-Single (Sire Records 0-20963)

Side A:

  1. "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Extended Mix) - 7:19
  2. "Tubular Bells" (7" Mix) - 4:23
  3. "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (7" Mix) - 4:45

Side B:

  1. "Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Regan's House Medley) - 14:24

1988 Promo CD Single (Sire Records PRO-CD-3197)

  1. "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (7" Mix) - 4:48
  2. "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Extended Mix) - 7:20
  3. "Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Regan's House Medley) - 14:24
  4. Interview - 3:43

Personnel

"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" written by Theodore Ottaviano. "Tubular Bells" written by Mike Oldfield. All instruments arranged, programmed, and performed by Book of Love.

12" Sleeve Credits

Charts

YearSongChart peak positions
US Club Play [1] US Hot 100 [4]
1988"Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls"590

Official versions

YearVersionLengthMixed/Remixed byComment
1988Album version4:26Alan MeyersonFound on all formats of the album Lullaby .*
19887" Edit4:30Alan MeyersonA slightly shorter edit of the 7" Mix/Single version. Found only on the 7" vinyl single (Sire Records 7–27858) and 7" promo vinyl single (Sire Records 7–27858).
19887" Mix/Single version4:48Alan MeyersonFound on the 12" vinyl single and the CD I Touch Roses: The Best of Book of Love .*
1988Extended Mix7:19Scott Blackwell and Bob BrockmannFound on the 12" vinyl single, CD promo single, and the 2009 reissue CD of Lullaby (Noble Rot).
1988"Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Regan's House Medley)14:24Scott Blackwell and Bob BrockmannA super extended remix combining the two as a medley. Found on the 12" vinyl single, CD promo single, and the 2009 reissue CD of Lullaby (Noble Rot).
1988"Tubular Bells/Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" (Medley Edit)4:25Alan MeyersonFound only on the 7" vinyl promo single (Sire Records 7-27858-A).

Official versions of B-side "Tubular Bells"

YearVersionLengthMixed/Remixed byComment
1988Album version3:00Alan MeyersonFound on all formats of the album Lullaby .*
19887" Mix4:23Alan MeyersonFound on the 7" and 12" vinyl singles of "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls".
19887" Edit4:09Alan MeyersonA shorter edit of the 7" Mix. Found only the CD of I Touch Roses: The Best of Book of Love .*

" * " denotes that version is available as digital download

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Book of Love (band)</span> American synth-pop band

Book of Love are an American synthpop and electronic band, formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later based in New York City. Led by vocalist Susan Ottaviano, the band also includes keyboardists Ted Ottaviano, Lauren Roselli and Jade Lee. The band gained its first exposure as the opening act for two Depeche Mode tours in 1985 and 1986. The group has been described by the Houston Press as "forward thinking" for lyrics dealing with sexual orientation and gender roles.

<i>Book of Love</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Book of Love

Book of Love is the debut studio album by American synth-pop and electronic band Book of Love, released on April 1, 1986, by Sire Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boy (Book of Love song)</span> 1985 single by Book of Love

"Boy" is the 1985 debut single by the American synth-pop band Book of Love. The song was included on the band's eponymous debut album Book of Love in 1986.

<i>Just Say Yo</i> 1988 compilation album by Various artists

Just Say Yo was Sire Records' Volume 2 of Just Say Yes and was originally released on August 16, 1988, as a winter CD sampler. It contained remixes and non-album tracks of artists on the label, most of which were considered new wave or modern rock.

<i>Lullaby</i> (Book of Love album) 1988 studio album by Book of Love

Lullaby is the second studio album by American synth-pop band Book of Love, released on June 21, 1988, by Sire Records.

<i>Candy Carol</i> 1991 studio album by Book of Love

Candy Carol is the third studio album by American synth-pop band Book of Love, released on January 23, 1991, by Sire Records.

<i>Lovebubble</i> 1993 studio album by Book of Love

Lovebubble is the fourth, and final studio album by American synthpop and electronic band Book of Love, released on June 15, 1993, by Sire Records.

<i>I Touch Roses: The Best of Book of Love</i> 2001 compilation album by Book of Love

I Touch Roses: The Best of Book of Love is a best of compilation album by American synthpop and electronic band Book of Love, released on March 13, 2001, by Reprise Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Touch Roses</span> 1985 single by Book of Love

"I Touch Roses" is the second single released by the American synth-pop band Book of Love. The song was included on the band's eponymous debut album Book of Love in 1986. The B-side to the single is "Lost Souls", a remixed version of which also appeared on their debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Make Me Feel So Good</span> 1986 single by Book of Love

"You Make Me Feel So Good" is the third single released by the American synth-pop band Book of Love. The song was included on the band's eponymous debut album Book of Love in 1986. The song was written by band members Susan Ottaviano and Ted Ottaviano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)</span> 1987 single by Book of Love

"Modigliani " is the fourth single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The song was included on the band's eponymous debut album Book of Love in 1986. "Modigliani ", was released as a single in early 1987, making it the fourth and final single release from the album. The B-side to the single is a remixed version of "Modigliani" by Omar Santana, titled "Mo'dub'iani".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lullaby (Book of Love song)</span> 1989 single by Book of Love

"Lullaby" is the sixth single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The song was the second single released from the band's second album Lullaby in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witchcraft (Book of Love song)</span> 1989 single by Book of Love

"Witchcraft" is the seventh single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The song was the third, and final single from the band's second album Lullaby, and was released on July 15, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Everyday</span> 1991 single by Book of Love

"Alice Everyday" is the eighth single released by the American synth-pop band Book of Love. The song was released prior to the band's third album, 1991's Candy Carol, as the first single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Counting the Rosaries</span> 1991 single by Book of Love

"Counting the Rosaries" is the tenth single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The song was released as the third and final single from the band's third album, 1991's Candy Carol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunny Day (song)</span> 1991 single by Book of Love

"Sunny Day" is the ninth single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The song was released as the second single from the band's third album, 1991's Candy Carol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boy Pop</span> 1993 single by Book of Love

"Boy Pop" is the eleventh single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The song was released on May 6, 1993, as the first single from the band's fourth album Lovebubble.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunny Hunny</span> 1993 single by Book of Love

"Hunny Hunny"/"Chatterbox " is the twelfth single released by the American synthpop band Book of Love. The single is a double A-side single, and was released on September 23, 1993, as the second single from the band's fourth album Lovebubble.

The Book of Love discography consists of four studio albums, three compilation album, fourteen singles, and one promo only single released on Sire Records, or Reprise Records, as well as nine music videos. The band has had their songs appear on more than forty compilations, as well as three music videos on three various video compilations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lullaby Tour</span> 1989 concert tour by Book of Love

The Lullaby Tour was a 1989 U.S. concert tour by American electronic group Book of Love, in support of the act's second studio album, Lullaby, which was released in July 1988. The band had originally intended to tour in the fall of 1988, but the illness of a band member delayed the tour until 1989. The second single from the album and title track "Lullaby" was released on January 4, 1989 to coincide with the tour.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Billboard Music Charts - Search Results - Book of Love, Billboard, retrieved 2013-07-02
  2. 1 2 3 4 Paoletta, Michael (2009). Lullaby (CD sleeve notes). Book Of Love. Noble Rot. p. 2. 2009 reissue.
  3. ↑ Book of Love Bio, BookofLoveMusic.com, archived from the original on 2014-05-14, retrieved 2013-07-02
  4. ↑ Billboard Hot 100 - Book of Love, Billboard, retrieved 2013-07-02
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.