“Cricket Wife” foi composta em arranjos orquestrais de uma peça instrumental escrita por Chris e fragmentos de um poema que Neil havia escrito durante o período de lockdown da Covid-19. Uma composição lutuosa, um libreto dramático, um lançamento diferente dos padrões Pet Shop Boys. Neil e Chris normalmente costumam lançar o gênero clássico e as trilhas sonoras clássicas como "Tennant/Lowe" e nunca como os "Pet Shop Boys".
Eu amo “Cricket Wife” e estou ouvindo bastante. É sensível e emocionante. Nos versos angustiantes e perturbadores, o medo do futuro, a morte e a saudade. Em cima de todo melodrama, os Pet Shop Boys deixam uma mensagem bonita de esperança sobre um ciclo da vida que se encerra e o começo de um novo.
Criket Wife
Times has stopped
The air is still
Nothing moves
or ever will
Present tense
is future past
Velocity
Slows so fast
The air is still
Nothing moves
or ever will
“I’m going home
I’ve had enough
Call a taxi
I want my stuff
Where are my shoes?
Get me out
I smell a rat”
“I can`t remember
Why or when
They brought me here
But this is then
And then is now”
A sudden sigh
“And now it’s late
and where am I?
Where am I?
A sudden sigh
“Where am I?”
“Where are my shoes?
My coat? My hat?
Just get me out
I smell a rat”
...
“I can`t remember
Why or when
They brought me here
But this is then
And then is now”
A sudden sigh
A sudden sigh
“And now it’s late
and where am I?”
A sudden sigh
“And now it’s late
and where am I?”
...
Another sigh
Then sleep to dream
Laughing, flying
from the scene
I saw you clearly
in my mind
fly and leave it
all behind
Bones and blood
and anxious anger
replaced in space
by girlish laughter
Then sleep to dream
Laughing, flying
from the scene
I saw you clearly
in my mind
fly and leave it
all behind
Bones and blood
and anxious anger
replaced in space
by girlish laughter
A sunny day
His turn to bat
The cricket wives
sip tea and chart
“That’s that! He’s out
Not such a bad innings
They still have a fair enough
chance of winning”
His boyish smile
She understands him
His lack of guile
Her soul demands him
He packs his bat
They’re off together
And that was that
And is forever
His turn to bat
The cricket wives
sip tea and chart
“That’s that! He’s out
Not such a bad innings
They still have a fair enough
chance of winning”
His boyish smile
She understands him
His lack of guile
Her soul demands him
He packs his bat
They’re off together
And that was that
And is forever