The Night I Fell in Love

Neil Tennant, Pet Shop Boys, Chris Lowe

About The Night I Fell in Love

"The Night I Fell in Love" is a song on the Pet Shop Boys' 2002 album Release. The lyrics were written by Neil Tennant and the music co-written with Chris Lowe. The song describes a homosexual encounter between a teenage boy (who is telling the story) and his rap music idol after a concert. The idol is never named, but references in the lyrics to Dr. Dre and homophobia in rap music make it possible to identify him as music superstar Eminem. The most obvious reference is when the musician refers to Eminem's song "Stan": Then he joked "hey man,your name isn't Stan, is it?We should be together!"Discussing the song's inspiration Tennant said: "Eminem's defence of the homophobic lyrics on his albums has always been that he's not speaking as himself, he's speaking as a character, and he's representing homophobia in America. .. I thought it would be quite interesting to take that method and just to imagine a scene where a boy meets a famous rap star backstage at his concert and is surprised to discover he's gay and ends up sleeping with him. Just to present rap in this homosexual context. I mean, there obviously are gay rap stars."Eminem responded to the track in his song "Canibitch", in which Eminem and Dr. Dre run over the Pet Shop Boys with their car: 


Year:
2002
5:04
135 
#2

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I was backstage
Couldn't believe my luck was in
I saw him approach
Wearing a most approachable grin
When he said hello
I was surprised he spoke so politely
I said I'd liked his show
Well he just smiled
I guess it happens nightly
And so
I fell in love

We went to his room
He had a video camera
I was so nervous
I had to try hard not to stammer
He said
'I'm glad you liked the show
That crowd was dope out there tonight, alright
You want to see some more?
Well be my guest
You can have a private performance'
I'd fallen in love

I didn't ask why
Though he seemed like such a regular guy
He said we could be
Secret lovers
Just him and me
Then he joked
'Hey, man!
Your name isn't Stan, is it?
We should be together!'
And he was passionate
I guess I would rate
Him a nine out of ten
By then
I'd fallen in love

When I asked
Why have I heard so much
About him being charged
With homophobia and stuff
He just shrugged

Next morning we woke
He couldn't have been a nicer bloke
Over breakfast made jokes
About Dre and his homies and folks
Neither of us asked if or when
We would see each other again
But I thought that was cool
'cause I was already late for school
By then
I'd fallen in love

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Pet Shop Boys

Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards. more »

7 fans

Written by: CHRISTOPHER LOWE, NEIL TENNANT

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Origin
"The Night I Fell in Love" is a lesser-known track by British synth-pop duo the Pet Shop Boys. It is part of their album Release, which was released in 2002.
Controversial Theme
The song has gained some notoriety for its lyrical content. It narrates a fictional story about a male fan who has a one-night stand with a rapper. This provocative theme roused controversy on its release.
Eminem Rumor
Although it's not certain who the song is about, many have speculated that the rapper in question is Eminem. This is because Eminem was known for his controversial lyrics about homosexuality at the time of the song's release.
Album Direction
"The Night I Fell in Love" was noted for being part of a more introspective, less dance-orientated approach from Pet Shop Boys on the album 'Release'.
Homosexual Theme
The song is one of several by the Pet Shop Boys that explores gay themes. Neil Tennant, one half of the Pet Shop Boys duo, came out as gay in a 1994 interview with Attitude, a UK gay lifestyle magazine.
Cultural Impact
While it was not released as a single, the song received attention due to its theme, contributing to the ongoing conversation about LGBT representation and acceptance in music and pop culture.
Neil Tennant's Stand
According to Tennant, the song is not a personal attack against Eminem but an expression of freedom. He was reported saying that people should be free to love whoever they want regardless of gender.
Audio Format
The song's duration is 5 minutes and 26 seconds and is available in audio digital format.
Additional Credits
This song, like most Pet Shop Boys’ songs, was written by both members of the band, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.
Public Reaction
Despite the controversy, many fans and critics praised the song for its brave storytelling and candid exploration of a topic traditionally considered taboo in hip-hop.

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