Left to My Own Devices


"Left to My Own Devices" is a song recorded by Pet Shop Boys, released as the second single from their third studio album, Introspective. It was also the first track of the album. It is their 9th best-selling hit.
The single fared better than the album's lead single, "Domino Dancing", charting three positions higher in the UK Singles Chart, at Number 4. It became the first track that Pet Shop Boys recorded with an orchestra, arranged by Richard Niles. Since its release, it has become a staple of Pet Shop Boys live performances.

Background and writing

explained the meaning of the track:
As with the other tracks on Introspective, it has a longer version on the album and was edited down to become more radio-friendly when released as a single. This is mainly due to the Pet Shop Boys wanting to be different from every other artist at the time. This is confirmed in the booklet accompanying the 2001 re-release of Introspective, where both Tennant and Lowe state:

Music video

The music video, directed by longtime Pet Shop Boys director, Eric Watson, primarily consists of Tennant and Lowe dancing on an invisible glass floor, with the camera angle facing upwards. Tennant and Lowe are joined by several acrobats who are also seen from the same camera angle. At one point, balloons are also visible. MTV declined to show the video due to its dimly-lit nature.

Track listing

7": Parlophone / R 6198 (UK)

  1. "Left to My Own Devices" – 4:43
  2. "Left to My Own Devices" – 11:28
  3. "The Sound of the Atom Splitting" – 3:37

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Other Countries

's longest weekly video-music programme Pop Saati begins with the intro of the song, which continues from 1987 until today on TRT.