"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" is a song by English
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
duo
Pet Shop Boys
The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...
from their fourth studio album, ''
Behaviour
Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as wel ...
'' (1990). It was released in the United Kingdom on 11 March 1991 as a double A-side with "
Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)", serving as the third single from ''Behaviour''. For the single, Brothers in Rhythm remixed the track giving it a more chilled, ambient feel compared to the New Jack Swing influences of the album version. The track was subsequently released as a single A side in the United States and France; it peaked at number 93 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100. As "
Being Boring
"Being Boring" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released as the second single from their fourth studio album, ''Behaviour'' (1990). The song reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the duo's first single to miss the ...
" and "
It's Alright" were not released in the US, tracks from these releases were used on a number of US releases. The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
received
heavy rotation
In broadcasting, rotation is the repeated airing of a limited playlist of songs on a radio station or satellite radio channel, or music videos on a TV network. They are usually in a different order each time. However, they are not completely sh ...
on
MTV Europe
MTV Global (formerly as MTV Europe) is the international version of the American TV channel MTV, a 24-hour music and entertainment TV channel that began broadcasting on August 1, 1987, as part of the worldwide MTV network.
Initially, MTV serve ...
.
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant (born 10 July 1954) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and music journalist, and co-founder of the synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, which he formed with Chris Lowe in 1981. He was a journalist for ''Smash Hits'', and a ...
later said that the track "was inspired by a female pop star from 1989". Of interest to collectors, EMI USA commissioned dance DJ
David Morales
David Morales (; born August 21, 1962) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer.
David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Ma ...
to create five remixes that were released to clubs and DJs on a limited promotion 12-inch. Morales would later work with the duo co-writing and co-producing the 1999 single "
New York City Boy".
Track listings
"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" was heavily remixed for single release. The version used for the music video was also released on 7-inch vinyl and cassette-single. Due to its playing time of 4:10 minutes, it is often confused with the similar "Perfect Attitude mix",
which has an identical playing time, but a different introduction.
* French 7-inch and cassette single
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" – 4:10
# "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)" (7-inch edit) – 4:33
* French 12-inch single
:A1. "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:05
:B1. "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)" (extended mix) – 8:43
:B2. "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:27
* French CD single
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix)
# "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)"
# "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend"
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise)
* US CD single
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (original album version) – 3:54
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (7-inch Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:05
# "
It's Alright" (7-inch mix) – 4:18
# "We All Feel Better in the Dark" – 3:59
# "
Being Boring
"Being Boring" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released as the second single from their fourth studio album, ''Behaviour'' (1990). The song reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the duo's first single to miss the ...
" (
Marshall Jefferson
Marshall Julius Jefferson (born September 19, 1959) is an American musician, working in the house music subgenres of Chicago house and deep house.
Biography
Sometimes known as the father of house music, Jefferson was originally a record produce ...
12-inch mix) – 9:03
Note: Track 4 is mislabelled as the "Trevor Horn mix"
* US 12-inch single
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (12-inch mix) – 6:03
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (7-inch Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:05
# "Being Boring" (12-inch mix) – 9:03
# "We All Feel Better in the Dark" – 3:59
* US cassette single
# "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" – 3:54
# "
What Have I Done to Deserve This?" – 4:17
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?
1990 songs
1991 singles
Music videos directed by Liam Kan
New jack swing songs
Parlophone singles
Pet Shop Boys songs
Song recordings produced by Harold Faltermeyer
Songs written by Chris Lowe
Songs written by Neil Tennant