Christmas (Pet Shop Boys EP)

Christmas
Christmas
EP by Pet Shop Boys
Released	14 December 2009
Genre	Pop; synth-pop;
Length	22:45
Label	Parlophone
Producer	Marius de Vries; Pet Shop Boys; Stuart Price;
Pet Shop Boys chronology

Christmas is an extended play (EP) by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was released on 14 December 2009 by Parlophone.

The EP contains a new version of their exclusive 1997 fan club single "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" and a new version of the track "All Over the World" from their tenth studio album Yes, both of which featured additional production by Marius de Vries. The EP also includes a cover of Madness' song "My Girl", along with a remix of it, as well as a medley of Pet Shop Boys' 1988 song "Domino Dancing" with Coldplay's 2008 song "Viva la Vida".

"All Over the World" was released to radio stations as a promotional recording and was given its first airing on Chris Evans's BBC Radio 2 show on 9 November 2009. "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" followed three weeks later in the first week of December.

Following the release of the EP, "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" entered the UK Singles Chart on 26 December 2009 at number 40, and is to date the last Pet Shop Boys single to have entered the UK top 40.^[1]

The video for "All Over the World" was directed by Blue Leach and features live highlights from the Pandemonium tour. It was posted online a few days prior to the EP's release.

The cover artwork continues the balloon motif from the Brazilian compilation Party.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" (new version)	Neil Tennant Chris Lowe	Marius de Vries Pet Shop Boys	3:51
2.	"My Girl"	Mike Barson	Pet Shop Boys	3:43
3.	"All Over the World" (new version)	Tennant Lowe	de Vries Pet Shop Boys	3:49
4.	"Viva la Vida"/"Domino Dancing"	Guy Berryman Jonny Buckland Will Champion Chris Martin Tennant Lowe	Stuart Price Dave Emery^[a]	5:33
5.	"My Girl" (Our House mix)	Barson	Pet Shop Boys	5:49
Total length:				22:45

Notes

^{^[a]} signifies an assistant producer

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Christmas.^[2]

Musicians

Matt Robertson – new programming, orchestral arrangements (tracks 1, 3)
Jason Boshoff – new programming (tracks 1, 3)
Chris Storr – trumpet solo (tracks 1, 3)
Pete Gleadall – original programming (track 1); programming (tracks 2)
Stuart Price – arrangements (track 4)
Pet Shop Boys – arrangements (track 4)
Marius de Vries – orchestral arrangements (tracks 1, 3)
Perry Montague-Mason – leader of the orchestra (tracks 1, 3)
Jenny O'Grady – choirmaster (tracks 1, 3)

Technical

Pet Shop Boys – original track production (track 1); new production (tracks 1, 3); production (tracks 2, 5); remix (track 5)
Marius de Vries – new production (tracks 1, 3)
Tim Weidner – mixing (tracks 2, 5)
Brian Higgins – original track production (track 3)
Xenomania – original track production (track 3)
Stuart Price – production, mixing (track 4)
Dave Emery – production assistance (track 4)
Gary Thomas – orchestra and choir recording (tracks 1, 3)
Mat Bartram – orchestra and choir recording assistance (tracks 1, 3)
Andy Bradfield – orchestra and choir mixing (tracks 1, 3)
Mo Hausler – orchestra and choir mixing assistance (tracks 1, 3)
Izzy Morley – orchestra and choir mixing assistance (tracks 1, 3)
Tim Young – mastering

Artwork

Farrow – design, art direction
PSB – design, art direction
John Ross – photography

Charts

Chart (2009–2010)	Peak position
France (SNEP)^[3]	60
Germany (GfK)^[4]	35
Scotland (OCC)^[5]	43
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[6]	10
UK Singles (OCC)^[7]	40
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)^[8]	20