Actually

Actually
Studio album by Pet Shop Boys
Publication (s)	September 7, 1987
admission	1986-1987
Label (s)	Parlophone , EMI Manhattan (USA, Canada)
Format (s)	CD, record
Genre (s)	Synthpop
Title (number)	11
running time	44:02
production	Pet Shop Boys, Stephen Hague , Julian Mendelesohn, Andy Richards, Shep Pettibone , David Jacob
chronology Disco (1986) Actually Introspective (1988)

Actually is the second studio album of Pet Shop Boys . It was released in September 1987 and was another great success for the band . It reached number two on the charts in Germany and Great Britain .

history

Stylistically similar to the first album, Actually featured an improved production. The album spawned four UK top ten singles: It's a Sin , Rent , What Have I Done to Deserve This? (a duet with Dusty Springfield , who also released on Parlophone ) and Heart .

Originally an orchestral recording of It Couldn't Happen Here was planned after an orchestration by Angelo Badalamenti . However, this was not possible due to a booking error.

Track list

1. One More Chance ( Neil Tennant , Chris Lowe , Bobby Orlando ) - 5:30
2. What Have I Done to Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield ) (Lowe, Tennant, Avenue Willis ) - 4:18
3. Shopping (Tennant, Lowe) - 3:37
4. Rent (Tennant, Lowe) - 5:08
5. Hit Music (Tennant, Lowe) - 4:44
6. It Couldn't Happen Here (Tennant, Ennio Morricone , Lowe) - 5:20
7. It's a Sin (Tennant, Lowe) - 4:59
8. I Want to Wake Up (Tennant, Lowe) - 5:08
9. Heart (Tennant, Lowe) - 3:58
10. King's Cross (Tennant, Lowe) - 5:10

Further Listening 1987–1988

1. I Want to Wake Up (Breakdown mix) - 6:00
2. Heart ( Shep Pettibone version) - 4:12
3. You Know Where You Went Wrong  - 5:50
4. One More Chance (Seven-inch mix) - 3:50
5. It's a Sin (Disco mix) - 7:41
6. What Have I Done to Deserve This? (Extended mix) - 6:47
7. Heart (Disco mix) - 8:40
8. A New Life  - 4:55
9. Always on My Mind (Demo version) - 4:03
10. Rent (Seven-inch mix) - 3:33
11. I Want a Dog  - 4:58
12. Always on My Mind (Extended dance mix) - 8:15
13. Do I Have To  - 5:15
14. Always on My Mind (Dub mix) - 2:15

reception

Reviews

Robert Christgau rated the album A- and wrote: “From Dusty Springfield to hit Fairlight to heart beats and from insider shopping to kept icon to Bowiesque futurism, this is actual pop music with something actual to say - pure commodity, and proud of it. "

The Q Magazine listed the album at number 22 of the best albums of the 1980s.

Chart placements

Charts	Top ranking	Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK)	2 (54 weeks)	54
Austria (Ö3)	5 (30 weeks)	30th
Switzerland (IFPI)	3 (31 weeks)	31
United Kingdom (OCC)	2 (61 weeks)	61
United States (Billboard)	25th (45 weeks)	45

Awards for music sales

Country / Region	Award	Sales
Awards for music sales (country / region, Award, Sales)
Germany (BVMI)	platinum	500,000
Finland (IFPI)	platinum	68,416
Hong Kong (IFPI / HKRIA)	platinum	20,000
Canada (MC)	platinum	100,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)	platinum	15,000
Austria (IFPI)	gold	25,000
Switzerland (IFPI)	platinum	50,000
Spain (Promusicae)	platinum	100,000
United States (RIAA)	gold	500,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	3 × platinum	900,000
All in all	2 × gold 10 × platinum	2,278,416

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US
2. ↑ http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Pet+Shop+Boys
3. ↑ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#Best%20Of%20The%2080s
4. ↑ Award in Germany
5. ↑ Award in Finland
6. ↑ Honored in Hong Kong
7. ↑ Award in Canada
8. ↑ Award in New Zealand
9. ↑ Award in Austria
10. ↑ Award in Switzerland
11. ↑ Award in Spain
12. ↑ Distinction in the United States
13. ↑ Award in the United Kingdom