How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?

"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" is the third single from Pet Shop Boys' album Behaviour. It was released in the UK as a double A-side with "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" by Parlophone Records on 11 March 1991. It was subsequently released as a single in its own right in the United States and France. The single later peaked at a low number 93 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

As "Being Boring" and "It's Alright" were not released in the US, tracks from these releases were used on a number of the American releases.

Of interest to collectors, EMI USA commissioned dance DJ David Morales to create 5 remixes that were released to clubs and DJs on a limited promotion 12". Morales would later work with the duo co-writing and co-producing the 1999 single "New York City Boy".

Neil Tennant later said that the track 'was inspired by a female pop star from 1989', it is strongly believed that the inspiration was in fact Transvision Vamp frontwoman Wendy James.

Track listings
Below is a listing of formats which featured "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" as the main song. Additional track listings can be found on the page about "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)".

"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" was heavily remixed for single release. The version used for the music video was also released on 7-inch vinyl and cassette-single. Due to its playing time of 4:10 minutes, it is often confused with the similar "Perfect Attitude mix", which has an identical playing time, but a different introduction.

7": EMI / 204291-7 (France)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
 * 2) "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (7-inch edit) – 4:33

MC: EMI USA / 4JM-50343 (US)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (LP version) – 3:54
 * 2) "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" – 4:17

12": EMI USA / V-56204 (US)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (12-inch mix) – 6:03
 * 2) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (7-inch Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
 * 3) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:05
 * 4) "Being Boring" (12" mix) – 9:03
 * 5) "We All Feel Better in the Dark" – 3:59


 * Track 1 a.k.a. "Extended Mix"

12": EMI USA / SPRO-4727 (US)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Momo mix) – 6:48
 * 2) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Ragga Zone mix) – 6:24
 * 3) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Def mix) – 3:57
 * 4) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Eclipse mix) – 3:38
 * 5) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (new 7" mix) – 4:10
 * labelled "David Morales Mixes"
 * extremely rare US promo 12"

12": Parlophone / 204254-6 (France)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:03
 * 2) "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (extended mix) – 6:44
 * 3) "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:26

CD: EMI USA / E2-56205 (US)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (LP version) – 3:54
 * 2) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
 * 3) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:05
 * 4) "It's Alright" (7" mix) – 4:18
 * 5) "We All Feel Better in the Dark" – 3:59
 * 6) "Being Boring" (12" mix) – 9:03


 * track 4 mislabelled "5:07 Trevor Horn mix"

CD: EMI USA / DPRO-4698 (US)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (LP version) – 3:54
 * 2) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
 * 3) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:03
 * 4) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:06
 * 5) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Perfect Mood mix) – 4:10


 * US promo remix CD

CD: Parlophone / 204254-2 (France)

 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:03
 * 2) "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" (7" full length mix) – 5:45
 * 3) "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" – 4:26
 * 4) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:06

"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?"

 * Steve Anderson and Dave Seaman (Brothers in Rhythm):
 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (extended mix) – 6:03
 * 2) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Perfect Attitude mix) – 4:10
 * 3) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Perfect Mood mix) – 4:10
 * 4) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (classical reprise) – 3:05


 * David Morales:
 * 1) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Momo mix) – 6:48
 * 2) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Ragga Zone mix) – 6:24
 * 3) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Def mix) – 3:57
 * 4) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (Eclipse mix) – 3:38
 * 5) "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" (new 7" mix) – 4:10

"Being Boring"

 * Marshall Jefferson:
 * 1) "Being Boring" (12" mix) – 9:03