However, a longer version was included on side A of the 12" vinyl single - the Disco Mix lasts for 11:28. It's one of the finest (and longest) 12 inches of the 80s, and you can listen to it in our video above. Side B included the single edit and also "The Sound of the Atom Splitting". These three tracks were also included on the CD single, which I still have in my collection somewhere, complete with its mustard-coloured second sleeve. The 7" vinyl featured an extended version of "The Sound of the Atom Splitting" on its B-side.
The single was produced by the legendary Trevor Horn, Stephen Lipson and Pet Shop Boys. It reached the top 10 in numerous other countries, reaching No.3 in Ireland, No.5 in Spain, No.8 in Finland and No.9 in Germany and Poland.
Written by Neil Tennant, the lyrics refer to someone who is on their own for the day, and also Tennant's solitude as a child. The "party animal" is his writer friend Jon Savage. Verse 9 refers to the Argentine Marxist Che Guevara. The verses of the song were rapped by Tennant, although in his own, unique style, of course, and they always intrigued me. Until very recently, I always thought the Neil was rapping "and in a secret life I was a randy general", whereas, in fact, it was a "roundhead general"!
Simplyeighties.com
