'Rent' is caustic and bitter, but the B-side is where the fun is, a minimalist synth paean to the pooch. We get synchronised barking as Chris Lowe recites names of canine breeds ("mongrel, beagle ... cocker spaniel"). Meanwhile Neil Tennant archly observes: "I don't want a cat, scratching its claws all over my Habitat". This was the band's 'imperial phase' when the number ones came easily and even the flip sides were genius. "I Want A Dog" is The Pet Shop Boys best track to date. I’m not sure if that’s saying very much.
The 12-inch release of "Rent" captures the Pet Shop Boys at the height of their "Imperial Phase," blending slick production with the duo's signature lyrical ambiguity. While the A-side’s Extended Mix by François Kevorkian offers a cinematic, 7-minute journey through synth-pop textures, some critics find its repetitive dance beat slightly less compelling than the original album’s "ballady" intimacy. However, the release remains a masterpiece of understated power, contrasting a slinky, late-night lounge groove with Neil Tennant’s alternatingly detached and intense vocals about a transactional relationship.
The B-sides further elevate this single, particularly the cult-favourite "I Want a Dog". This initial version is celebrated for its quirky, hilarious charm—complete with literal "woof" drum lines—and stands as a more grounded, humorous alternative to the heavily electronic version later found on Introspective. Between the brooding Dub mix of the title track and this memorable B-side, the 12-inch serves as a definitive snapshot of the duo's ability to inject complex emotional maturity into the framework of catchy club music.
Ripped to MP3
A: "Rent" (Extended Mix) – 7:06
B1: "Rent" (Dub) – 6:06
B2: "I Want a Dog" – 4:57
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