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I don't know what you want but I can't give it anymore

19 July 1999

On July 19, 1999, the Pet Shop Boys released a new single, "I don't know what you want but I can't give it anymore", recorded in New York that March and co-produced by David Morales. "It's about the end of a relationship between two people," says Neil, "Where they are no longer communicating. They don't understand each other." Chris offers his own, perhaps not entirely accurate, interpretation. "It's about someone being a bit demanding," he suggests. "Not doing the washing up and stuff." In its video they are seen being transformed into their new look, developed with the theatre designer Ian McNeil, whose work they have admired on productions of An Inspector Calls and Machinale. They have decided that as the songs on their new album were less personal - "the lyrics are not necessarily reflections of me, Neil Tennant," Neil says - they will now appear less naturalistic. This new appearance is partly inspired by a picture they saw in a magazine of Japanese men wearing samurai trousers. "We didn't want the look to be just fashion, we wanted something that had an element of ritual in it," they explain. "We just talked through ideas and we came up with a slightly samurai based look. I like the way it has a slightly ceremonial look about it. It makes you feel very different when you're wearing it, and sometimes when you're performing its good to feel bigger, or different, then yourself. And, also, it makes people look at you."

Tracks

IDK (the Morales remix)

IDK (dub mix)

IDK (radio fade)

IDK (thee Maddkatt Courtship 80 witness mix)

IDK (thee drum drum mix)

IDK (thee 2 black ninja mix)

I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more

IDK (the Morales remix)

Silver age

Screaming

Multimedia section: IDK video

IDK (the Morales remix

IDK (thee Maddkatt Courtship 80 witness mix)

Je t'aime... moi non plus

Related

 

Other Singles

Headlines

30 August 2010
Pandemonium tour ends

For this year anyway.

12 August 2010
Xacobeo 2010

A surprise addition.

2 August 2010
V Festival

The end of the Pandemonium tour?

25 July 2010
Taiwan and Korea

Two festival dates this week.

11 July 2010
UK tour starts

UK tour starts in Blackpool on Tuesday.

On this day

1996: Bilingual is released.

2003: One of the participants in the highly rated U.S. version of the TV show Big Brother proclaims these immortal words: 'Pet Shop Boys! I love this band!' Meanwhile, still touristing in Turkey, Chris and Neil take a boat trip on the Bosphorus.

2005: The first in a series of live performances across Germany of the Boys' Battleship Potemkin score takes place in Frankfurt.

2006: After a two-week break, the Boys resume the European leg of their Fundamental tour in Germany at the Schlossgarten Ludwigslust.

Pet Texts

23 August 2010
Absolute Radio

Our interview with Absolute Radio at the V Festival yesterday can be found at the link below.

Facts courtesy of geowayne.com