That 80's sound is called "walking at night down a dark alley that is both heavily shadowed yet suspiciously well lit and clean."

This song is dope. So much style and so ahead of it’s time.

Any pop act today would kill for a song this good.

Gotta remember ... the sound of this song was completely new at the time. You call it the '80's' sound now ... but back then - completely new. That is the reason why this sound left such an impression

This song went to #1 in the US and UK. It also topped the dance charts, in the US. More remarkably, it charted on the R&B, Rock, *and* Adult Contemporary charts. It was written as a British response to Grandmaster Melle Mel "The Message". It was about working class lads trying to climb the social ladder with rich girls. It was the first of several major hits for the band who is still going strong.

Anyone who thinks it’s cheesy or embarrassing to listen to old music doesn’t respect music as an art form. As the decades keeping passing by music/songs that are capable of standing the test of time are less and less. The 80s and 90s were the last decades of consistently great music.

To really appreciate pet shop, Depeche Mode, cure, new order etc you really need to listen to several of their songs . They all evolved into to great bands with great libraries .

I feel sorry for people that dismiss the 80s.

This will always be one of my favorite 80's songs !

It’s strange that Ryan says, “music is so far removed from what it sounded like then”. It really isn’t. Just look at artists like The Weeknd and you can see what a massive influence the 80s sound continues to have. And sure, there are cheesy 80s songs, but every decade has them. West End Girls is not one of them. It oozes cool vibes throughout.

I can't respect anyone that dismisses 80s music off hand. The music was done by very technical musicians. The 80s simply was one of the best decades for music. The diversity of music that hit airwaves can't be matched

This is part of a group of timeless songs with a very specific time vibe. Absolutely 80s that will still rock in the 2080s.

Ryan needs to quit caring about what people may think !! This song is a VIBE! Always has been🎉

This is a classic 80s hit. Its unique and timeless.. 👍🏻

Pet Shop Boys were KINGS of the dance floor in the mid-80's - their grooves were infectious, top-notch synth, vocals/lyrics that were unconventional, but still had something to say! I love these guys! HIGHLY suggest: Opportunities (Let's Make Money), It's A Sin, Shopping, One More Chance...if you're up to hear a couple of their dance-floor burners.

I was more of a metalhead in the 80zzzz, but the Pet Shop Boys caught my ear 🤘🏽

The "80s cheese" is what makes and breaks some of these songs. This sound makes it!

Classic song....always loved the haunting melancholy feel of this song....underated!

I'm a hard rock guy, but Pet Shop Boys - Please is AWESOME. Something about West End Girls grabbed me when I heard it on the radio so went out and bought it. I wore that album out! p.s. George, just because there's synths in a song doesn't automatically make it "cheesy"

It helps that the Pet Shop Boys had well engineered, well produced projects. The layered vocals, jazz elements… it wasn’t 80s fluff. It’s a lot of synth but they use synthesizer as well as Carl McIntosh of Loose Ends.

In the UK back in the day this was a JAM and it still is.

Petshop Boys is fire man. They had so many hits for a reason. It's very electronica but they were super creative.

Pet Shop Boys are the most successful pop duo /pop synth duo in history. They are still going strong today. This song was a massive hit all over the world for them, being their 1st song it would lead to even better songs. You should definitely try It's A Sin and Together.

I am 41. I lived in Italy 92-94. Euro MTV played a lot of Pet Shops Boys (the album that was released at the time, including "Go West"). This reminds me of that time of my childhood. Nostalgia to a simpler time.

This is a perfect song for riding in a convertible in the summer time.

I wouldn't call any part of this rapping. He is talk-singing which is a long time method....Bowie did it, the Beatles did it.... In no way is this supposed to be a banger you y'all. It is a mood, it is a vibe. And I echo the prior comments on very good production values. Thanks guys!

