PET SHOP BOYS - DID YOU SEE ME COMING?

Released: June 1, 2009

Charts:  UK: #21 

"Did You See Me Coming?" is a track released on June 2009 as the second single from the duo tenth studio album, “Yes”. Despite being chosen as the follow-up to "Love Etc" by the Pet Shop Boys' record label's radio promotion staff, who anticipated significant airplay, the song received limited play outside of BBC Radio 2. Consequently, it peaked at #21 on the UK singles chart, falling short of expectations.

As another writer aptly put it, this song is "unashamedly sunny pop," radiating a warmth that easily brings a smile to your face. Its infectious charm likely contributed to its selection as the album's second single. Opening with Johnny Marr's strummed guitar, the song quickly envelops the listener with layers of instrumentation while maintaining its rhythmic core. Neil's vocals convey a sense of wide-eyed innocence as he sings lines like:

"I'd love to be loved by you

Did you see me coming?

Was I that obvious?"

"Did You See Me Coming?" is a collaboration with the production team Xenomania, renowned for their work with the British pop group Girls Aloud. It was the first song that the Pet Shop Boys played to Xenomania founder Brian Higgins after meeting him. He noted that the demo was "80% there."

Neil Tennant, the singer, explained the song's inspiration to The Big Issue: "My mother used to say: 'They must have seen you coming,' and it meant you were being hoodwinked or something. It's about a guy realizing that the girl has spotted him across the crowded room and understood that he's going to fall in love with her immediately. It's a bit Cole Porter. It was actually the first song we wrote for this album and we realized then that the direction was going very poppy with very chirpy, happy harmonies."

While the song's primary themes may not revolve around their personal relationship, it's conceivable that some sentiments expressed in it could reflect Neil and Chris's dynamic as a songwriting duo, professional collaborators, and friends. The music video's focus solely on the two of them, echoing the chorus's sentiment of "just the two of us," hints at this possibility.