BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
NEW 2021 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!
Originally posted March 21, 2017
“Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” is a song by UK duo Pet Shop Boys, released as a single in 1985 and then in 1986, gaining greater popularity in both the United Kingdom and the United States with its second release, reaching number 11 in the UK Singles Chart and number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
The song’s indirect attack on its subject matter has come to exemplify the Pet Shop Boys as ironists in their songwriting.
This 12″ is for the 1986 re-release which became a worldwide hit and features remixes by noted 1980s producer Shep Pettibone.
Shep Pettibone did not mix “Was That What It Was?”; he was booked to do so but missed his plane, and his manager, Jane Brinton, mixed the song in his absence. It is unknown if Shep Pettibone was consulting the manager over the phone. This fact went unnoticed until Pet Shop Boys revealed it in the liner notes for the Alternative anthology of B-sides and rarities (1995), though Jane Brinton gets a “Thanks to” mention on the 12″ cover.
After a Super Bowl ad featuring the song, it re-entered the Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart at No. 1 on February 20, 2021.
** The original transfer that I did in 2017 had a mastering error in the vinyl that created a 2-second gap of silence at around 4:00 on track B2. I have corrected this error for this transfer.
SIDE A:
Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) (Shep Pettibone Mastermix) 7:18
Engineer [Mix] – Andy Wallace
Producer [Additional Production] – Stephen Hague
Producer [Original Production] – J.J. Jeczalik, Nicholas Froome
Recorded By [New York Overdubs By] – Ron Dean Miller
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Shep Pettibone
Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) (Reprise) 4:27
Engineer [Mix] – Andy Wallace
Producer [Additional Production] – Stephen Hague
Producer [Original Production] – J.J. Jeczalik, Nicholas Froome
Recorded By [New York Overdubs By] – Ron Dean Miller
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Shep Pettibone
SIDE B:
Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) (Original Dance Mix) 6:45
Producer – J.J. Jeczalik, Nicholas Froome
Was That What It Was? 5:14
Mixed By – Shep Pettibone
Mixed By [Uncredited] – Jane Brinton
Producer – Pet Shop Boys
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #10 |
| 1986 | Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | #3 |
| 1986 | Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | #16 |
| 2021 | Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) | U.S. Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI America – S 75146
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: Canada
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Sleeve – Mark Farrow, P.S.B.*
Written-By – N. Tennant-C. Lowe*
NOTES:
A1, A2, and B2 remixed for Mastermix Productions
Find the 12″ at DISCOGS
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Password: burningtheground
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Thanks for this one Paul. I was looking for this issue for years. I haven’t heard it since it came out. Very appreciated
Fantastic. Torero. Very Thanks
Paul this is my absolute favorite of Pet Shop Boys, this is when I discovered them while listening to the top 40 on 3XY in Melbourne on a Saturday night in July 1986. I purchased “1986 Just For Kicks Megamixes” for this song, interestingly their version omits the first 3 seconds of the song.
From what I can see the opposite is the case…the version on ‘Just For Kicks’ is about 10-12 seconds longer (being just under 7 minutes) than on the Canadian 12″ here. Which means the ‘Just For Kicks’ version is the same as on the ‘Further Listening’ disc from the Please remaster CDs.
This is definitely the same version as the one on “1986 Just For Kicks”, This is not the same one as on “Further Listening”
Thanks for these awesome rips, Paul!
This week, Opportunities is #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart.
Shows how timeless great music is.
Hi DJ Paul, Thanks for this. It’s my favorite song from the Pet Shop Boys, and its what got me into their music. I didn’t care for West End Girls, since it was rather plain, and I didn’t like neils voice in that. But with this song, although it took several tries, finally made it through for them. I love all the versions, and the reprise, and the videos too. They were just amazing with the first album. Something that made it special and still relevant to this day. Yes, they are still around and making music for those fans… Read more »
Thanks for the re-rip Paul. I have the 2017 rip and I can’t spot the 2 second gap in B2 you mention…?
Trust me it’s there many people commented about it on the original post.
