Friday 14 August 2009

Opportunities (let's make lots of money) - Pet Shop Boys

After the original version of 'Opportunities' did not become a hit, Pet Shop Boys changed record companies and released the song once again, in a new version. It became their third hit single, after 'West end girls' (also a re-recorded version) and 'Love comes quickly'.

Accoring to Neil Tennant, the lyric of the song is about 'two losers'. The song is written from the perspective of a man who describes himself as being intellectual and educated. The lyrics are addressed towards another character, who is invited to join the song's protagonist in a scheme to 'make lots of money'. Tennant has made it clear, however, that the schemes are doomed to failure. The band have attributed the cynicism of the song, in part, to the punk rock attitudes of the period.

A notable change between the original and re-recorded versions of 'Opportunities' is the omission of the spoken outro 'All the love that we had / And the love that we hide / Who will bury us / When we die?' According to Tennant, the lyrics were removed from the second version of the song as the duo feared the passage would be construed as being 'too pretentious'.

My collection: 7" single no. 456
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, September 13, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)' / 'Was that what it was?'

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