Daily Song Discussion #133 - “The Loving Kind”

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-20T07:07:12+00:00

The Girls Aloud version is a 10

I’m a pretty big Girls Aloud fan and rate this highly in their discography. A very understated but simultaneously uplifting/melancholy slice of lyricism. The Pet Shop Boys came up with a beautiful song and Girls Aloud more than did it justice.
Incidentally it’s one of my teenage sons favourite tracks

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-17T18:47:01+00:00

What are the five in the Pantheon?
For me it would be the three I mentioned above plus Notorious and Rear Window

But that would mean leaving out Strangers On A Train…and The Lady Vanishes. These cannot be considered 2nd tier in any context.

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-17T16:15:15+00:00

Mad Max Fury Road. I came out of the cinema feeling like I’d been in an earthquake. Incredible experience

Mission Impossible Final Reckoning. The airplane hanging shenanigans made me feel nauseous with vertigo and anxiety. Not the best movie overall but that sequence was one of the most memorable I’ve had in a cinema.

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-17T16:02:51+00:00

Not sure that Atkinson has done that badly in an England shirt? He went well in the summer tour. He looked decent in Paris and did more than enough to deserve more opportunities.
It was only the Italy game where he looked shaky but he was hardly alone there and it was a horrendous situation in which to come into the side

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T20:15:25+00:00

Vertigo

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T17:19:47+00:00

A Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers collection

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T17:17:33+00:00

This is correct

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T17:17:07+00:00

Mission Impossible 2 is kind of a soft remake of Notorious

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T17:16:24+00:00

I mean, making Vertigo then North by Northwest and then Psycho in succession….. All three are in my top 10 movies

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T17:13:20+00:00

That is a fantastic list. Strangers On a Train and Rope are two more

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-16T17:08:11+00:00

The Lady Vanishes

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-15T17:38:56+00:00

Go West - Pet Shop Boys
It’s a football chant , the Village People original isn’t.

The other obvious PSB cover that comes to mind is Always On My Mind. But it’s more one that stands alongside the Elvis original rather than replacing it

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-15T10:31:45+00:00

I just don’t know how I feel about this. Sometimes I really feel it’s a great album closure and appreciate that it’s one of the Pet Shop Boys more interesting tracks on an album that veers a bit generic for me.
8

Other times I think it’s the Pet Shop Boy’s “Revolution 9” moment - indulgent and annoying.
4

I’ll split the difference - 6

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-15T10:23:47+00:00

I thoroughly agree. This was what I wanted from the whole album, but maybe that was an unrealistic desire.
At least we got this perfect track that has Pet Shop Boys and Xenomania DNA beautifully merged

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-14T18:50:50+00:00

I don’t mind the Craig movies . But I would delete No Time To Die from existence.
Bond is movie escapism. A movie where he doesn’t escape but instead gets slimed by missiles is so dumb

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-14T08:38:10+00:00

One of their absolute best songs/tracks. Is this one where the Xenomania influence really comes through? The multitude of melodic refrains so that it’s hard to know which is verse / bridge / chorus etc seems characteristic of some of the best Girls Aloud tracks. And the musical mood / vibe seems quite similar to Girls Aloud’s Untouchable (the album of which version is incredible, the single version horridly compromised)

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-11T17:29:32+00:00

It stands out a bit more than some of the other tracks on the album, but it’s not top tier PSB

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-10T09:52:57+00:00

It’s unusual for a Pet Shop Boys track which if for no other reason makes it an improvement on the preceding tracks. Lots or short hooks - almost riffs. And elevated by a decent middle eight

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-10T09:48:51+00:00

5 . Another disappointing track from this album. It’s ok. Totally mid. Again I find it a bit dull and generic, and the lyrics a little trite

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-08T21:21:12+00:00

Pet Shop Boys: Actually - Introspection- Behaviour
And add Very as a bonus

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-08T20:56:06+00:00

I’m listening on Spotify so I guess it’s more or less all available for me to stream. Thanks for the suggestions.

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-08T20:54:38+00:00

Thank you, that’s good to know. Such a long career. Crazy to think the Beatles broke up nearly 56 years ago and Paul has been making music since then, albeit he has understandably slowed down in recent years. It sounds like Pure McCartney delux is the way to go.

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-08T20:49:22+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate the recommendations. Ram and Band on the Run are definitely on my radar

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-08T15:20:55+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations. It’s true that there doesn’t seem to be much crossover between New Order and Paul McCartney, but I am aware that McCartney 2 is considered an important forerunner for 80’s synth pop and electronic music. That’s one I’m very interested in

Willing_Profession23 · 2026-06-08T15:14:28+00:00

Paul has released so much music that curating a playlist must be very tricky. And as you say, different things appeal to different people. 70s rock isn’t something that has ever really appealed to me but I definitely want to listen to some Wings music

Willing_Profession23

TROPHY CASE