Pet Shop Boys – Love Comes Quickly
A quiet synth-pop heartbreak that still echoes decades later
Released on 24 February 1986 as the second single from Please, “Love Comes Quickly” offered a shift from the swaggering success of West End Girls and introduced a more vulnerable, introspective side of the Pet Shop Boys. Subtle and emotionally restrained, it didn’t top the charts — peaking at No. 19 in the UK — but it’s become a fan favorite and a cornerstone of their reputation as pop’s most quietly profound duo.
A Song of Inevitable Feeling
At its core, “Love Comes Quickly” is about emotional inevitability — how you can brace yourself, build walls, and live independently, but love will still find a way through. “You may not be looking for love… but love comes quickly,” sings Neil Tennant in a detached, almost observational tone. It’s not passionate or pleading — it’s cautionary. Like the calm before a storm you can’t stop.
The simplicity of the lyrics is precisely what gives them weight. There’s no chorus-overload or dramatic key change — just a soft unraveling of guarded emotions, delivered with chilling clarity.
Sleek on the Surface, Raw Underneath
Musically, it’s peak mid-’80s synth-pop minimalism — delicate gliding pads, clean sequencing, a heartbeat pulse of a beat. Stephen Hague’s production is spacious and polished, and a wistful saxophone solo by Andy Mackay (of Roxy Music) gives the song its melancholic edge.
While Shep Pettibone wasn’t involved in the original production, he later turned in extended remixes that found success in clubs. And that’s part of what makes this song so durable — it works whether you’re dancing or heartbroken on a night bus.
Coded Emotion and Quiet Defiance
There’s also a quietly radical undercurrent. At a time when queer themes in mainstream pop were mostly cloaked or ignored, “Love Comes Quickly” struck a deeply emotional chord — particularly in the LGBTQ+ community. Its open vulnerability, refusal to lean into macho posturing, and universal language of longing made it subtly powerful.
Tennant, who would later come out publicly, once reflected that the song’s cover photo — with Chris Lowe in a now-iconic “BOY” cap — felt like their coming-out moment. No labels were needed; the message was there for those who needed it.
Legacy and Resonance
While it didn’t soar up the charts, “Love Comes Quickly” proved that the Pet Shop Boys could deliver emotion without melodrama. It’s appeared on countless compilations and tours, from their 1986 MTV VMA performance to the lush renditions on the Dreamworld and Super tours.
In the Pet Shop Boys’ vast catalog of club bangers, satire-laced singles, and lush concept pieces, this one still whispers something honest and raw. It’s a song for people trying to play it cool — and failing, beautifully.