West End Girls is a seminal song by the English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, comprised of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. Released in 1984, the track noticeable their breakthrough into the normal music scene and became one of their most iconic hits.
The song originated from Neil Tennant’s experiences in London’s West End, where he noticed the social Changing and disparities of the area. Energetic by T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land” and hip-hop music, Tennant penned the lyrics, which send back themes of class fight, urban life, and aspiration.
Produced by Stephen Hague, “West End Girls” features a Individual blend of electronic beats, synthesizers, and Tennant’s individual deadpan vocals. The trail memorable melody and memorable hook arrested the attention of audiences worldwide, push it to the top of the charts in several countries, including the UK and the US.
The success of “West End Girls” established Pet Shop Boys as pioneers of the synth-pop genre and surface the way for their ongoing career. The song’s affect can still be felt in coeval music, and its status as a classic remains undoubted, with its timeless appeal continuing to captivate audiences decades after its release.
Lyrics
… Sometimes you’re better off dead
There’s a gun in your hand it’s pointing at your head
You think you’re mad, too unstable
Kicking in chairs and knocking down tables
In a restaurant in a West End town
Call the police, there’s a mad man around
Running down underground
To a dive bar in a West End town
… In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
West End girls
… Too many shadows, whispering voices
Faces on posters, too many choices
If, when, why, what? How much have you got?
Have you got it, do you get it
If so, how often?
Which do you choose
A hard or soft option?
(How much do you need?)
… In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
West End girls
West End girls
… In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
Ooh, West End town, a dead end world
East End boys, West End girls
West End girls
… You got a heart of glass or a heart of stone
Just you wait ’til I get you home
We’ve got no future
We’ve got no past
Here today, built to last
In every city, in every nation
From Lake Geneva to the Finland station
(How far have you been?)
… In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
A West End town, a dead end world
East End boys, West End girls
West End girls
… West End girls
West End girls
(How far have you been?)
Girls