A Red Letter Day

"A Red Letter Day" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 17 March 1997 as the fourth single from their sixth studio album, Bilingual (1996). The single peaked at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, making it another top 10 single for the group. However, it then fell straight out of the UK top 40 (to number 42) the following week.[1] At the time, this was a record as the biggest such fall to ever occur in UK chart history, but it was then beaten the following year by Embrace with their single "My Weakness Is None of Your Business" (which fell from number 9 to 44 the following week).[2]

"A Red Letter Day"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Bilingual
A-side"Somewhere"
B-side
  • "The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On"
  • "Delusions of Grandeur"
Released17 March 1997
Recorded1995
GenreDance-pop
Length4:32
5:09 (album version)
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Single-Bilingual"
(1996)		 "A Red Letter Day"
(1997)		 "Somewhere"
(1997)
Music video
"A Red Letter Day" on YouTube

The duo were admirers of the sound of Motiv8, who had remixed various other artists at the time. Neil Tennant asked the man behind Motiv8 (Steve Rodway) to remix this single, even visiting Rodway at work in his studio during the remix. After it was finished and delivered, Tennant insisted that a synth line, which Rodway had come up with on the Motiv8 version, should be used on the Pet Shop Boys' own main mix. After unsuccessful attempts to recreate Rodway's riff, it eventually had to be sampled from the Motiv8 mix. Thus, as well as appearing on the Motiv8 remix, it appears on the Pet Shop Boys' main version.

Critical reception

Dominic Pride from Music & Media wrote, "The fourth single from the Bilingual album is more of a by-numbers affair than previous singles Bilingual and Se A Vida E, which relied on epic off-beat percussion for their appeal. It's a formula which has resulted in continent-wide hits for Tennant & Lowe before—their understated use of strings and simple club rhythms has been the defining sound of Europe for much of the last decade. Strangely, the hook comes on the first part of the chorus, leading many to think this is called All I Want."[3]

Track listings
  • UK CD single 1 (CDR 6460)
  1. "A Red Letter Day"
  2. "The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On"
  3. "Delusions of Grandeur"
  4. "A Red Letter Day" (Moscow Mix)
  • UK CD single 2 (CDRS 6460)
  1. "A Red Letter Day" (Trouser Autoerotic Decapitation Mix)
  2. "A Red Letter Day" (Motiv 8 Twelve Inch Master Mix)
  3. "A Red Letter Day" (Basement Jaxx Vocal Mix)
  4. "A Red Letter Day" (PSB Extended Edit)
  5. "A Red Letter Day" (Trouser Enthusiasts Congo Dongo Dubstramental)
  • UK cassette single (TCR6452)
  1. "A Red Letter Day"
  2. "The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On"

Official versions
  1. Album Version – 5:09
  2. Basement Jaxx Nite Dub – 6:07
  3. Basement Jaxx Vocal Mix – 6:50
  4. Bilingual Promo Mix - 5:23
  5. Moscow Mix – 5:39
  6. Motiv8 Cyber Dub Mix – 7:11
  7. Motiv8 12" Master Mix – 6:58
  8. PSB Extended Edit – 5:39
  9. Expanded Single Version – 5:36
  10. Single Remix – 4:34
  11. Trouser Enthusiasts Autoerotic Decapitation Mix – 10:04
  12. Trouser Enthusiasts Congo Dongo Dubstramental – 8:06

Charts
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 57
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[5] 13
Czech Republic (IFPI ČR)[6] 5
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[7] 56
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 18
Germany (Official German Charts)[9] 55
Scotland (OCC)[10] 11
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 30
UK Singles (OCC)[1] 9

References
  1. "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  2. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 30 August 1998. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  3. Pride, Dominic (8 March 1997). "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 18. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  4. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  5. "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – A Red Letter Day" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  6. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 12. 22 March 1997. p. 19. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 14. 5 April 1997. p. 16. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  8. "Pet Shop Boys: A Red Letter Day" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – A Red Letter Day". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
  11. "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – A Red Letter Day". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
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