Minimal (song)
2006 single by Pet Shop Boys
title: "Minimal (song)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2006-singles", "2006-songs", "parlophone-singles", "pet-shop-boys-songs", "song-recordings-produced-by-trevor-horn", "songs-written-by-chris-lowe", "songs-written-by-neil-tennant"] description: "2006 single by Pet Shop Boys" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal_(song)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 2006 single by Pet Shop Boys ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Minimal |
| cover | PetShopBoys Minimal.JPG |
| border | yes |
| type | single |
| artist | Pet Shop Boys |
| album | Fundamental |
| B-side | |
| released | |
| * Electropop<ref name | "Elliott 2024" |
| *synth-pop<ref name | "Pitchfork 2006" |
| label | Parlophone |
| producer | Trevor Horn |
| prev_title | I'm with Stupid |
| prev_year | 2006 |
| next_title | Numb |
| next_year | 2006 |
| misc | |
| :: |
| name = Minimal | cover = PetShopBoys Minimal.JPG | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = Pet Shop Boys | album = Fundamental | B-side = | released = | recorded = | studio = | genre =
- Electropop
- synth-pop | length =
- 4:21 (album version)
- 3:38 (radio edit) | label = Parlophone | writer =
- Neil Tennant
- Chris Lowe | producer = Trevor Horn | prev_title = I'm with Stupid | prev_year = 2006 | next_title = Numb | next_year = 2006 | misc =
"Minimal" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their ninth studio album, Fundamental (2006). It was released on 24 July 2006 as the album's second single. "Minimal" reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the duo's 37th top-20 entry in the United Kingdom, and it was the number five Hot Dance Club Play Track of 2007 on Billboard's year-end chart. The B-side "In Private" is a new version of a song originally written for Dusty Springfield, this time recorded as a duet between Neil Tennant and Elton John and remixed by Stuart Crichton.
Background
"Minimal" was originally announced as the first single to precede the release of Fundamental. It was Parlophone's preferred lead single after the Pet Shop Boys' suggestion of "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show" was rejected. "I'm with Stupid" was ultimately chosen for the leadoff spot, with "Minimal" as the second single.
The lyrics, built around a chant of "M-I-N-I-M-A-L", are an abstract description of expressions of minimalism, such as "more is less" and "an empty box, an open space". This is contradicted by the upbeat, busy instrumentation and production.
Music video
The music video for "Minimal" was directed by Don Cameron and filmed in Paris. It features a pair of dancers (Keir and Thailai Knight) manoeuvering to form the letters of the chorus, while Tennant and Lowe perform in front of a light display.
Track listings
- UK CD single (CDR 6708)
- "Minimal" (radio edit) – 3:38
- "In Private" (7-inch mix) – 4:13
- UK CD maxi single (CDRS 6708)
- "Minimal" (radio edit) – 3:38
- "Minimal" (Tocadisco's Sunday at Space Remix) – 8:00
- "Minimal" (M Factor Remix) – 8:45
- "Minimal" (U-MYX software)
- UK DVD single (DVDR 6708)
- "Minimal" (Telex Hell mix) – 6:18
- "Blue on Blue" – 3:13
- "No Time for Tears" (7-inch mix) – 3:38
- "Minimal" (music video)
-
UK 7-inch single (R 6708) :A. "Minimal" (radio edit) – 3:38 :B. "In Private" (7-inch mix) – 4:13
-
UK promotional CD maxi single (00946 371144 2 1)
- "Minimal" (radio edit) – 3:40
- "Minimal" (Tocadisco's Sunday at Space Mix) – 8:04
- "Minimal" (M Factor mix) – 8:49
- "Minimal" (M Factor dub) – 7:44
- "Minimal" (Tiga's M-I-N-I-M-A-L remix) – 5:38
- "Minimal" (Tiga's M-I-N-I-M-A-L dub) – 5:38
- "Minimal" (Superchumbo's Light & Shade dub) – 8:28
- "Minimal" (Telex Hell remix) – 6:19
- "Minimal" (Telex Heaven remix) – 4:29
- "In Private" (Tomcraft 7-inch mix) – 3:51
Additional remixes
The maxi-CD of "Minimal" featured the U-MYX software which allowed people to create their own remixes. On 25 July, Chris Lowe created a new version of the track titled "Chris Lowe Summer Mix" using the software and uploaded it onto the U-MYX website.
A remix of "Minimal" by Lobe is on the limited edition bonus CD of Fundamental, Fundamentalism. A remix by Radio Slave appeared on the B-side of a promotional 12-inch with two remixes of "Psychological" on the A-side by Ewan Pearson. These were part of the "Numb" promotion.
Charts
::data[format=table title="Chart performance for "Minimal""] | Chart (2006) | Peak position | |---|---| ::
References
References
- (22 July 2006). "New Releases: Singles".
- Elliott, Mark. (July 10, 2024). "Best Pet Shop Boys Albums: All 15 Studio Albums, Ranked And Reviewed".
- Abebe, Nitsuh. (May 30, 2006). "Pet Shop Boys - ''Funadmental''". [[Pitchfork (website).
- "Pet Shop Boys Songs and Albums: Full Official Chart History".
- . (22 December 2007). "Billboard Year-End Charts: Hot Dance Club Play Tracks".
- (24 July 2006). "New single out now".
- (5 December 2005). "New album title and release".
- Heath, Chris. (2017). "Fundamental: Further Listening 2005-2007". Parlophone Records.
- (23 June 2006). "Minimal Video".
- Wilson, Emma-Kate. (13 March 2024). "Profile: Don Cameron".
- "Pet Shop Boys: Minimal (Music Video - 2006)".
- (25 July 2006). "Exclusive Chris Lowe Umyx".
- (4 April 2006). "Fundamentalism track-listing".
- "Pet Shop Boys - Psychological (Ewan Pearson remix)".
- "Pet Shop Boys - Numb/Psychological".
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