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Christmas (Pet Shop Boys EP)

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Christmas
BERJAYA
EP by
Pet Shop Boys
Released14 December 2009
Genres
Length22:45
LabelParlophone
Producers
Pet Shop Boys chronology
Party
(2009)		 Christmas
(2009)		 Pandemonium
(2010)

Christmas is an extended play (EP) by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was released on 14 December 2009 by Parlophone.[3] Leading with the single "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas", it reached number 40 on the UK Singles Chart.

Background and compilation

[edit]

The EP contains new versions of Pet Shop Boys' exclusive 1997 fan club single "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" and the track "All Over the World" from their tenth studio album Yes, both of which featured additional production by Marius de Vries with an orchestra and choir.[2][4] Also included are two versions of the Madness song "My Girl" – which the duo had originally performed at a benefit concert for the late Dainton Connell – and a medley of Pet Shop Boys' 1988 song "Domino Dancing" with Coldplay's 2008 song "Viva la Vida", as performed on the Pandemonium Tour (2009–10). Stuart Price produced the latter track.[5]

Release

[edit]

"All Over the World" was released to radio stations as a promotional recording and was given its first airing on Chris Evans's BBC Radio 2 show on 9 November 2009.[6] "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" followed in the first week of December on the Ken Bruce show.[7] Both songs were on the primary A-list at Radio 2.[8]

The Christmas EP sold 9,250 copies in the UK in its first week.[9] The lead-off track, "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas", debuted at number 40 on the UK Singles Chart on 26 December 2009, and is to date the last Pet Shop Boys single to have entered the UK top 40.[10]

The EP was released as a digital download in the US by Astralwerks on 15 December 2009.[11] It hit number 20 on Billboard magazine's Top Dance Albums chart on 2 January 2010.[12]

The video for "All Over the World" was directed by Blue Leach[13] and features live highlights from the Pandemonium Tour. It was posted online a few days prior to the EP's release.[14]

The cover artwork continues the balloon motif from the Brazilian compilation Party.[15]

Critical reception

[edit]

In a review of the EP, Andy Gill of The Independent commented, "the only bona fide Christmas song featured here is "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" … whose exquisitely downbeat title hook offers a typically slightly-disappointed take on the usual meteorological cliché. A brief burst of chimes and choir leads into glum social-realist depictions of "families fighting around a plastic tree, nothing on the TV that you want to see" and the like, rescued from Grinch-hood at the last moment by the company of one's beloved".[2] On Blogcritics, David R. Perry said of the same song: "In typical PSB style, it's more cheeky than sentimental, but it is a fun track. The style is classic, Very-era disco pop, and finds the Boys doing the holiday release thing without actually selling out".[1]

Perry described the cover of "My Girl" as having "a very lighthearted and bouncy-pop feel", while the remix has "a more club-friendly groove".[1] Of the Coldplay cover, he observed: "taking on more rock-oriented tracks isn't their strength. Although it sounds very distinctly Pet Shop Boys and deadpan, it makes the track more sterile than it needs to be. It's fun, but it's a trifle".[1] Tom Hocknell of BBC Music found "Viva la Vida" to be "an effective interpretation ... which comes across as more fun than one might expect from a Coldplay cover". He felt, "the real find here is the hymn-like, All Over the World, a single-in-waiting from their last album Yes. This new version is huge, as though a request for one coach-load of orchestra was obviously misheard as three. It is OTT, but admirably restrained in camp".[16]

Live performances

[edit]

The release of Christmas coincided with four UK dates of the Pandemonium Tour.[17] "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" and "My Girl" were added to the setlist for those dates, in an encore that featured dancing Christmas trees and a snow shower.[18] The mashup of "Viva la Vida"/"Domino Dancing" was also included as part of the regular tour setlist. The performance at The O2 Arena in London was recorded for a live album and concert film, titled Pandemonium, which was released in February 2010.[19]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" (new version)
3:51
2."My Girl"Mike BarsonPet Shop Boys3:43
3."All Over the World" (new version)
  • Tennant
  • Lowe
  • de Vries
  • Pet Shop Boys
3:49
4."Viva la Vida"/"Domino Dancing"
5:33
5."My Girl" (Our House mix)BarsonPet Shop Boys5:49
Total length:22:45

Notes

[edit]
  • ^[a] signifies an assistant producer

Personnel

[edit]

