Dreamland (Pet Shop Boys song)

"Dreamland" was written in early 2017 by Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant, and Olly Alexander at the Pet Shop Boys' London studio.{{cite web |author= |year=2019|title=History: September 2019|url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/history/2019 |website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=10 February 2025}} The collaboration was proposed by Alexander's record label, Polydor, during a meeting with the Pet Shop Boys' manager.{{cite podcast |url=https://uk-podcasts.co.uk/podcast/hmv-presents-my-inspiration/pet-shop-boys-special |title=Pet Shop Boys Special!|work=HMV Presents: My Inspiration|publisher=UK Podcasts|last=Goodwyn|first=Tom|date=5 February 2020|time=6:05–7:10|access-date=10 February 2025}}

The music was based on a backing track that Lowe had written earlier. The title of the track came when Alexander told the duo that he had just visited the Dreamland Margate amusement park. In an interview with The Guardian, Alexander explained, "I felt like I didn't want to write about politics simply because I felt like I should but then last week I wrote a song with the Pet Shop Boys. It's inspired by a fairground in Margate called Dreamland, but while I was writing it, Neil Tennant said to me, 'This makes sense right now with Trump closing the borders.' The song became something that touched on what's going on in the world. I'd write lyrics and he'd say, 'No, it needs to be more direct.' He'd take a simple line and interject a subversive political statement. That's the challenge as a pop writer, to do both at once".{{cite news |last=Robinson|first=Peter|date=14 February 2017|title='It's important not to be like Bono' – the indie stars banding together for refugees|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/feb/14/its-important-not-to-be-like-bono-the-indie-stars-banding-together-for-refugees |work=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=8 February 2025}}{{cite web|last=West|first=Amy|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/04/27/pet-shops-boys-years-and-years-olly-alexander-collaboration/|title=Pet Shop Boys collaborating with Years & Years' frontman Olly Alexander|website=PinkNews|date=27 April 2019|access-date=2 September 2020}}

"Dreamland" was originally intended for a Years & Years album, but they decided it was better suited for a Pet Shop Boys release. Alexander re-recorded his vocals for the song's inclusion on Hotspot. The track was produced by Stuart Price at Hansa Studios in Berlin and the Record Plant in Los Angeles.{{cite web |author= |date=11 September 2019|title=Dreamland: new single|url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2019-09-11/dreamland-new-single |website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=10 February 2025}}

Pet Shop Boys stated: "It's so exciting that our new single is a collaboration with Years & Years, one of the most original and successful bands to emerge this decade, and we really enjoyed writing and recording it with Olly Alexander". Alexander added, "It was a dream come true to create something with two of my heroes, and spending time with Chris and Neil was an absolute joy. I had to pinch myself repeatedly!"{{cite web|url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/126947/pet-shop-boys-team-up-with-years-and-years-for-new-single-dreamland/|title=Pet Shop Boys team up with Years And Years for new single Dreamland|work=Gay Times|last=Megarry|first=Daniel|date=12 September 2019|access-date=22 September 2019}}

"Dreamland" was released as a digital download on 11 September 2019, along with the news that a new Pet Shop Boys album was forthcoming in January 2020. On 25 October, an expanded package was issued on CD, digital, and 12-inch vinyl formats, with remixes of "Dreamland" and two new songs: "No Boundaries", from the play My Beautiful Laundrette, and "An Open Mind".

"Dreamland" did not place on the UK Singles Chart. It debuted at number one on the UK Physical Singles and Vinyl Singles charts,{{cite web |author= |title=Dreamland by Pet Shop Boys ft Years & Years|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/pet-shop-boys-ft-years-years-dreamland/ |website=Official Charts|location=London|access-date=10 February 2025}} and it peaked at number six on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in the United States.{{cite magazine |author= |title=Pet Shop Boys: Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/pet-shop-boys/chart-history/dsi/ |magazine=Billboard|location=New York|access-date=10 February 2025}}

The lyric video for "Dreamland" features imagery of a U-Bahn (underground railway) station in Berlin.{{cite web |last=Wünsch|first=Silke|date=24 January 2020|title=Pet Shop Boys pay tribute to Berlin in 'Hotspot'|url=https://www.dw.com/en/pet-shop-boys-pay-tribute-to-berlin-in-hotspot/a-52126151 |website=DW.com|location=Bonn, Germany|publisher=Deutsche Welle|access-date=6 February 2025}}

