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| “Single
Bilingual / Discoteca” was launched in 1996 as the third single of
“Bilingual”, the sixth studio album of the band. In the album, the song
has simply being called “Single”, but by the time it was released as a
single, another song from the band ‘Everything But The Girl’ was released
with the same name, so Pet Shop Boys decided to add the word ‘Bilingual’
to the title, playing with the words and meaning ‘bisexual’, according
to Chris. The artwork was designed by Mark Farrow and PSB and it was the
first time in ten years that a single didn’t include an image of Neil
and Chris, since the release of Opportunities in 1985. |
| The artwork,
purely typographic, was inspired in the “Bilingual” album cover overlapping
words and using green and yellow colours for the different releases. For
the CD Singles, Farrow used tracing paper so the characters ‘ING’ included
in both words -sINGle & bilINGual- could overlap when read through the
plastic jewel case. For the 12” Singles, the overlapping effect was done
using 2 different colours in the typography and playing with english and
spanish languages on a phrase of the song “Discoteca”. In every release
using a plastic box, the format used was added to the title in the artwork:
PROMO, CD ONE, CD TWO & CASSETTE. |
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For
the launch of this Double-A Side Single, a new version of “Discoteca”
were recorded and the promo CD Single, in a clear grey colour sleeve,
also in tracing paper, included this ‘New Version’ and the 7” version
of “Single Bilingual”. The same track listing were used on the Cassette
and the European CD Single but the sleeve was printed in a green cardboard.
The CD Single Part One, issued in a slim jewel case with a yellow tracing
paper insert, included both 7” versions, the B-Side “The Calm Before
The Storm” and a remix of “Discoteca” by Trouser Enthusiasts.
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| The CD Single
Part Two, also issued in a slim jewel case but with a green tracing paper
insert, included another B-Side called “Confidential (1992 Demo for Tina
Turner)”, two remixes of “Discoteca”, one by the Pet Shop Boys and one
by Baby Doc and also one remix of “Single Bilingual” by Baby Doc. Two
12” Promo Singles were released with all the remixes included in the CD
Singles and just adding an additional version of “Single Bilingual” by
Baby Doc. The only international release of the single was launched in
Italy with a 12” single issued in a generic die-cut sleeve and included
just remixes of “Discoteca”. |