Yeah but Petshop Boys was not really just "80's" music. There was a lot of poppy sort of thowaway songs that came out of the 80's. This band is one of the ones that stood out from the rest and had a following for a reason. They weren't some one hit wonder like many of the "80's" songs and Ryan just dismissed them as such which is silly. Petshop Boys is a respected synthpop act by many musicians.

Love the Pet Shop Boys. Never once thought of what he does as rapping. Hmm.

80's MASTERPIECE by the LEGENDARY DUO. Period. (BTW, #1 in Billboard hot 100 as a debut song).

Dance club classic. NYC clubs rocked this with the freestyle back in the 80s.

Man, when I was in the U.S Navy in the 80's this Track was played ALL Over Europe! You could not go anywhere without hearing this!

It's so weird, I haven't heard this song in a long, long time, and I never really liked it. I never hated it, I just never really cared one way or another about it. However...listening to this now just hit me for with a wave of nostalgia and melancholy I wasn't expecting. Crazy how music can do that to you

Listening to this while driving around in GTA V was a top tier experience

Classic tune. British music scene is so diverse.

GTA V classic

Amazing song, amazing bass line and i'm sorry Ryan, but you can't say that today's music is so far removed from the cheezy 80's with top selling artists like The Weeknd...

"He's rapping like he's numb inside"...nailed it.

The UK 80's scene - particularly the first half - was incredibly diverse musically. A true explosion of styles. Much of the music/lyrics were borne out of the political/social situation so if not particularly familiar with general/music UK history from that time it may be hard to fully appreciate.

Depeche mode is on a whole other level. Extensive catalogue for 40 years going.

It's not rapping or anything else, I would never in the world understand what is this about (since I rarely care for lyrics) but it has such a nice 80's vibe with just a certain degree of originality to it that doesn't sound stale or cliche to me. The deep synth bass, the numb new-wavey sound of his voice, the message behind the song - it all comes together and it still sounds fresh to this day which is an accomplishment in itself for any 80's song. I've only heard so much from them but what I heard is enough for me to know that these boys are alright.

if you dont like this song theres something wrong with you. i genuinely dont understand Ryan's taste

Nah, man this is a CLASSIC !!! LOVE IT!!

Just saw them with New Order. They were phenomenal. This song is classic.

Come on, you can't NOT love this! It's the freaking Pet Shop Boys. This shit was the shit, and still is nearly 40 years later.

The 80s electro sound was quite majestic in its way. Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, etc....

Can't tell you how many tapes I ruined playing this song. It was on every mix tape. Every road trip tape. Every girlfriend tape. Just classic and emblematic of mid 1980s. Hair full of beach sand, feet hanging out the window as we move down the interstate, telling inside jokes and smoking a cig... What's not to love?

I was a big fan of Pet Shop Boys back in 87. This really brings back memories..

I STILL listen to PSB in the car to this very day. Perfect summer driving music with the windows down.

I don't know if you experienced ALL of the 80's Ryan. It's the most reminisced about decade ever. Life was amazing. Movies, music, sports....happy times that are gone but not forgotten.

One of the best bands of the 80s.

My little 80's teen heart still loves this song. Under 18 Friday nights at the club. 😊

13:00 "he's singing like he's numb", "it's about one night stands", "no future" The "no future" slogan was the core motto of the punk movement and a lot of new wave / synth pop has postpunk elements or sensibilities. The "numbness" was the zeitgeist, the Cold War era, people grew up under the constant threat of nuclear annihilation, under duress of Thatcher regime and for the first time really felt like the good times were over for good. The economy was revived for the wealthy, while relative poverty doubled, income inequality skyrocketed at the end of her last term to the point it forever remained under Major and Blair. The East End boys had nothing to be happy about and a West End girl would be a huge leap in social strata.

Whenever you listen to something older that was a big hit, you have to keep in mind it was probably at the leading edge in some way and now it may seem corny because popular things get imitated to death afterwards, but at the time this was fresh. Rap was still in its infancy when this came out so it couldn’t be compared to the better rap that was still to come. These songs are the musical milestones from my teen years so I can’t hear them now like it’s my first time like you guys can.