Robin Bacior of Consequence of Sound described "Dreamland" as "a silky synth-pop track full of subtle hooks and cyclical build-ups. The duet moves between the UK duo's Neil Tennant and Years & Years' Olly Alexander, and the trade-offs are flawless".{{cite web |last=Bacior|first=Robin|date=11 September 2019|title=Pet Shop Boys share new single "Dreamland" featuring Years & Years: Stream|url=https://consequence.net/2019/09/pet-shop-boys-dreamland-years-years-stream/ |website=Consequence|location=Boca Raton, FL|publisher=Consequence Media|access-date=10 February 2025}} Stephen Daw of Billboard called the single "a glittering pop-disco production",{{cite magazine|last=Daw|first=Stephen|date=11 September 2019|title=Pet Shop Boys Take Years & Years On a Trip to 'Dreamland' With New Single: Listen|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/pet-shop-boys-dreamland-8529690/ |magazine=Billboard|access-date=10 February 2025}} and Daniel Megarry of Gay Times said it was "a slice of synth-pop perfection".

During their headline slot at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park, Pet Shop Boys performed "Dreamland" live for the first time with Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander joining them on stage.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/pet-shop-boys-dreamland-live-olly-alexander-years-years-2548353|title=Watch Pet Shop Boys perform 'Dreamland' live with Olly Alexander of Years & Years|work=NME|last=Gwee|first=Karen|date=16 September 2019|access-date=22 September 2019}} The Pet Shop Boys subsequently appeared as guests on Alexander's New Years & Years Eve special broadcast on BBC1, where they performed both "Dreamland" and "It's a Sin".{{cite web | url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/years-and-years/2021/riverside-studios-london-england-3b8be000.html | title=Years & Years Setlist at Riverside Studios, London | website=setlist.fm }} Alexander later joined the Pet Shop Boys for a performance of the song at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival.{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/fontaines-dc-review-glastonbury-mcfly-b2109755.html | title=Glastonbury Sunday reviews: Pet Shop Boys, Fontaines DC and McFly | website=Independent.co.uk | date=26 June 2022 }}

"Dreamland" is written by Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant, and Olly Alexander. All other tracks are by Tennant/Lowe.

• CD single{{cite web |url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2019-10-25/dreamland-single-released-on-cd-and-vinyl-today |title=Dreamland single released on CD and vinyl today |website=PetShopBoys.co.uk |date=25 October 2019 |access-date=6 November 2020}}

1. "Dreamland" – 3:30
2. "An Open Mind" – 3:52
3. "No Boundaries" – 3:38
4. "Dreamland" (PSB remix) – 4:42
5. "Dreamland" (Stuart Price vocal remix) – 5:06

• Digital single{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/dreamland-single/1480426261 |title=Dreamland – Single by Pet Shop Boys |website=Apple Music |location=United Kingdom |access-date=6 November 2020}}

1. "Dreamland" – 3:28
2. "An Open Mind" – 3:52
3. "No Boundaries" – 3:40

• Digital EP – Remixes{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/dreamland-feat-years-years-remixes-ep/1480425331 |title=Dreamland (feat. Years & Years) [Remixes] – EP by Pet Shop Boys |website=Apple Music |location=United Kingdom |access-date=6 November 2020}}

1. "Dreamland" (PSB remix) – 4:41
2. "Dreamland" (TWD vocal remix) – 5:06
3. "Dreamland" (TWD dub) – 4:58
4. "Dreamland" (Jacques Renault remix) – 5:45

• 12-inch single

:A1. "Dreamland" – 3:30

:A2. "Dreamland" (PSB remix) – 5:03

:B1. "Dreamland" (TWD vocal remix) – 4:56

:B2. "Dreamland" (TWD dub) – 5:44

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Hotspot{{cite AV media notes |title=Hotspot|type=liner notes |author=Pet Shop Boys |publisher=x2|year=2020|id=X20018CD1}} and "Dreamland".{{cite AV media notes |title=Dreamland|type=liner notes |author=Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years|publisher=x2|year=2019|id=x20017CD1}}

Pet Shop Boys

• Chris Lowe
• Neil Tennant

Additional musicians

• Years & Years – featured artist

Technical personnel

• Stuart Price – production, mixing
• Pete Gleadall – additional engineering
• Tim Young – mastering
• Andy Baldwin – mastering

Artwork

• Farrow – design, art direction
• Pet Shop Boys – design, art direction
• JVP – photography

• [https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/lyrics/dreamland Lyrics: Dreamland]

{{Reflist}}

{{Pet Shop Boys singles}}

{{Years & Years}}

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Category:2019 songs

Category:2019 singles

Category:Pet Shop Boys songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Stuart Price

Category:Songs written by Chris Lowe

Category:Songs written by Neil Tennant

Category:Songs written by Olly Alexander

Category:Years & Years songs