Paninaro (song)
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"Paninaro" 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 ...
. Originally a
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
to the 1986 single "
Suburbia A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
", it was released as a
limited-edition The terms special edition, limited edition, and variants such as deluxe edition, or collector's edition, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints, r ...
single in Italy that same year. In 1995, a re-recording titled "Paninaro '95" was released to a wider market, to promote the duo's B-side compilation album ''
Alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
'' (though only the original version was included on the compilation).


Background

The song is about the 1980s Italian youth subculture known as the paninari; derived from the word ''
panino A panini (, meaning "small bread, bread rolls") or panino (meaning "bread roll") is a sandwich made with Italian bread (such as ciabatta, rosetta, and michetta). They are sometimes served warm after grilling or toasting. In many English-speaki ...
'', Italian for sandwich, they were known for congregating in restaurants serving sandwiches and in the first US-style fast food restaurants, as well as their preference for
designer clothing Designer clothing is expensive luxury clothing considered to be high quality and haute couture for the general public, made by, or carrying the label of, a well-known fashion designer. Brands Designer clothing is not always created by the foun ...
and 1980s pop music such as the
New Romantic The New Romantic movement was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New ...
music of
Italo disco Italo disco (variously capitalized, and sometimes hyphenated as Italo-disco) is a music genre which originated in Italy in the late 1970s and was mainly produced in the early 1980s. Italo disco evolved from the then-current underground dance, p ...
.
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 ...
has said that they were drawn to the concept due to having shared those preferences.


Lyrics

"Paninaro" is one of the few Pet Shop Boys songs in which
Chris Lowe Christopher Sean Lowe (born 4 October 1959) is an English musician, singer and songwriter, and co-founder of the synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, which he formed with Neil Tennant in 1981. Biography Lowe attended Arnold School, an independent ...
provides the majority of the vocals. Tennant, meanwhile, only sings the title repeatedly in intervals. The main lyrical motif consists of eight words: Passion and love and sex and money Violence, religion, injustice and death These words are repeated at the end of the song in a
soliloquy A soliloquy (, from Latin ''solo'' "to oneself" + ''loquor'' "I talk", plural ''soliloquies'') is a monologue addressed to oneself, thoughts spoken out loud without addressing another. Soliloquies are used as a device in drama to let a character ...
to the singer's "lover". In reference to the fashion of the paninari, references to prestigious Italian fashion designers are repeated throughout the song: Armani Giorgio Armani S.p.A. (), commonly known as Armani, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in Milan by Giorgio Armani which designs, manufactures, distributes and retails haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, accessories, and ...
, Armani, ah-ah-Armani
Versace Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 known for flashy prints and bright colors. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as w ...
, cinque (Although ''Versace'' was removed from the 7-inch B-side and from the 1995 version.) In addition, the middle of the song contains a
sample Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...
from a statement by Lowe within a 1986 ''
Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Para ...
'' interview with the band: According to Neil Tennant, the song's lyrics ''Woh, woh, woh'', which he provided as backup vocals, were influenced by the song "
Tarzan Boy "Tarzan Boy" is the debut single by Italian-based act Baltimora. The song was written by Maurizio Bassi and Naimy Hackett, and released in 1985 as the lead single from Baltimora's debut album '' Living in the Background''. The song was re-recor ...
" by
Baltimora Baltimora was an Italian music project from Milan, active from 1984 to 1987. They are best known for their 1985 single "Tarzan Boy" and are often considered a one-hit wonder in the United Kingdom and the United States. In other European countri ...
. He clarified this by stating "We wrote it because you could go 'woh, woh, woh.' We were obsessed with songs that had 'woh, woh, woh' in them. Remember 'Tarzan Boy' by Baltimora?".


Release

The song was included on the 1998 compilation album '' Essential''. An extended mix was included on the 1986 remix album ''
Disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
'', and on the companion disc to the 2001 remastered re-release of their 1986 debut album ''
Please ''Please'' is a word used in the English language to indicate politeness and respect while making a request. Derived from shortening the phrase "if you please" or "if it please(s) you", the term has taken on substantial nuance based on its in ...
'', called '' Further Listening 1984–1986''.


