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It's a Sin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "It's a Sin" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Pet Shop Boys | ||
| from the album Actually | ||
| B-side(s) | "You Know Where You Went Wrong" | |
| Released | July 15, 1987 | |
| Format | 7", 12", cassette, CD | |
| Genre | Synthpop | |
| Length | 4:59 | |
| Label | Parlophone / EMI | |
| Writer(s) | Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe | |
| Producer(s) | Julian Mendelsohn, Stephen Hague | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Pet Shop Boys singles chronology | ||
| "Suburbia" (1986) |
"It's a Sin" (1987) |
"What Have I Done to Deserve This?" (1987) |
"It's a Sin" was a song recorded by the Pet Shop Boys which reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in June 1987.
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Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, "It's a Sin" was the lead single from the duo's second "proper" album, Actually. Released in June 1987 it rocketed to the top of the charts to become the duo's second UK number-one single. It was also a massive hit across Europe: in the United States it reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the duo's third Top Ten hit there.
The song is an implicit rejection of Tennant's Catholic upbringing and education at St Cuthbert's High School in Newcastle upon Tyne, where Tennant claims to have been the victim of homophobic bullying. It is also a subtle indication of his homosexuality (Tennant did not come out until 1993), the song uses extensive samples from Latin masses (specifically, Tennant reciting a part of the Confiteor, and other sounds recorded at locations such as Westminster Cathedral) and religious imagery 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.[1] To date, it remains a concert staple, being only one of two songs (alongside "West End Girls") that have been played during every Pet Shop Boys tour.[2]
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.[3] Their show at the Camden Town Barfly (March 17, 2004) was noted as their first-ever without backing musicians;[4] it included a new arrangement of "It's a Sin", which would later be recorded in the studio, performed on Parkinson, and finally released on the 2006 compilation Popjustice: 100% Solid Pop Music.
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, and images of personifications of the seven deadly sins. Ron Moody performed the role of a staring judge.
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It has subsequently been recorded by Corporal Punishment, as well as Paul Anka on the 2005 covers album Rock Swings.
The latter gave the song a downtempo swing jazz treatment, and also changed some lyrics: the lines "At school they taught me how to be / so pure in thought and word and deed" was modified to "My father taught me how to be..." instead, thus changing the context of the later line "Father forgive me...", which would otherwise refer to a Roman Catholic priest. In addition, the repeated intonements of "It's a sin" in the chorus are drawn out further, with variations such as "What a sin" and "Such a sin" added. The eminent German power metal band Gamma Ray covered the song on their 1999 album Powerplant. Graveworm covered the song on their album Engraved in Black.
| Preceded by "Star Trekkin'" by The Firm |
UK number one single June 28, 1987 |
Succeeded by "Who's That Girl" by Madonna |
- ^ Raggett, Ned. It's a Sin. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ Studer, Wayne. Songs That the Pet Shop Boys Have Performed "Live". Pet Shop Boys Commentary. Geowayne.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-10.
- ^ Youngs, Ian (February 27, 2004). Charity gig tickets fetch £1,375. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- ^ The new single 'Flamboyant' out on 29th March. The Guardian (March 17, 2004). Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
| Pet Shop Boys |
| Neil Tennant | Chris Lowe |
| Discography |
| Albums: Please | Actually | Introspective | Behaviour | Very | Bilingual | Nightlife | Release | Fundamental |
| Soundtracks and scores: Closer to Heaven (Original Cast Recording) | Battleship Potemkin |
| Remix albums: Disco | Disco 2 | Disco 3 |
| Compilations: Discography: The Complete Singles Collection | Alternative | PopArt: The Hits | Back to Mine: Pet Shop Boys |
| Live: Concrete |
| Singles: "West End girls" | "Love comes quickly" | "Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)" | "Suburbia" | "It's a Sin" | "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" | "Rent" | "Always On My Mind" | "Heart" | "Domino dancing" | "Left to my own devices" | "It's alright" | "So Hard" | "Being Boring" | "Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you)" | "How can you expect to be taken seriously?" | "Jealousy" | "DJ Culture" | "Was it worth it?" | "Can you forgive her?" | "Go West" | "I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing" | "Liberation" | "Yesterday, when I was mad" | "Paninaro '95" | "Before" | "Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)" | "Single-Bilingual" | "Somewhere" | "I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more" | "New York City boy" | "You only tell me you love me when you're drunk" | "Home and dry" | "I get along" | "London" | "Miracles" | "Flamboyant" | "I'm with Stupid" | "Minimal" | "Numb" | "She's Madonna" |
| Related Articles |
| Other projects: It Couldn't Happen Here | Reputation | Results | Spaghetti Records | Closer to Heaven |
- 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 on 2006-09-10.