This song is amazing

My best friend is a badass drummer and we met each other when I joined his hardcore metal band, and we both love heavy metal and prog. But we work together a lot (he has a fabrication shop) and for the last several years we just listen to eighties music all day, and we both agree that this shit was the best. We've started a new band that is writing original eighties music. So I'm not laughing at it, awesome song.

I have to say, George's analysis is always spot on. You have a knack for getting it and articulating it.

This album, and especially this song, will always hold a special place in my heart. In the late 80s we drove from New Hampshire to TX and my brother and I took turns listening on the Walkman to the only tape we happened to bring along - Please by the Pet Shop Boys. I can only guess how many times I heard this song over those 2,000 miles

It’s ok to like songs purely out of nostalgia

STILL listen to this to this day ❤ I cannot overrate just how great the 80’s were; graduated High School in Brooklyn in 1985, and hit the clubs throughout the 80’s and early 90’s. We had it all; Disco, R&B, Rap, Rock, Soft Rock, Electro, Hip Hop, New Wave, Techno, House, Acid, Freestyle, and more. So much creativity everywhere, beautiful people, happy times, gritty times, a culture much more United than today. This sense of nostalgia is what makes this music so much more than just the music; life was truly better, and not just because we were young. If you know, you know.P.S: met my husband on the dance floor in 1990; yep, we still got it and still dance ❤

Great song! Definitely taps into an 80s vibe. Catchy as hell.

Song has such an ominous vibe

I only heard this song about 7 years ago, and I loved it. British accent rap is its own thing, and I think this was one of the first.

Why worry what people think? You can't please everyone. Not to mention, this is what you do. The fact that you are willing to listen and give your honest opinion removes any opportunities for someone to legit throw dork status your way. IMO. If you are a true music lover, so many different things will please your ears. I love the memories this song brings of my teenage years. 💖

Pet Shop Boys has dozens and dozens of amazing songs all the way to present years.I don't think people know just how successful Pet Shop Boys are. Theyve sold over 100 milluon records. I was 4 yrs old when West End Girls came out and knew the lyrics by the time I was 5. I believe Neil Tenant is now in his 60's and still going. There is much to say about an artist who has been there and done that. Too bad not everyone enjoys his music. It isn't for everyone.

I don't care for 80's music but this song is a smooth groove. I love it

The Pet Shop Boys added to other bands that were part of the British Invasion in the 80s. MTV really helped with their visibility. Great band!

80’s had sooo much to offer.

Pet Shop Boys are FIRE

"It's a Sin" is a great Pet Shop Boys track too.

This song is an iconic new wave song from the 80's. There is no other song that even comes close to sounding like it. Very unique. No one needs to over analyze the song or its meaning. It either hooks you or it doesn't. It's a GREAT song.

98% of 80s pop puts a smile right on my face not cuz it's goofy old or out of date but because you can tell they had fun and stive always for a specific pocket that most modern outfits cant seem to replicate

This is one of the most 80s songs of the 80s ever. I love it 😂

❤For some of us it's nostalgically always alive ,music has no boundaries....

I knew Ryan wouldn't like this one hahaha I love it though. I am a child of the 80s and honestly it might be mostly nostalgic but I love this synth groove.

I’m so excited you did this song! The Pet Shop Boys are underrated.

This song is a banger

Memories… palm trees and white sand, night fires and girls in bikinis. Good times. And that Lenin reference “from Lake Geneva to the Finland Station” still gets me every-time. There is something underneath this song that is more ominous than just 80’s cheese. These dudes were smart, and they had the hooks.

It's an 80's Cut👊💯🔥

Loved it then. Love it now!! It was different from most songs at that time.

