PET SHOP BOYS - I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT BUT I CAN’T GIVE IT ANY MORE

Released: July 19, 1999

Charted:  UK: #15 

"I Don't Know What You Want but I Can't Give It Any More" is a track from their seventh studio album, “Nightlife”. Released on July 1999 as the album's lead single, it reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, number two on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, and number 66 on the US Hot Singles Sales chart.

The first single from “Nightlife” follows the Pet Shop Boys' tradition of lengthy song titles. It exemplifies their signature style of merging dance beats, grand orchestral elements, and somewhat melancholic lyrics, depicting a crumbling romantic relationship. The chorus, repeating the title four times in an A-B-A-B chord structure, showcases evolving instrumental harmonies while maintaining the same melody and lyrics.

The song's lyrical structure is notably intriguing, primarily composed of questions aside from the chorus. The narrator appears desperate to discern their lover's desires, despite knowing they cannot fulfill them. The questions even hint at potential infidelity, adding depth to the narrative: "Is he better than me? Was it your place or his?… Did you think it was wrong?" Despite its relatively subdued melody, chord structure, and lyrics compared to other Pet Shop Boys singles, the track exudes a tragic, even epic grandeur that commands admiration.

The music video, directed by Pedro Romhanyl, depicts the duo undergoing a transformation that leads them to appear in their Nightlife costumes. Subsequently, they are released into a world where everyone resembles them.