So Hard

"So Hard" is a song by the British pop group Pet Shop Boys and was the first single lifted from the 1990 album Behaviour. It peaked at No. 4 in the UK. The song is about "two people living together; they are totally unfaithful to each other but they both pretend they are faithful and then catch each other out".

"The original was harping back to Giorgio Moroder with loads of all these retro instruments," recalled Chris Lowe. "Then David Morales took the chord progression from the middle section and made this classic pumping house track. It's quite funny, because we did this gig in Los Angeles and Frankie Knuckles played this track at the party afterwards. Neil came over and said, 'Why don't we make records like this?' I said, 'Neil, it is us.' So that's how much we know about dance music!"

The video was directed by Eric Watson and filmed in Newcastle and North Tyneside. Filming locations included the Bigg Market, Newcastle Quayside, Railway Terrace in Wallsend, Byker, Whitley Bay and the Tyne and Wear Metro. The black and white video co-stars Paul Gascoigne's sister Anna Gascoigne.

The single's B-side was "It Must Be Obvious", with the US release also featuring the remix of "Paninaro", which was originally released on Disco. Remixes were done by Julian Mendelsohn, The KLF and David Morales. The KLF remixed "So Hard" and "It Must Be Obvious", available on The KLF versus Pet Shop Boys single.

7": Parlophone / R 6269 (UK)

 * 1) "So Hard" – 3:56
 * 2) *Produced by Pet Shop Boys, Harold Faltermeyer
 * 3) *Mixed by Julian Mendelsohn
 * 4) *Engineered by Brian Reeves
 * 5) *Additional programming by Dominic Clarke
 * 6) "It Must Be Obvious" – 4:21
 * 7) *Produced by Pet Shop Boys
 * 8) *Mixed and engineered by Pete Schwier
 * 9) *Additional programming by Dominic Clarke

Personnel

 * Artwork by 3a, Mark Farrow, Pet Shop Boys
 * Photography by Eric Watson

12": Parlophone / 12R 6269 (UK)

 * 1) "So Hard" (Extended Dance Mix) – 6:30
 * 2) "It Must Be Obvious" – 4:21
 * 3) "So Hard" (Dub Mix) – 7:30
 * Mix by Julian Mendelsohn

12": Parlophone / 12RX 6269 (UK)

 * 1) "So Hard" (KLF vs. Pet Shop Boys) – 5:27
 * 2) "It Must Be Obvious" (UFO mix) – 9:22


 * Labelled The KLF versus Pet Shop Boys single
 * Tracks 1 and 2 remixed by The KLF

12": EMI USA / V-56194

 * 1) "So Hard" (Extended Dance Mix) – 6:30
 * 2) "So Hard" (single) – 3:56
 * 3) "So Hard" (dub) – 7:30
 * 4) "It Must Be Obvious" – 4:21

CD: Parlophone / CDR 6269 (UK)

 * 1) "So Hard" – 3:56
 * 2) "It Must Be Obvious" – 4:21
 * 3) "So Hard" (Extended Dance Mix) – 6:30
 * Produced by Pet Shop Boys, Harold Faltermeyer
 * Edited by Danton Supple
 * Engineered by Brian Reeves
 * Mixed by Julian Mendelsohn

CD: EMI / 560 204177-2 (Germany)

 * 1) "So Hard" (12" remix) – 6:20
 * 2) "So Hard" (Radio mix) – 3:25
 * 3) "So Hard" (Red Zone Mix) – 7:42
 * 4) "So Hard" (Eclipse mix) – 4:00
 * Remixed by David Morales

CD: EMI / E2-56195 (US)

 * 1) "So Hard" (Extended Dance Mix) – 6:30
 * 2) "So Hard" (single) – 3:56
 * 3) "So Hard" (dub) – 7:30
 * 4) "It Must Be Obvious" – 4:21
 * 5) "Paninaro" (Italian Remix) ["12-inch remix"] – 8:40
 * Remix – David Jacob, Pet Shop Boys

Mixes

 * Mixes by Julian Mendelsohn
 * Album/single version (3:56)
 * Extended dance mix (6:30)
 * Available on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Behaviour reissue


 * Dub Mix (7:30)
 * 9" edit (4:59)


 * Mixes by David Morales
 * Red Zone Mix (7:45)
 * An abbreviated (2:48) version of this mix appears on Disco 2


 * 12" mix (6:26)
 * Radio mix (3:37)
 * Dub (7:37)
 * Eclipse Mix (4:02)


 * Mix by The KLF
 * The KLF Versus Pet Shop Boys (5:27)

Cover versions
A cover version by Scottish music artist/songwriter Momus was included on the 2001 compilation Very Introspective, Actually: A Tribute to the Pet Shop Boys.