I'm Not Scared (song)

In his review of the song, John Wilde from Melody Maker wrote, "It is entirely meaningless and is exactly what you expect it to be. This doesn't stop it roving through an empty space with a fair amount of scarlet charm."{{cite magazine|first=John|last=Wilde|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/50769418843/|title=Singles|magazine=Melody Maker|date=13 February 1988|page=26|access-date=28 October 2023}} Another Melody Maker editor, Chris Roberts, complimented the single as "fine".{{cite magazine|first=Chris|last=Roberts|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/51108677631/|title=Albums|magazine=Melody Maker|date=30 July 1988|page=31|access-date=30 October 2023}} Jerry Smith of Music Week considered that it was not surprising that "I'm not Scared" sounds like Pet Shop Boys and Phil Harding production, as the song was written and produced by them, noted "Kensit's distinctive, breathy vocal" and deemed the song a potential hit.{{cite magazine|first=Jerry |last=Smith |title= Singles |magazine= Music Week |date=20 February 1988 |page=21 |access-date=28 December 2020 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1988/MW-1988-02-20.pdf}} James Hamilton from Record Mirror wrote in his dance column, "Patsy Kensit-lisped and French-spoken lethargic Eurobeat-ish ultimately quite haunting 0-{{frac|105|5|6}}-0bpm slinker produced by the Pet Shop Boys and Phil Harding".{{cite magazine|first=James|last=Hamilton|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/51759066856/in/album-72177720295403366/|title=BPM: Hi-NRG|magazine=Record Mirror|date=16 January 1988|page=20|access-date=|author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist)}}

William Shaw from Smash Hits felt the song "definitely bears all the hallmarks of Eurodisco — all the little insistent keyboard tunes, all the thumping bass bits, all the chattering drum machines. But where most Eurodisco records tend to be lyrically a bit daff and musically lightweight, this is a work of genius. An extremely girlie sounding Patsy Kensit strides through a city full of dogs singing a beautifully mournful melody about how she's not afraid of them, first in English, and then (just to add a touch of Euro-flavour) in French. Strange indeed, but mighty compelling."{{cite magazine|first=William|last=Shaw|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/29043367705/in/album-72157671402592900/|title=Singles|magazine=Smash Hits|date=27 January 1988|page=41|access-date=8 March 2023}}

Slant Magazine ranked the song at number 62 on its "100 Greatest Dance Songs" list in 2006, writing, "'I'm Not Scared' is unmistakably a Lowe/Tennant composition, with sharp staccato synth lines, a fluctuating bassline, histrionic lyrics ending in curly, figurative question marks [...], and{{snd}}on the extended Disco Version{{snd}}dramatic string stabs".{{cite magazine |title=100 Greatest Dance Songs |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/feature/100-greatest-dance-songs/206/page_4 |magazine=Slant Magazine |date=30 January 2006 |access-date=16 April 2011}}

• 7-inch single and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=CBS Records|id=SCARE 1}}{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=US cassette single sleeve|publisher=WTG Records|id=31 T68939}}

1. "I'm Not Scared" – 3:49
2. "J'ai pas peur" – 5:48

• 10-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=UK 10-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=CBS Records|id=SCARE Y1}}

1. "I'm Not Scared" (10-inch remix) – 5:30
2. "J'ai pas peur" – 5:48

• UK 12-inch and CD single, European mini-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=UK 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=CBS Records|id=SCARE T1}}{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=CBS Records|id=SCARE C1}}{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=European mini-CD single liner notes|publisher=CBS Records|id=CBS 651359 8}}

1. "I'm Not Scared" (disco mix) – 7:58
2. "I'm Not Scared" – 4:30 (album version)
3. "J'ai pas peur" – 5:48

• US 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=US 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=WTG Records|id=41 68820}}

:A1. "I'm Not Scared" (long Euro mix) / (disco mix) – 7:58

:A2. "J'ai pas peur" – 5:48

:B1. "I'm Not Scared" (Little Louie Vega mix) – 7:17

:B2. "Baby Baby" (Dusted mix) – 6:00

• Japanese mini-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=I'm Not Scared|others=Eighth Wonder|year=1988|type=Japanese mini-CD single liner notes|publisher=Epic Records|id=10・8P-3012}}

1. "I'm Not Scared" (disco mix) – 8:00
2. "J'ai pas peur" – 5:51

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Original version

• Artwork by Stylorouge
• Photography by Eamon J. McCabe
• Produced by Pet Shop Boys and Phil Harding
• Programmed by Ian Curnow
• Written by Tennant and Lowe

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Little Louie Vega mix & Dub version

• Edited by Tony Moran
• Assistant: Chris Trevett
• Recording by Mike Rogers
• Remixed by Hugo Dwyer
• Keyboards by Mac Quayle
• Produced by "Little" Louie Vega

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• The Pet Shop Boys included their own version of the song on their 1988 album Introspective.
• Swedish Pet Shop Boys tribute group West End Girls covered the song for their 2006 debut album Goes Petshopping.

{{Reflist}}

{{Pet Shop Boys singles}}

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Category:1988 singles

Category:1988 songs

Category:CBS Records singles

Category:Eighth Wonder songs

Category:Number-one singles in Italy

Category:Pet Shop Boys songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Phil Harding (producer)

Category:Songs written by Chris Lowe

Category:Songs written by Neil Tennant