{{Short description|1991 single by Pet Shop Boys}} {{For|the album by Blank & Jones|DJ Culture (album)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox song | name = DJ Culture | cover = DJculture.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Pet Shop Boys | album = Discography: The Complete Singles Collection | B-side = Music for Boys | released = {{start date|1991|10|14|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = Sarm West (London)<ref name="behaviourfurther">{{Cite AV media notes |title=Behaviour: Further Listening 1990–1991|title-link=Behaviour (Pet Shop Boys album)|last=Heath|first=Chris|author-link=Chris Heath|others=Pet Shop Boys|year=2018|pages=27–29|type=booklet|publisher=Parlophone Records|id=0190295818852}}</ref> | genre = * Synth-pop * house<ref name="robbins">{{cite magazine|first= Ira |last= Robbins |title= Pet Shop Boys |magazine= Trouser Press |url= http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=pet_shop_boys |access-date= 31 March 2015}} "plus the new "DJ Culture" (boring, housey)"</ref> | length = 4:13 | label = Parlophone | writer = * Neil Tennant * Chris Lowe | producer = * Pet Shop Boys * Brothers in Rhythm | prev_title = Jealousy | prev_year = 1991 | next_title = Was It Worth It? | next_year = 1991 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Mbprblx2s48|"DJ Culture"}}}} }} {{Infobox song | name = DJ Culturemix | cover = DJculturemix.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Pet Shop Boys | album = | B-side = * "Music for Boys (Part 3)" * "Overture to ''Performance''" | released = 11 November 1991<ref name="remix">{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=9 November 1991|title=Newsfile|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-09.pdf |magazine=Music Week|location=London|page=5|access-date=17 December 2025}}</ref> | recorded = | studio = | genre = * Synth-pop * house<ref name="robbins"/> | length = 5:51 | label = Parlophone | writer = * Neil Tennant * Chris Lowe | producer = Pet Shop Boys | prev_title = DJ Culture | prev_year = 1991 | next_title = Was It Worth It? | next_year = 1991 }}
"'''DJ Culture'''" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their first greatest hits album, ''Discography: The Complete Singles Collection'' (1991). It was released on 14 October 1991 by Parlophone as the album's lead single, peaking at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. Another version of the song, remixed by The Grid and entitled "DJ Culturemix", was also released as a single and reached number 40 on the UK Singles Chart. The B-side was "Music for Boys".
According to the singer Neil Tennant, the song concerned the insincerity of how President George H. W. Bush's speeches at the time of the First Gulf War utilised Winston Churchill's wartime rhetoric, in a manner similar to how artists sample music from other artists.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://anecdotal-antidote.blogspot.com/2006/09/dj-culture-part-3.html |title=The Anecdotal Antidote |access-date=26 July 2008 |archive-date=18 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018055801/http://anecdotal-antidote.blogspot.com/2006/09/dj-culture-part-3.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Composition and recording== "DJ Culture" was one of two songs written as singles for ''Discography'', along with "Was It Worth It?"<ref name="MW review"/> Pet Shop Boys decided to use a structure of spoken verse and sung chorus, similar to "West End Girls". The music for the chorus came from a piece Chris Lowe had composed on a Fairlight.<ref name="behaviourfurther"/>
In early 1991, Tennant used the phrase "DJ Culture" to draw an analogy between DJs sampling music and people who "sample attitudes from the past", at a time when he felt the response to the Gulf War was inauthentic.<ref name="behaviourfurther"/> He later described the concept: "Political postures and social attitudes are glibly sampled from the past and the present like beats on dance records".<ref name="100 Lyrics">{{cite book |last=Tennant|first=Neil|date=2018|title=One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem: 1979–2016|location=London|publisher=Faber & Faber|page=53|isbn=9780571348916}}</ref>
Parsing the lyrics, Tennant said the refrain "Living in a satellite fantasy" is an observation on the lack of meaningful content on 24-hour satellite television.<ref name="behaviourfurther"/> The trend of reinventing oneself is conveyed in the lines "Like Liz before Betty", about Elizabeth Taylor at the Betty Ford Clinic, and "she after Sean", referring to Madonna's new image after her divorce from Sean Penn. "And I, my lord, may I say nothing?" paraphrases Oscar Wilde's response after he was sentenced to hard labour for homosexual practices in 1895.{{efn|Wilde's actual words were, "And I? May I say nothing, my Lord?"<ref>{{cite web |year=1895|editor-last=Linder|editor-first=Douglas O.|title=Sentencing Statement of Justice Wills|url=http://famous-trials.com/wilde/335-statement |website=Famous Trials|publisher=University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law|access-date=18 December 2025}}</ref>}}<ref name="100 Lyrics"/> The song also includes samples of French dialogue from the 1950 Jean Cocteau film ''Orphée'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Flood|first=Kathleen|date=11 July 2011|title=Original Creators: Jean Cocteau |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/original-creators-jean-cocteau/ |magazine=Vice|location=New York|access-date=17 December 2025}}</ref> in which coded and poetic messages are sent over the radio.
