Harman Patil (Editor)

I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing

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Recorded
  
1992

Genre
  
Dance-pop

B-side
  
"Too Many People", "Violence" (Haçienda Version)

Released
  
29 November 1993 (1993-11-29)

Format
  
7", 12", cassette, CD single

Length
  
3:03 (album version) 4:45 (Beatmasters 7" mix)

"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" is the third single from Pet Shop Boys' fifth album Very. It was released in the UK by Parlophone Records on 29 November 1993, where it eventually reached number 13 in the chart. It reached number 2 on the US Club chart where it was released in January 1994. It appears to describe a person, normally hesitant to unwind and show his feelings, who—because of some event in his life (possibly a love interest)—suddenly becomes willing to let it all hang out. It is the 20th best-selling Pet Shop Boys single.

Contents

Remixes and B-sides

The song was extensively remixed by the Beatmasters for its release as a single, with a new intro replacing the house piano of the album version. Tennant and Lowe came to prefer aspects of this remix and particularly the new intro, playing it on their Electric tour and including a version of the song with it on their PopArt greatest hits compilation (see below).

The single release was bolstered by a large amount of bonus material available across a wide range of formats, on top of the nine remixes commissioned. The main B-side is "Too Many People" (which itself was featured over the credits of the Daria episode entitled "Lane Miserables"), but the single also featured remixes of Please tracks "Violence" and "West End Girls".

Packaging

In the UK, the first CD single came in a rubber sleeve, that held both CD one and two. This was very similar to the packaging for Very Relentless.

As with the previous singles from Very, the duo donned new outfits for the single's promotional campaign. Chris featured in a blonde wig with a pink and white costume, while Neil was adorned in a brunette wig and darker clothing.

Robbie Williams version

A cover version of "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" by Robbie Williams appeared as the B-side to his single "Let Me Entertain You" in 1998. His version of the song can also be heard in the US sitcom Friends in the episode entitled "The One with the Routine".

7": Parlophone / R 6370 (UK)

  1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Beatmasters 7") – 4:45
  2. "Too Many People" – 4:19
  • also available on MC (Parlophone / TCR 6370)

    • 12": Parlophone / 12R 6370 (UK)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (extended nude mix) – 7:49
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Grandballroom mix) – 6:32
    3. "West End Girls" (Sasha remix) – 7:45
    4. "West End Girls" (Sasha dub) – 8:16

    12": Parlophone / 12RX 6370 (UK)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild pitch mix) – 8:22
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild tribal beats) – 3:49
    3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (club mix) – 7:10
    4. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch dub) – 7:45

    12": EMI / Y-58122 (USA)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (club mix) – 7:10
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Grand Ballroom Dub) – 6:30
    3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (album version) – 3:04
    4. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Extended Nude Mix) – 7:48
    5. "West End Girls" (Sasha Mix) – 7:45

    CD: Parlophone / CDRS 6370 (UK)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (album mix) – 3:04
    2. "Too Many People" – 4:19
    3. "Violence" (Haçienda version) – 4:58
    4. "West End Girls" (sasha remix) – 7:45

    CD: Parlophone / CDR 6370 (UK)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Beatmasters 7") – 4:45
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (extended nude mix) – 7:49
    3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch mix) – 8:22
    4. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Grandballroom mix) – 6:39
    5. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch dub) – 7:45

    CD: EMI / 8 81270 2 (Germany)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Beatmasters 7") – 4:45
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (extended nude mix) – 7:49
    3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch mix) – 8:22
    4. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Voxigen mix) – 6:25

    CD: EMI / E2-58122 (US)

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (album version) – 3:04
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (club mix) – 7:10
    3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch mix) – 8:22
    4. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (extended nude mix) – 7:48
    5. "West End Girls" (sasha mix) – 7:45
    6. "Violence" (Haçienda version) – 4:58
    7. "Too Many People" – 4:19

    Beatmasters

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Beatmasters 7") – 4:45
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (extended nude mix) – 7:49

    Another remix of the song, using the structure of the Beatmasters 7" but also incorporating elements from the album version was released on the PopArt compilation in 2003.

    Terence Parker

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Grandballroom mix) – 6:39
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Grandballroom dub) – 6:39

    DJ Pierre

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (club mix) – 7:10
    2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild tribal beats) – 3:49
    3. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch mix) – 8:22
    4. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Wild Pitch dub) – 7:45

    Coconut 1

    1. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" (Voxigen mix) – 6:25

    Pete Gleadall

    1. "Violence" (Haçienda version) – 4:58
    2. "Violence" (extended Haçienda version) – 7:02

    Sasha

    1. "West End Girls" (Sasha remix) – 7:45
    2. "West End Girls" (Sasha dub) – 8:16

    References

    I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA