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Did You See Me Coming?

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"Did You See Me Coming?"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Yes
B-side
  • "After the Event"
  • "The Former Enfant Terrible"
  • "Up and Down"
Released1 June 2009
Recorded2008
StudioXenomania (Westerham, Kent)
Genre
Length3:41
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Love Etc."
(2009) 		"Did You See Me Coming?"
(2009) 		"Beautiful People"
(2009)
Music video
"Did You See Me Coming?" on YouTube

"Did You See Me Coming?" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 1 June 2009 as the second single from their tenth studio album, Yes (2009).[1] It reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] The single was Pet Shop Boys' tenth number-one hit on Billboard magazine's Hot Dance Club Songs chart, extending the duo's lead as the record holder for most dance club chart-toppers earned by their previous single "Love Etc."[3]

Background and composition

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"Did You See Me Coming?" combined a backing track composed by Chris Lowe with lyrics that Neil Tennant had originally written for a ballad. The title was inspired by a phrase used by Tennant's mother, "They must have seen you coming", to refer to someone being conned. He described it as a positive love song. The "Possibly More Mix" features significant extra lyrics inspired by common descriptions found in lonely hearts/singles adverts, such as "attractive", "blue-eyed", "smart".[4]

Pet Shop Boys played the demo of "Did You See Me Coming?" at their initial meeting with Brian Higgins of Xenomania as a sort of audition before agreeing to work together. Higgins commented that the song was "80% there" at the time.[5] The final version was similar to the demo, with input from the Xenomania team on the rhythm track. Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr made a guest appearance on the song.[4]

Release

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Pet Shop Boys originally intended to release "All Over the World" as the second single from Yes. Their record label expressed a preference for "Did You See Me Coming?",[6] and the song received positive feedback from BBC Radio 2, so it was chosen instead.[4]

In the UK, the digital release date was 31 May 2009 followed by the CD on 1 June, while some European countries saw an early release on 29 May.[7] The single came out on 9 June in the United States and on 19 June in Germany and Austria.[8]

The single was made available in six formats: two-track CD, CD maxi, 12-inch vinyl, and three digital bundles, each with a different track listing.[1] Included were new tracks "After the Event", "The Former Enfant Terrible", and "Up and Down", which do not appear on Yes. There were also new mixes of "Did You See Me Coming?" by Pet Shop Boys and Unicorn Kid, and "The Way It Used to Be" mixed by Richard X. The medley of hits performed by Pet Shop Boys at the 2009 Brit Awards was also released in one of the digital bundles.[9]

Artwork

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The artwork for the single package was designed by Mark Farrow and Pet Shop Boys with photography by Alasdair McLellan.[10] The duo appear together and separately on different versions of the single, with Lowe on the two-track CD (pictured).[11] Their coats were designed by Gareth Pugh from their Brit Awards performance.[12] The colored squares over their faces are a motif carried over from the album and the previous single, "Love Etc."[13]

Track listings

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  • 2-track CD single
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" – 3:41
  2. "After the Event" – 5:19
  • CD maxi single
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" (PSB Possibly More mix) – 8:52
  2. "The Former Enfant Terrible" – 2:56
  3. "Up and Down" – 3:43
  • 12-inch single
A1. "Did You See Me Coming?" (PSB Possibly More mix) – 8:52
A2. "Did You See Me Coming?" (Unicorn Kid mix) – 4:13
B. "The Way It Used to Be" (Richard X mix) – 8:39
  • German CD maxi single (released on 19 June 2009)[14]
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?"
  2. "After the Event"
  3. "The Former Enfant Terrible"
  4. "Up and Down"
  • Digital bundle 1
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?"
  2. Pet Shop Boys Brit Awards medley
  • Digital bundle 2
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" (Unicorn Kid mix)
  2. "The Way It Used to Be" (Richard X mix)
  • Digital bundle 3
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" (PSB Possibly More mix)
  2. "The Former Enfant Terrible" (Bring it on mix)
  • US digital download
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" (PSB Possibly More Mix) – 8:48
  2. "After the Event" – 5:16
  3. "Up and Down" – 3:41
  4. "The Former Enfant Terrible" (Bring It On Mix) – 7:22
  5. "Did You See Me Coming?" (Unicorn Kid Mix) – 4:08
  6. "The Way It Used to Be" (Richard X Mix) – 8:37
  • US digital download 2
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" – 3:40
  2. "The Former Enfant Terrible" – 2:51
  3. "Pet Shop Boys "Brits" Medley" – 9:31
  • UK digital download
  1. "Did You See Me Coming?" – 3:40
  2. "Pet Shop Boys "Brits" Medley" – 9:31
  3. "Did You See Me Coming?" (Unicorn Kid Mix) – 4:08
  4. "The Way It Used to Be" (Richard X Mix) – 8:37
  5. "Did You See Me Coming?" (PSB Possibly More Mix) – 8:48
  6. "The Former Enfant Terrible" (Bring It On Mix) – 7:22

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010[12] and "Did You See Me Coming?"[10]

Pet Shop Boys

Additional musicians

  • Johnny Marr – guitar
  • Owen Parker – guitar
  • Nick Coler – guitar, keyboards and programming
  • Pete Gleadall – keyboards and programming
  • Tim Powell – keyboards and programming
  • Brian Higgins – keyboards and programming

Technical personnel

Artwork

Charts

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[edit]

Lyrics: Did You See Me Coming?

References

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  1. ^ a b "The next single". Petshopboys.co.uk. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  3. ^ Trust, Gary (11 November 2009). "Chart Beat Wednesday: Owl City, Pet Shop Boys, John Mayer". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Heath, Chris (2017). Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010 (booklet). Pet Shop Boys. Parlophone Records. pp. 11–13. 0190295852818.
  5. ^ Earls, John (21 March 2009). "Say yes to Pet Shop Boys". Planet Sound. London: Teletext Ltd. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  6. ^ Levine, Nick (16 March 2009). "Pet Shop Boys". Digital Spy. London: Hearst UK. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  7. ^ "European single released". petshopboys.co.uk. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  8. ^ "International single". petshopboys.co.uk. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  9. ^ Briggs, Amanda (26 April 2009). "The Pet Shop Boys release new single". Daily Music Guide. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  10. ^ a b Pet Shop Boys (2009). Did You See Me Coming? (liner notes). Parlophone Records. CDR 6772.
  11. ^ "Pet Shop Boys - Did You See Me Coming? (all versions)". Discogs. 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  12. ^ a b Pet Shop Boys (2017). Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010 (liner notes). Parlophone Records. 0190295852818.
  13. ^ "It's a sin(gle package with something for everyone)". Popjustice. London. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  14. ^ "PET SHOP BOYS // Did You See Me Coming +++ EMI - Gute Musik ist besser". Emimusic.de. 19 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
  15. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Did You See Me Coming?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  17. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200929 into search. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Pet Shop Boys Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
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