"Rent" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). It was released as the album's third single on 12 October 1987.[2]
Background and recording
"Rent" was written in 1984.[3] The song is about a transactional relationship between two people. According to lyricist Neil Tennant, the title was chosen for its association with rent boys with the intention of being provocative,[4] but the story he envisioned for the song was about a mistress of a powerful man.
I've always imagined it's about a kept woman, and I always imagined it set in America. I vaguely thought of one of the Kennedys, for some reason, and imagined that this politician keeps this woman in a smart flat in Manhattan, and he's still got this family, and the two of them have some sort of relationship and they do love each other but it's all kind of secret...[5]
"Rent" was remixed in a shortened version by producer Stephen Hague for release as a single on 12 October 1987;[5] it reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart.[7] The song was not released as a single in the United States.
The photograph on the single sleeve (pictured) is of Tennant and Lowe on a train platform at King's Cross station, taken by Eric Watson.[8] The music video was also filmed in that location.[9]
Music video
The video for the song was directed by Derek Jarman. It features two intercut storylines. One, filmed in black and white, shows Chris Lowe arriving at King's Cross station by train and walking past various low-life characters. The other, filmed in colour, features Margi Clarke as the partner of a wealthy man (played by Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath), who is hosting a dinner party. The lyrics are sung by Tennant, who plays her chauffeur. The woman becomes annoyed when the man pays her no attention. She then gets Tennant to drive her to King's Cross railway station where she embraces Lowe on the platform.[10]
Live performances
Pet Shop Boys performed "Rent" on Sunday Night at the London Palladium on ITV on 11 October 1987, with Lowe wearing an Issey Miyake inflatable rubber jacket.[11][12] On their first tour in 1989 to Hong Kong, Japan, and the UK, "Rent" was staged with Tennant interacting with backing singer Juliet Roberts as the characters from the song.[13] During the Performance Tour in 1991, "Rent" was sung by ensemble members Sylvia Mason-James and Derek Green.[14][15] Subsequent tours have also featured "Rent", including Dreamworld: The Greatest Hits Live in 2022–2024.[16]
Track listing
7": Parlophone / R 6168 (UK)
"Rent" – 3:35
"I Want a Dog" – 4:57
12": Parlophone / 12R 6168 (UK)
"Rent" (Extended Mix) – 7:06
"Rent" (Dub) – 6:06
"I Want a Dog" – 4:57
also available on CD (Parlophone / CD R 6168)
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes for Actually: Further Listening 1987–1988[17] and "Rent".[18]
Liza Minnelli performed "Rent" on her 1989 album Results, which was produced by Pet Shop Boys and included additional songs written by them for her.[34][35]
The song plays during a karaoke scene in the 2023 film Saltburn.[38] Neil Tennant commented on the use of the song: "...we've had songs in these two films recently, Saltburn and All of Us Strangers, and that's given us a bit of attention. In Saltburn, they sing "Rent" and it's a karaoke scene, but it's actually part of the plot. That's very rare. The song makes such a sardonic point about his relationship, with the guy in the house.[9]
^Tennant, Neil (2018). One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem: 1979–2016. London: Faber & Faber. p. 141. ISBN9780571348916.
^Deevoy, Adrian (January 1992). "Oh Mister Songwriters!". Q. p. 57. When we started, we would deliberately try to think up provocative, pointed titles. So Rent was a good word because of the association with the expression 'rent boy'.
^Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 233. ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
^"Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Pet Shop Boys" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