Both singles for ''Discography'' were recorded at Sarm West with the Brothers in Rhythm production team. The chorus of "DJ Culture" features Tessa Niles echoing Tennant in a style inspired by the David Bowie song "Absolute Beginners" (1986). The duo asked producer Stephen Hague to do additional work on the 7-inch mix. Hague added a string line in the middle section, and he suggested a change to the chorus, resulting in the alternating lines "waiting for the night to end" and "wondering who's your friend".<ref name="behaviourfurther"/>
==Release== Preceding the album's November release, "DJ Culture" came out on 14 October 1991 on 7-inch vinyl, 12-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD.<ref name="release"/> A remix by The Grid (David Ball and Richard Norris) titled "DJ Culturemix" followed on 11 November on 12-inch, CD, and cassette.<ref name=" remix release"/> According to ''Music Week'', Pet Shop Boys went ahead with the release "even though it will exceed the four format rule for singles. The group says the ruling shows hostility to dance music".<ref name="remix"/> The original release debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 13 and spent two weeks in the top 40, and the remix entered the chart at number 40.<ref>{{cite web |title=DJ Culture by Pet Shop Boys|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/pet-shop-boys-dj-culture/ |website=Official Charts|location=London|access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=23 November 1991|title=Top 75 Singles|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-23.pdf |magazine=Music Week|location=London|page=14|access-date=17 December 2025}}</ref>
The single's B-side, "Music for Boys", was written by Lowe at Sarm West, inspired by stadium house music he had heard at the London Astoria. Lowe made two mixes, including an "Ambient mix".{{sfn|Heath|2018|p=31}} A third mix was done by Altern-8. In the US, "DJ Culture" and "Music for Boys" were released as a double A-side;<ref name="BB review"/> it reached number 13 on the Dance Singles Sales chart.<ref name="US chart"/>
The original cover photo, taken by Eric Watson, shows Lowe and Tennant with DJ equipment. The remix cover is a depiction of TV static.{{sfn|Hoare|Heath|2006|pp=152–53}}
==Music video== The music video was directed by Pet Shop Boys' long-time collaborator Eric Watson and was choreographed by Jacob Marley, who had worked on the Performance Tour. Tennant and Lowe alternately appear as a pair of doctors, a pair of soldiers in desert combat dress, and a football referee and fan. Lowe portrays a judge presiding over the trial of Oscar Wilde, who is played by Tennant, in a visualization of the line "And I my lord, may I say nothing?"<ref name="catalogue">{{cite book |last1=Hoare|first1=Philip|last2=Heath|first2=Chris|year=2006|title=Pet Shop Boys Catalogue|location=New York|publisher=Thames & Hudson|pages=154–55|isbn=9780500513071}}</ref> Watson observed: "It's a line-by-line interpretation of the lyrics, completely literal".{{sfn|Hoare|Heath|2006|p=155}}
Watson used computer-generated imagery to create a computer wargame for the opening sequence and composite shots such as Tennant and Lowe in front of the Acropolis. The production cost £150,000 and was their most expensive music video up to that point.<ref name="catalogue"/>
==Critical reception== Upon its release, Paul Mathur, writing for ''Melody Maker'', felt "DJ Culture" "recall[s] PSB's earliest work" as "Tennant intones rigorously over the usual unabashed keyboard surge, like an indoor version of 'West End Girls'."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Mathur |first=Paul |date=19 October 1991 |title=Singles |magazine=Melody Maker |page=33}}</ref> Likewise, Alan Jones of ''Music Week'' described it as "a minor league West End Girls, complete with a melancholic rap from Tennant".<ref name="MW review">{{cite magazine |last=Jones|first=Alan|date=12 October 1991|title=Market Report: Singles|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-10-12.pdf |magazine=Music Week|location=London|page=14|access-date=17 December 2025|via=World Radio History}}</ref> Larry Flick of ''Billboard'' magazine called the song "a languid synth/pop romp, reminiscent of early hits, while ["Music for Boys"] is an NRGized techno-rave".<ref name="BB review">{{cite magazine |last=Flick|first=Larry|date=19 October 1991|title='Change' Plans: Clubs Getting Stansfield Single First|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-10-19.pdf |magazine=Billboard|page=37|location=New York|access-date=17 December 2025|via=World Radio History}}</ref>