Personnel are adapted from the liner notes of Christmas.[20]

Musicians

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  • Matt Robertson – new programming, orchestral arrangements (tracks 1, 3)
  • Jason Boshoff – new programming (tracks 1, 3)
  • Chris Storr – trumpet solo (tracks 1, 3)
  • Pete Gleadall – original programming (track 1); programming (tracks 2)
  • Stuart Price – arrangements (track 4)
  • Pet Shop Boys – arrangements (track 4)
  • Marius de Vries – orchestral arrangements (tracks 1, 3)
  • Perry Montague-Mason – leader of the orchestra (tracks 1, 3)
  • Jenny O'Grady – choirmaster (tracks 1, 3)

Technical

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  • Pet Shop Boys – original track production (track 1); new production (tracks 1, 3); production (tracks 2, 5); remix (track 5)
  • Marius de Vries – new production (tracks 1, 3)
  • Tim Weidner – mixing (tracks 2, 5)
  • Brian Higgins – original track production (track 3)
  • Xenomania – original track production (track 3)
  • Stuart Price – production, mixing (track 4)
  • Dave Emery – production assistance (track 4)
  • Gary Thomas – orchestra and choir recording (tracks 1, 3)
  • Mat Bartram – orchestra and choir recording assistance (tracks 1, 3)
  • Andy Bradfield – orchestra and choir mixing (tracks 1, 3)
  • Mo Hausler – orchestra and choir mixing assistance (tracks 1, 3)
  • Izzy Morley – orchestra and choir mixing assistance (tracks 1, 3)
  • Tim Young – mastering

Artwork

[edit]
  • Farrow – design, art direction
  • PSB – design, art direction
  • John Ross – photography

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2009–2010) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[21]60
Germany (GfK)[22]35
Scottish Singles Sales (Official Charts)[23]43
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24]10
UK Singles (Official Charts)[25]40
US Top Dance Albums (Billboard)[12]20

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Perry, David R. (16 December 2009). "Music Review: Pet Shop Boys – Christmas". Blogcritics. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Gill, Andy (10 December 2009). "Album: Pet Shop Boys, Christmas EP (Parlophone)". The Independent. London. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "Key Releases" (PDF). Music Week. London. 5 December 2009. p. 20. Retrieved 17 June 2026 – via World Radio History.
  4. ↑ Heath, Chris (2017). Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone Records. pp. 10, 37. 0190295852818.
  5. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys cover Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida', Madness' 'My Girl' on new 'Christmas' EP". Slicing Up Eyeballs. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Chris Evans: Music Played". BBC Radio 2. London. 9 November 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  7. ↑ ""It doesn't often snow at Christmas" will get its first official radio play this Friday morning on the Ken Bruce show on BBC Radio 2". petshopboys.co.uk. London. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Radio Playlists" (PDF). Music Week. London. 12 December 2009. p. 8. Retrieved 17 June 2026 – via World Radio History.
  9. ↑ Jones, Alan (26 December 2009). "Chart Analysis" (PDF). Music Week. London. p. 28. Retrieved 17 June 2026 – via World Radio History.
  10. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys Official Chart History". Official Charts. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Breihan, Tom (7 December 2009). "Pet Shop Boys Ready Christmas EP". Pitchfork. US. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  13. ↑ Pet Shop Boys (2010). Pandemonium (liner notes). Parlophone. 5099962782524.
  14. ↑ ""All over the world" video". petshopboys.co.uk. London. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Heath, Chris; Hoare, Philip (2026). Pet Shop Boys Volume: The Complete Visual Record. New York: Thames & Hudson. pp. 374–75. ISBN 9780500027479.
  16. ↑ Hocknell, Tom (2 December 2009). "Christmas Records Day 2: Pet Shop Boys". BBC Music. London. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  17. ↑ Paine, Andre (6 November 2009). "Pet Shop Boys Gets Festive on EP". Billboard. New York. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Magee, Matthew (18 December 2009). "Pet Shop Boys at the SECC Glasgow, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys to release 'Pandemonium' live CD and concert DVD in February". Slicing Up Eyeballs. 10 January 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  20. ↑ Pet Shop Boys (2009). Christmas (liner notes). Parlophone. CDR 6784.
  21. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Christmas" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  22. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  23. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 20/12/2009 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  24. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  25. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
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