How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?

When Pet Shop Boys set out to create *Behaviour*, they were looking for a sound that moved away from what they had done before. For the song *How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?*, inspiration came from an unexpected place: Bobby Brown's track *Every Little Step*. The idea was to explore *new jack swing*, a genre that was gaining traction at the time. Neil Tennant provided the lyrics, a sharp critique of celebrities who took themselves too seriously, especially those who engaged with global causes superficially. Although asked if he was thinking of Sting when writing it, Tennant clarified that he had several public figures in mind, rather than just one person. In the recording, Tennant experimented with distorted guitar chords, adding a texture different from the usual.

The release of *How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?* had an interesting journey. Originally, it was planned as a standalone single to promote the album *Behaviour*. However, after the modest performance of *Being Boring* on the charts, the duo decided to give it a boost. To do this, the song was remixed by Brothers in Rhythm in a style closer to *ragga*. It was paired with a version of U2's *Where the Streets Have No Name*, which was not from the album, to form a double A-side. This strategic move worked, taking the single to number four in the UK. In the United States, the song had a different path, being released alone in February 1991 and reaching number ten on Billboard's dance singles sales chart. For collectors, DJ David Morales created five exclusive remixes for clubs and DJs, and would later collaborate with the duo in 1999. The image accompanying the single in the US showed Tennant imitating a rock star's pose, a photograph taken by Lawrence Watson at Narita Airport in 1989. The music video, directed by Liam Kan, featured street dancers and the Pet Shop Boys themselves in flamboyant outfits, including an Elvis Presley suit for Tennant.