It's Alright (Pet Shop Boys song)

"It's Alright"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Introspective
B-side "One of the Crowd", "Your Funny Uncle"
Released 26 June 1989
Format 7", 12", Cassette, CD
Genre House
Length 9:23 (album version)
4:18 (7" remix)
Label Parlophone – R 6220
Writer(s) Sterling Void
Producer Trevor Horn
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Left to My Own Devices"
(1988)		 "It's Alright"
(1989)		 "So Hard"
(1990)

"It's Alright" is the 13th single from Pet Shop Boys and was released in the UK by Parlophone Records on 26 June 1989.

The lyrics list a wide variety of serious political issues in the headlines at the time ("Dictation enforced in Afghanistan, revolution in South Africa taking a stand…"), and then offers the positive message of the title—that on its "timeless wavelength", "music is our life's foundation", it "shall last" and ultimately "succeed all the nations to come".

On the album (Introspective) version, the song concludes with a touch of doubt as Neil Tennant repeats (apparently over the telephone): "I hope it's gonna be alright". On the 10" single there are additional lyrics with Neil Tennant speaking: "there's a boy standing by a river, there's a girl lying with her lover, there's a statesman standing at a crossroads, there's a soldier polishing his gun".

The song was originally written and performed by Sterling Void and came to the attention of Pet Shop Boys on a house compilation. In fact, Sterling Void remixed the track on the second 12", entitled the "DJ International Mixes". Void's original version has only two verses (the first and third in the PSB version). The second verse of the Pet Shop Boys version, which expands the song's concerns beyond the purely political into environmental issues (specifically desertification), was written by Neil Tennant.

The single was originally released on the Introspective album, where it clocked in at over nine minutes. The song reached number 5 in the UK. As of February 2009, it is the Pet Shop Boys 8th best-selling single.

A cover was done by Hercules and Love Affair on their 2011 album Blue Songs.

Contents

Track listing

7": Parlophone / R 6220 (UK)

  1. "It's Alright" – 4:18
  2. "One of the Crowd" – 3:54
  3. "Your Funny Uncle" – 2:16

10": Parlophone / 10 R 6220 (UK)

  1. "It's Alright" (alternative mix) – 4:46
  2. "It's Alright" (extended dance mix) – 10:34

12": Parlophone / 12 R 6220 (UK)

  1. "It's Alright" (extended version) – 8:47
  2. "One of the Crowd" – 3:54
  3. "Your Funny Uncle" – 2:16

12": Parlophone / 12 RX 6220 (UK)

  1. "It's Alright" (Tyree mix) – 8:55
  2. "It's Alright" (Sterling Void mix) – 5:34

CD: Parlophone / CD R 6220 (UK)

  1. "It's Alright" – 4:18
  2. "One of the Crowd" – 3:54
  3. "Your Funny Uncle" – 2:16
  4. "It's Alright" (extended version) – 8:47

Remixes

  1. "It's Alright" (alternative mix) – 4:46
  2. "It's Alright" (extended dance mix) – 10:34
  1. "It's Alright" (Tyree mix) – 8:55
  1. "It's Alright" (Sterling Void mix) – 5:34

Chart performance

Chart (1988) Peak
position
UK 5
Austria 27
Germany 3
Switzerland 27
US Hot 100 Singles —
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