I'm a rocker from the 80s as were my friends, but we all dug this shot. We listened to all types back then. Rock just had the biggest hold on us. 80s really did Rule

Love this song

I remember recommending this song in a past video. I'm glad you guys reviewed it. I was Born in 1990 and my parents always played the 80s stations with Casey Kasem all the time. Its just a sound I grew up around. I love the 80s sound even though I never grew up in it. It seems like people in the 80s didn't follow the norms and weren't afraid to experiment with different things.

I had just left school PSB as they’re known are a iconic UK duo this was first big hit single and as such it was totally new at the time you had to be there everyone was buying the single and Uk radio was playing it non stop. They have influenced so much synthpop since this was released and they are still releasing albums.

If were doing this, I've got so many suggestions. "Peek-a-boo" by Siouxie and the Banshees, "I Want to Know (Pure Energy)" by Information Society, "Things Can Only Get Better" by Howard Jones, "Something About You" by Level 42

I named my son Weston after this song. When I was a kid I always thought they were saying Weston girls so it just stuck with me and I always loved that name. Always will be a very special song to me.

This song is a bop. Period! 😂

Music from the 80's isn't removed from this era at all. If anything, it gets aped more nowadays than the past. Listen to The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, synthwave artists like The Midnight. The "sound" that you guys are referring to, that lounge like feeling, is what they call the sophisti-pop sound. Was the big thing, especially in the U.K. and Norway / Sweden in the mid 80's onward.

I love the 80's, for NOSTALGIA, and the music separately 😊

To me, 80s pop, synth-pop, pop-rock, new-wave etc are all too underrated. Just remember how you were not into 80's metal earlier, how you couldn't know what to do with that unique sound and style. Same goes for 80's pop-rock and synth-pop scene guys. Just like George said, it's gonna grow more in you if you let yourself get all the passionate elements that these bands&artists share with you. Cheers!

This is a timeless groove. Pet Shop Boys have been making great dance music for decades right up to today. They have great grooves along with laid back vocals and very clever lyrics that are a great mix of sadness and humor. People who shut their minds off to different music... the problem is with you, not the music.

The "numbness" of 80's vocals...🤣🤣🤣

I've been listening to you guys for years and one of the only genres you haven't uncovered is classic punk rock. And hardcore punk The Clash, Ramones, Misfits, Circle Jerks, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys etc

Pet Shop Boys have a bunch of big hits - Suburbia, It's A Sin, Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money), Being Boring, Rent...list goes on.

One of the great songs of the last 50 years especially those first 45 seconds ... always puts you back deep inna heart of the '80s.

I remember playing this in the mid eighties at all the neighborhood parties 😅

New Order, "Blue Monday" (12-inch version); Tears For Fears "The Working Hour" or "Mothers Talk"; Gang of Four "Not Great Men"

The 80s embracement of new electronic technology from drum machines, Simmons analog to electronic drums, synths and sequencers made for a very demanding and playful era. Sure there are dated sounds, but every era falls victim to this. Bands like Pet Shop Boys, ABC, OMD, Missing Persons, Thomas Dolby, Yello, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and many more, just used new tech mixed with their astonishing musicianship to try an entire new thing. Most of the time it was successful. Listen to the keys and bass gtr on Poison Arrow from ABC. It’s a perfect mix of killer playing with creative and monstrous electronic elements.

The lyrics of this have a lot of political references. The lyric 'From Lake Geneva to the Finland Station', refers to the train route taken by Vladimir Lenin while being smuggled by the Germans to Russia during World War I. East end and West end were areas of London with upper class living in the west end and working class living in the east end. Class division was extreme in the 80's. "Which do you choose, the hard or soft option" comes from a Margaret Thatcher speech. ( she was advocating a hardline approach against communism and against British labor unions and strikes) Nicknamed 'The Iron Lady".

I can tell you I definitely like this song, used to have the album somewhere

Although I was a rocker in the 80s, I was sneaking around with some others and listening on the side to Pet Shop Boys, who are top-level musicians that really cross over well! (Listened to a lot of Tears for Fears that way too)