Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
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“It’s a Sin” is a Pet Shop Boys' classic that describes Tennant’s Catholic upbringing and education at St Cuthbert’s High School. It is a critique of religion as it makes people believe that anything pleasurable is a sin. It uses religious imagery throughout to reinforce the feel of the song.
[Intro]
"Twenty seconds and counting
T minus fifteen seconds, guidance is internal"
[Verse 1]
When I look back upon my life
It's always with a sense of shame
I've always been the one to blame
For everything I long to do
No matter when or where or who
Has one thing in common, too
[Chorus]
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a sin
Everything I've ever done
Everything I ever do
Every place I've ever been
Everywhere I'm going to
It's a sin
[Verse 2]
At school they taught me how to be
So pure in thought and word and deed
They didn't quite succeed
For everything I long to do
No matter when or where or who
Has one thing in common, too
[Chorus]
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a sin
Everything I've ever done
Everything I ever do
Every place I've ever been
Everywhere I'm going to
It's a sin
[Bridge]
Father, forgive me
I tried not to do it
Turned over a new leaf
Then tore right through it
Whatever you taught me
I didn't believe it
Father, you fought me
'Cause I didn't care
And I still don't understand
[Verse 3]
So I look back upon my life
Forever with a sense of shame
I've always been the one to blame
For everything I long to do
No matter when or where or who
Has one thing in common, too
[Chorus]
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a sin
Everything I've ever done
Everything I ever do
Every place I've ever been
Everywhere I'm going to
It's a sin
[Post-Chorus]
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a sin
[Outro]
"Confiteor Deo omnipotenti vobis fratres quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, opere et omissione. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa."
It’s a Sin was written by Chris Lowe & Neil Tennant.
It’s a Sin was produced by Julian Mendelsohn.
Pet Shop Boys released It’s a Sin on Mon Sep 07 1987.
“It' a Sin” is Neil Tennant grappling with his Catholic upbringing in the form of a pop song. He explained in a 2007 interview:
“[It] always seemed to be taught that everything was a sin. Everything you wanted to do was a sin. And so I put that in a song.”