Flamboyant (Pet Shop Boys song)

"Flamboyant" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their greatest hits album, PopArt: The Hits (2003). It was released on 29 March 2004 as the album's second and final single, reaching number nine in Spain, number 12 in the United Kingdom, and number 13 in Denmark.

"Flamboyant"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album PopArt: The Hits
B-side"I Didn't Get Where I Am Today"
Released29 March 2004 (2004-03-29)[1]
Recorded3 November 2003 (added lyrics)
Genre
Length3:50
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Pet Shop Boys / Stuart Crichton
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Miracles"
(2003)
"Flamboyant"
(2004)
"I'm with Stupid"
(2006)

The song was remixed for single release, and an extended mix of the original album version—dubbed the "Tomcraft Extended Mix"—was issued as one of the single's B-sides. The other B-side, "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today", features Johnny Marr on guitars. The single cover art contains the song title and the duo's name in katakana: "Flamboyant Pet Shop Boys" (フランボヤント ペット・ショップ・ボーイズ, Furanboyanto Petto Shoppu Bōizu). The single cover features Chris Lowe with long hair, which he sported for a short time.

Music video

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The music video for "Flamboyant" was directed by Nico Beyer. Heavily based on aspects of Japanese popular culture, it tells the story of a Japanese office worker who aspires to appear on the television variety show Kasou Taishou, where guests perform silly stunts. He envisions a billiards-based routine, where he and others portray living balls on an enormous pool table. In the beginning of the video, scenes are of his unsupportive environment; his wife is annoyed at him, his manager scolds him for reading a billiards magazine at work, and his coworkers tease him at lunch. At the end of the video, however, he and his team perform their routine successfully on the show and win top ranking. The story footage is intercut with fake Japanese-style television commercials where the Pet Shop Boys offer various products such as an automatic ironing machine and a car called Boxy (Nissan Micra).

The video was finally released on DVD on the documentary A Life in Pop, although the disc does not mention the video's inclusion. Some territories, like Canada, do not feature the video.

Track listings

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  • 2-track CD
  1. "Flamboyant" (single mix)
  2. "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today"
  • Enhanced CD
  1. "Flamboyant" (Tomcraft extended mix)
  2. "Flamboyant" (Scissor Sisters silhouettes & shadows mix)
  3. "Flamboyant" (DJ Hell remix)
  4. "Flamboyant" (demo version)
  5. "Flamboyant" (Enhanced video)

Charts

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Chart performance for "Flamboyant"
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[2] 13
Denmark (Tracklisten)[3] 13
France (SNEP)[4] 81
Germany (GfK)[5] 43
Hungary (Single Top 40)[6] 5
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 33
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[8] 3
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[9] 83
Scotland (OCC)[10] 13
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[11] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 43
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 12

References

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  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 27 March 2004. p. 39.
  2. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant". Tracklisten. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Pet Shop Boys". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 1 April 2004". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 17 June 2019.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Romanian Top 100: Editia 22, saptamina 31.05 – 6.06, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  12. ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Flamboyant". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Pet Shop Boys: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2020.