Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) sees reissue of paperback version ‘100 Lyrics and a Poem’ on March 26 via Faber & Faber
Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) sees reissue of paperback version '100 Lyrics and a Poem' on March 26 via Faber & Faber
British synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys will see a new paperback edition of “100 Lyrics and a Poem” by vocalist and main lyricist Neil Tennant published on 26 March 2026 by Faber & Faber as part of its lyrics list.
Tennant has signed 600 copies of the paperback as well, of these, 200 copies are allocated to fans who pre-ordered through the Pet Shop Boys online store, with the remaining signed copies destined for independent bookshops in the UK. A dedicated order page for the signed edition is available via the Pet Shop Boys store.
“100 Lyrics and a Poem” first appeared in 2018 as a hardback volume collecting one hundred Pet Shop Boys lyrics written by Tennant between 1979 and 2016, plus a single poem. The texts are arranged alphabetically and accompanied by short commentaries in which Tennant explains context, themes, or recording details for each song.
The 2026 paperback adds the new Jon Savage introduction. Over four decades of releases with Pet Shop Boys, Tennant’s lyrics have covered subjects including urban life, social class, politics, and relationships, often reflecting the group’s shifts from mid-1980s club singles to later concept albums and soundtrack work.
The book follows earlier printed material around the band, such as the 1991 tour chronicle “Pet Shop Boys, Literally” and other biographies, but is the first volume to present Tennant’s lyrics as a standalone body of work.
In related news, Pet Shop Boys also announce the 2026 edition of “Annually” (the 64-page, hardback book which PSB publish every year) which will be published on 16th April. It is now available to pre-order.
The 64-page, hardback book will include:
- Archive: A history of the Pet Shop Boys in 20 objects. Chris and Neil talk about a selection of random but revealing items pulled from their studio basement.
- Chris Heath documents PSB’s summer weekend in Warwickshire during which they performed Dreamworld Live at historic Warwick Castle.
- A feature on an iconic 80s moment
- Plus exclusive photographs, fan letters answered, news and more.
About Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981 by vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe. Tennant had previously worked as a journalist and assistant editor for Smash Hits magazine, while Lowe had studied architecture; their shared interest in disco, electronic pop, and club culture influenced the project from the outset.
The duo’s debut single “West End Girls” was first issued in 1984 and re-recorded in 1985, becoming a number-one single in the UK, the US and Canada. It was followed by the debut album “Please” in March 1986 and “Actually” in September 1987, both released through Parlophone. Subsequent albums “Introspective” (1988), “Behaviour” (1990) and “Very” (1993) extended their mix of club-oriented production and chart-oriented songwriting, often accompanied by large-scale stage productions and visual collaborations.
Through the mid-1990s and 2000s, albums such as “Bilingual” (1996), “Nightlife” (1999), “Release” (2002), “Fundamental” (2006) and “Yes” (2009) documented shifts towards Latin-influenced pop, reflective ballads and politically charged material, while maintaining a consistent chart presence across Europe. From 2013 onwards they released “Electric”, “Super” (2016) and “Hotspot” (2020) on their own x2 imprint, distributed via major labels, and in April 2024 issued their fifteenth studio album “Nonetheless”.
In 2019 they released the political single “Give Stupidity A Chance”). It’s a political satire about modern populist leaders, especially Donald Trump and UK Brexit politicians like Michael Gove. It was released as the opening track of the EP “Agenda”, which collects four political songs that didn’t fit on the album “Hotspot.”
Pet Shop Boys have released multiple compilations, remix albums, soundtracks and live recordings, and have worked across theatre, film and ballet. They also collaborated with acts such as Soft Cell on “Purple Zone”, Jean-Michel Jarre, Gary Numan, Drake and Bronski Beat.
As of the mid-2020s the duo toured with the “Dreamworld – The Greatest Hits Live” production and released new material, including the 2025 remix album “Disco 5”.
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