Love for Opportunities

[telys]

I've always had a somewhat complicated relation to Opportunities. Firstly, I never really liked the title in brackets (Let's make lots of money). Secondly, I liked the version on Disco from the beginning but I found the Please mix a bit too non-melodic. But that has all changed over the years.
Opportunities is one of PSBs best examples of layers of melodies and music which aren't apparent at the first listens. The version on Old Grey Whistle Test brings out the beautiful (and sad) melody.
The original '85-version has a great coda which turns Opportunities into a song in at least three movements.
And then all these new mixes from the Bobby O-esque radio version in 2004 to the latest concert versions and a recent climax with the Tetris version.
Wow, Opportunities is truly one of their great tracks. You could make a long 20 minute opus out of all the melodies and instrumentations, a mid-80s electro symphony.
So, to conclude, I can't see why Opportunities shouldn't be the first track on SMASH. Their first Parlophone single, their first masterpiece.

[dbaseboy]

Opportunities (2nd version) was what got me hooked. The Disco version is amazing but it’s the Montage tour version I personally think is the best. Desperately in need of a new four on the floor mix.

[Nina]

I can't see why Opportunities shouldn't be the first track on SMASH. Their first Parlophone single, their first masterpiece.

So you're suggesting they include both versions of the song on a greatest hits? And a GH designed to expand on Discography

[telys]

I can't see why Opportunities shouldn't be the first track on SMASH. Their first Parlophone single, their first masterpiece.

So you're suggesting they include both versions of the song on a greatest hits? And a GH designed to expand on Discography

Nah, they could just switch the order 1. Opportunities 2. West End girls 3. Love comes quickly. Opportunities has become so famous now that there is no shame in beginning a career spanning GH with it.

[Nina]

I can't see why Opportunities shouldn't be the first track on SMASH. Their first Parlophone single, their first masterpiece.

So you're suggesting they include both versions of the song on a greatest hits? And a GH designed to expand on Discography

Nah, they could just switch the order 1. Opportunities 2. West End girls 3. Love comes quickly. Opportunities has become so famous now that there is no shame in beginning a career spanning GH with it.

But Smash is chronological. By your reckoning they may as well start disc 2 with Go West because it's famous

[TwizzleUK]

I agree with the sentiment of this. There's definitely something unique and deep about 'Opportunities'. On the surface it's about making money, but true fans know it's a satire of 80's Thatcherism much like 'Shopping'. Yet, there's something simplistic yet beautiful in its melody, particularly that wonderful piano intro that always sounds great live - I'm always disappointed if they don't include it at their concerts. I think it's one of the few PSB songs that always sounds better live, and agree that the Montage version is the definitive one. Yet I love it in it's 1985, Disco and single versions. It's certainly stood the test of time.

[DopeFiend]

I've had enough with scheming, and messing around with jerks!

I agree, it's an excellent song. Lots of ways of looking at it too.
I love the uplifting message, 'there's a lot of opportunities'. And just sonically it sounds fantastic.

I think since the Super Bowl commercial the song has seen a real revival. Streaming numbers increasing and the song taking a big crowning place in the Dreamworld setlist, with Neil gaining movement and a full NT stage presence as the audience is enthralled with the energy of the song early in the set.

I'm looking forward to Reel Stories where we'll see the Pets give their reaction to the quirky TV-only Poparound version. Which I still think should be released in some form of a "what could have been" early to mid 80's PSB rarities compilation.

[telys]

So you're suggesting they include both versions of the song on a greatest hits? And a GH designed to expand on Discography

Nah, they could just switch the order 1. Opportunities 2. West End girls 3. Love comes quickly. Opportunities has become so famous now that there is no shame in beginning a career spanning GH with it.

But Smash is chronological. By your reckoning they may as well start disc 2 with Go West because it's famous

Opportunities was released before West End girls.

[Nina]

Nah, they could just switch the order 1. Opportunities 2. West End girls 3. Love comes quickly. Opportunities has become so famous now that there is no shame in beginning a career spanning GH with it.

But Smash is chronological. By your reckoning they may as well start disc 2 with Go West because it's famous

Opportunities was released before West End girls.

The hit version that is most "famous" was not. You're being ridiculous

[tottenhammattspurs]

Opportunities (1986) is what got me. West end Girls (unbelievably) and Love Comes Quickly completely passed 14 year old me by. But the second I heard Opportunities with those little Kraftwerk style "flick" sounds, that was it. Paper round Money went on the 12'' and 7", following week purchased Please, then spend the rest of their year "catching up". 37 years later and I'm still here....

[leesmapman]

Opportunities (1986) is what got me. West end Girls (unbelievably) and Love Comes Quickly completely passed 14 year old me by. But the second I heard Opportunities with those little Kraftwerk style "flick" sounds, that was it. Paper round Money went on the 12'' and 7", following week purchased Please, then spend the rest of their year "catching up". 37 years later and I'm still here....

First time I heard of PSB was when Suburbia was a huge hit which I thought was okay (I was too much focused on Frankie goes to Hollywood's music back then), but here in the Netherlands they re-released Opportunities after that and that was a banger! I bought Please after It's a sin came out, deciding PSB was a band to look into.

[spacewalker]

I love Opportunities, it's one of their greatest hits I've never been tired of. Mood, melody, lyrics, Neil's intonation ('Do you want to be rich?') - everything is perfect here.
Part of its charm for me is how many quite unique versions there are: the original single one, OGWT version, Poparound version, Matrix mix (no 1st verse and coda), Please version, Bobby O demo and its 2003 remake.

[Nickname]

If you pick the "reprise" version of the song and put it together with this, you'll have the full version of it :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unY8bdrbK7I

[Patrick Bateman]

It's the first of their observation songs, writing from the perspective of an imagined character. I was thinking about how Heart is the ultimate example of a sincere, unadulterated emotion, while a lot of their later singles became character studies which were never going to appeal to a broad audience in the same way (Single; Yesterday, when I was mad - even if it's about them; I'm with Stupid; Love is a bourgeois construct) - but Opportunities shows they were doing that from the start.

It's still one of their most hilarious songs.

[telys]

If you pick the "reprise" version of the song and put it together with this, you'll have the full version of it :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unY8bdrbK7I

Yep, but I'd add Dub for Money or Shep's Reprise mix for the full Opporexperience creating a mix of 13 minutes or so. Could be enough.