1995 version

The new recording included a rap in the middle of the song, newly written by Lowe; it laments the loss of the "lover" referred to in the pre-existing lyrics. The written lyrics in the final are also changed to "were" rather than "are" in referring to the lost love. The 1995 version received remixes from
Angel Moraes Angel Moraes (August 7, 1965 – February 27, 2021) was an electronic music DJ from Brooklyn, New York. Career He began his career in the 1980s and was the DJ at NYC nightclubs including Paradise Garage, and formed the record label Hot 'N' Spycy ...
,
Tin Tin Out Tin Tin Out were an English electronic dance music duo, comprising Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards. They remixed songs for a variety of artists such as Duran Duran, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, The Corrs and Des'ree, as well as collaborating with ...
, and Tracy & Sharon.
Tom Stephan Tom Stephan (born June 6, 1970) is an American house music, producer, DJ and film director. He was born in New York, United States. He is also known as Superchumbo. Biography In 1990, Stephan relocated to London, England and studied film a ...
of Tracy & Sharon would continue to remix for the Pet Shop Boys as his later alias
Superchumbo Tom Stephan (born June 6, 1970) is an American house music, producer, DJ and film director. He was born in New York, United States. He is also known as Superchumbo. Biography In 1990, Stephan relocated to London, England and studied film at t ...
. The 1995 version is included on the 2003 compilation album '' PopArt: The Hits'' and the 2001 double-disc reissue of ''
Bilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
''.


Critical reception

''
Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...
'' wrote, "Re-released to draw attention to the vital Alternative Pet Shop Boys sampler which contains all the B-sides, this is abundant proof of who's got the best melodies in electro pop."


Music videos


Original

A self-produced music video, filmed in Italy, was used for the original release; it consisted of footage of the duo singing the song alongside locals.


1995 version

The "Paninaro '95" video was directed by long-time Pet Shop Boys director
Howard Greenhalgh Howard Douglas Greenhalgh (born 19 February 1963) is a British director of music videos and advertising. Biography Greenhalgh was born in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire and studied at the Royal College of Art, setting up the firm Why No ...
. The ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
'' performance of "Paninaro '95" replicated the imagery of the music video, with the same costumes, lighting, and male dancers involved.


Track listings

*Italian limited-edition 12-inch single (1986) :A. "Paninaro" (Italian Remix) – 8:40 :B. "Paninaro" (
Ian Levine Ian Geoffrey Levine (born 22 June 1953) is a British songwriter, producer, and DJ. A moderniser of Northern soul music in the UK, and a developer of the style of Hi-NRG, he has written and produced records with sales totalling over 40 million. ...
Mix) – 9:43 *UK CD 1 (1995) # "Paninaro '95" (Extended Mix) – 7:30 # "Paninaro '95" (
Tin Tin Out Tin Tin Out were an English electronic dance music duo, comprising Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards. They remixed songs for a variety of artists such as Duran Duran, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, The Corrs and Des'ree, as well as collaborating with ...
Mix) – 7:47 # "Paninaro '95" (Tracy's 12' Mix) – 8:30 # "Paninaro '95" (Sharon's Sexy Boyz Dub) – 5:47 # "Paninaro '95" (Angel Moraes' Deep Dance Mix) – 10:39 *UK CD 2 (1995) # "Paninaro '95" – 4:10 # "In the Night '95" – 4:24 # "Girls & Boys" (Pet Shop Boys live in Rio) – 5:04 *UK 12-inch single – The Remixes Part One (1995) :A1. "Paninaro '95" (Tracy's 12″ Mix) – 8:28 :A2. "Paninaro '95" (Sharon's Sexy Boyz Dub) – 5:47 :B1. "Paninaro '95" (Tin Tin Out Mix) – 7:47 :B2. "Paninaro '95" (Pet Shop Boys Extended Mix) – 7:30 *UK 12-inch single – The Remixes Part Two (1995) :A. "Paninaro '95" (Angel Moraes' Deep Dance Mix) – 10:39 :B1. "Paninaro '95" (Angel Moraes' Girls Boys in Dub) – 11:57 :B2. "Paninaro '95" (Angel Moraes' The Hot N Spycy Dub) – 9:35


Charts


References

{{Authority control 1986 songs 1995 singles Parlophone singles Pet Shop Boys songs Music videos directed by Howard Greenhalgh Songs written by Chris Lowe Songs written by Neil Tennant