Pet Shop Boys – Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)

Released in 1985 and again in 1986, “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)” was one of the most distinctive early recordings by the Pet Shop Boys, written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. It was later reworked for their debut album, Please, with producers J.J. Jeczalik and Nicholas Froome helping to give the track its harder, more expansive electronic sound.

Despite its instantly memorable title, the song is not a straightforward celebration of wealth. Instead, it is a sharply satirical portrait of two characters attempting to convince themselves that they can become rich through clever schemes and opportunism. Tennant described them as “two losers”, deliberately making the narrator’s claims of intelligence, education and business ability sound increasingly ridiculous.

The song was partly inspired by the changing attitudes towards money and success in 1980s Britain, particularly the rise of conspicuous consumption and the aspirational culture associated with the era. Chris Lowe came up with the central idea of making lots of money, while Tennant developed it into the deliberately exaggerated story.

Musically, the track combines pounding electronic percussion, sequenced synthesiser lines and a deliberately forceful rhythm. Tennant’s cool, deadpan delivery contrasts brilliantly with the increasingly energetic production, giving the song its distinctive character.

“Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)” remains one of the Pet Shop Boys’ cleverest recordings, disguising social satire beneath an irresistibly catchy synth-pop exterior.

The song peaked at No. 11 on the UK charts on 14th June 1986.