Reason I couldn’t spot it was it is not 2 seconds. The sound drops out to silence at 04:01.282 for 0.456 of a second. Much shorter than 2 seconds but yes it is there. Cutting the silence out doesn’t correct matters so I guess there is 0.456 of music missing.
Either way, it is corrected I lifted the b2 track from a second 12″ that I own which does not have the dropout, this was only present on the Canadian pressing of the 12″.
Oh wow, I never noticed that the Canadian 12″ had that missing bit of audio. Which 12″ did you use for track B2 on this rip?
I actually like the 2017 rips better because there’s no distortion on the louder “ess” vocals. For example, check the first ess in the vocal “someone who gets things fixed” at 1:27. Maybe there’s some crud stuck on your new stylus?
This song never gets old. Thank you Paul. The original dance mix is my favorite version, and is not the same on the Further Listening discs. It would be so cool if PSB put out an anthology/mixology of their work, released and unreleased mixes/b-sides, I’m sure they could fill a disc or two for each single. I transferred all of my PSB 12″ singles years ago, and I have all of them, (well I may be missing a few of the later ones that were concurrently released on CD) but your work really has an edge and your rips become… Read more »
Thank you for the compliment, Joey. I love that so many like you share my musical taste without that BTG would not exist. 🙂
Great post Paul, Opportunities is one of my favourite PSB tracks, I always enjoy this synth-pop duo on your posts, especially their first three albums, saying that I do love “Absolutely Fabulous” which was from 1994…..Have you seen the video, it features Absolutely Fabulous characters Edina and Patsy (Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) dancing around the Pet Shop Boys, very funny video.
Very good video loved the original version of the song the remixes not so much. I might post the 12″ at some point 🙂
Yes, I didn’t like the remixes too, however, the Hot Tracks mix is to die for! I wish I had the vinyl but I only have it on CD. If I did, I would certainly send you it to do your magic. Hot Track’s mix incorporates the original 7-inch mix with the “Dull Soulless Dance Mix” in a way that is very cool.
Jeff
Many thanks. Love love love the PSB.
You’re welcome 🙂
Thank you Paul!!
You’re welcome 🙂
Thank you Paul!
You’re welcome 🙂
You´re spoiling us, Paul 🙂 First Yello, then the PSB. As you know I am a complete Pethead. My first PSB 12-inch was the original Opportunities dance mix, here to be found on the flipside. I still prefer that version to any other. I am so looking forward to seeing them live in 2022. Hopefully. The boys aren´t getting younger, either, so nobody knows how often we get the chance of seeing them play. I can only recommend attending their concerts. They are pure parties spreading joy and fun. Lots of Depeche Mode fans there, too. Last time I wore… Read more »
I wish the boys would tour the USA I have never gotten to see them live that would such a huge thrill. Is it already your Birthday where you are? If so I hope it is a blast 🙂
Nope. 4 hours to go. It´s 6 past 8pm over here.
Happy Birthday Song And Dance!!!! Please spoil yourself and get spoiled. You deserve it so much.
Jeff
Thanks, Paul! Such an awesome 12″ and song! Also, speaking of 12″ problems, your post of The Cars – Hello Again (Germany 12″) has a problem. On the Hello Again (Extended Remix Version) version at about 0:03 it jumps further into the song. Hopefully whenever you re-rip that you can take a look at that issue, too.
Thanks again for all the hard work!
Thank you, Fred. I will have to look into The Cars 12″ I am not sure if anyone ever told me about that issue. I will have to go grab it out of storage thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Fred, I’ve compared Pauls 2015 rip, his 2010 rip and another from Fun With Vinyl. They all sound the same at 3 seconds in…all sound right not like there’s a jump.
wow first Goldrush & now Opportunities, fantastic Paul!
Thank you, Paul 🙂
This is thrilling to see this again Paul. I love that it was used in a commercial during the Super Bowl and now it’s charting again. Great music can’t be stopped, that for sure!
Thanks so much Paul for this special re-rip.
Jeff
You’re welcome, Jeff. Yes Latin Rascals did work on the original 1985 release of the song 🙂
Love PSBs. Thanks Paul.
You’re welcome, Omar 🙂