Simon Dudfield of ''NME'' felt it was "sub-standard Pet Shop Boys" with "no surprises". He stated, "Please could they deliver another chorus? There needs to be some proof of pop elegance if Tennant's irony and aloofness is going to sound anything other than smarmy, sickly and sad. A plastic veneer smothers the disco beat, the strings from their last single remain and the 'Suburbia'-style shock of keyboards that sets up the tawdry chorus suggests ideas are running dry."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dudfield |first=Simon |date=19 October 1991 |title=Singles |magazine=New Musical Express |page=25}}</ref>
==Track listings== * '''UK 7-inch: Parlophone / R 6301''' # "DJ Culture" # "Music for Boys"
* '''UK cassette: Parlophone / TCR 6301'''{{refn|group=tracknote|name=cassette|Tracks are repeated on sides A and B.}} # "DJ Culture" # "Music for Boys"
* '''UK 12-inch: Parlophone / 12R 6301''' # "DJ Culture" (extended mix) # "Music for Boys" # "Music for Boys" (Part 2/Ambient mix)
* '''UK CD: Parlophone / CDR 6301''' # "DJ Culture" # "Music for Boys" # "DJ Culture" (extended mix)
'''DJ Culturemix'''{{refn|group=tracknote|Track 2 is a remix by Altern-8. Track 3 is an orchestra medley featuring "It's a Sin", "Being Boring", "Opportunities", "So Hard", "Jealousy", "Suburbia", "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?", "What Have I Done To Deserve This?", and "West End Girls".}} * '''UK 12-inch: Parlophone / 12RX 6301''' * '''UK cassette: Parlophone / TCRX 6301'''{{refn|group=tracknote|name=cassette}} * '''UK CD: Parlophone / CDRX 6301''' # "DJ Culturemix" – 5:51 # "Music for Boys" (Part 3) – 5:37 # "Overture to ''Performance''" – 6:15
'''Notes''' {{reflist|group=tracknote}}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from the liner notes of the CD single of "DJ Culture".<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=DJ Culture|author=Pet Shop Boys|date=1991|type=liner notes|publisher=Parlophone|id=CDR 6301}}</ref>
'''Additional musicians''' *Greg Bone – guitar *Andy Duncan – percussion *Tessa Niles – additional vocals *DJ Reckless – scratching *Scott Davidson – programming
'''Technical personnel''' *Pet Shop Boys – production *Brothers in Rhythm – production *Stephen Hague – mixing, additional production *Paul Wright – engineering
'''Artwork''' *Mark Farrow/3a/PSB – design *Eric Watson – photography
==Charts== {{col-begin|width=74%}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for "DJ Culture" ! scope="col"| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position |- ! scope="row"| Australia (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://i.imgur.com/oyPN1pW.jpg |title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry (submitted to charts.mail@aria.com.au), received 15 July 2015 |access-date=2 August 2015 |via=Imgur |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716153430/http://i.imgur.com/oyPN1pW.jpg |archive-date=16 July 2015}}</ref> | 130 |- ! scope="row"| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/91/MM-1991-11-09-OCR-Page-0035.pdf |title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles |magazine=Music & Media |volume=8 |issue=45 |date=9 November 1991 |page=35 |oclc=29800226 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> | 25 |- ! scope="row"| Europe (European Hit Radio)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-11-23.pdf|title=European Hit Radio|magazine=Music & Media|issue=47|volume=8|date=23 November 1991|page=31|access-date=17 November 2025}}</ref> | 20 |- ! scope="row"| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)<ref>{{cite book |last=Pennanen |first=Timo |title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 |language=fi |edition=1st |location=Helsinki |publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava |year=2006 |page=233 |isbn=978-951-1-21053-5}}</ref> | 6 |- {{single chart|Germany|19|songid=2337|artist=Pet Shop Boys|song=DJ Culture|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2020}} |- {{single chart|Ireland2|7|song=DJ Culture|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2020}} |- {{single chart|Sweden|17|artist=Pet Shop Boys|song=DJ Culture|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2020}} |- {{single chart|Switzerland|21|artist=Pet Shop Boys|song=DJ Culture|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2020}} |- {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|13|artist=Pet Shop Boys|artistid=26802|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2020}} |- ! scope="row"| UK Airplay (''Music Week'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-09.pdf|title=Top 50 Airplay Chart|magazine=Music Week|date=9 November 1991|page=16|access-date=17 October 2025}}</ref> | 7 |- ! scope="row"| UK Dance (''Music Week'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-23.pdf|title=Top 60 Dance Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=23 November 1991|page=22|access-date=17 September 2025}}</ref> | 49 |- {{single chart|Billboarddancesales|13|artist=Pet Shop Boys|rowheader=true|access-date=23 October 2020|refname="US chart"|note=with "Music for Boys"}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Year-end chart performance for "DJ Culture" ! scope="col"| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Sweden (Topplistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammotex.se/topp91singlar.htm|title=Årstopplistan 1991, Singlar|publisher=Grammotex|language=sv|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010225020647/http://www.grammotex.se/topp91singlar.htm|archive-date=25 February 2001|access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref> | 90 |} {{col-end}}
==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release dates and formats for "DJ Culture" ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Label(s) ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref(s).|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2"| United Kingdom | 14 October 1991 | {{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} | rowspan="2"| Parlophone | align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/product/single/dj-culture|title=DJ Culture|website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=14 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="release">{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-10-12.pdf|magazine=Music Week|page=25|date=12 October 1991|via=World Radio History}}</ref> |- | 11 November 1991 | {{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette ("DJ Culturemix")}} | align="center"| <ref name="remix release">{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-09.pdf|page=21|date=9 November 1991|via=World Radio History}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| Australia | 18 November 1991 | {{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}} | {{hlist|Parlophone|EMI}} | align="center"| <ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Release Summary – Product Available from : 18/11/91: Singles|magazine=The ARIA Report|issue=95|page=21|date=17 November 1991}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| Japan | 20 November 1991 | Mini-CD | EMI | align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/152447/products/270540/1/|title=ペット・ショップ・ボーイズ {{!}} DJカルチャー|trans-title=Pet Shop Boys {{!}} DJ Culture|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> |}
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/lyrics/dj-culture Lyrics: DJ Culture]
{{Pet Shop Boys singles}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1991 singles Category:1991 songs Category:EMI Records singles Category:Music videos directed by Eric Watson (photographer) Category:Parlophone singles Category:Pet Shop Boys songs Category:Songs written by Chris Lowe Category:Songs written by Neil Tennant