Pet Shop Boys – It’s A Sin

Released in 1987, “It’s A Sin” was the dramatic opening statement from the Pet Shop Boys’ second studio album, Actually. Written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, the song had originally been conceived several years earlier, with its central phrase inspired by the religious language Tennant encountered while growing up in a Catholic environment.

The song explores guilt, shame and the feeling of being judged for thoughts and desires that are considered sinful. Tennant later explained that the lyrics were partly rooted in his experiences at school, where he felt that many ordinary human impulses were presented as morally wrong. Although the subject matter sounds deeply serious, he originally intended the song to be exaggerated, theatrical and slightly camp.

Musically, “It’s A Sin” is deliberately enormous. Julian Mendelsohn’s production combines pounding electronic rhythms, dramatic synthesiser effects, orchestral-style hits and choral elements to create an almost cinematic sense of scale. Real church ambience was also recorded at Brompton Oratory, while a sung Mass recorded at Westminster Cathedral contributes to the atmosphere.

Neil Tennant’s cool, controlled vocal contrasts brilliantly with the bombastic production, making the emotional tension even more striking. The result is simultaneously a personal reflection, a theatrical pop song and a playful challenge to conventional ideas of morality.

“It’s A Sin” remains one of the Pet Shop Boys’ most recognisable recordings, combining humour, anger, guilt and flamboyant electronic production into an unforgettable piece of 1980s pop.

The song peaked at No. 01 in the UK singles chart on the 4th July 1987.