"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" is the third single from Pet Shop Boys' album Behaviour. It was released in the UK as a double A-side with "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)" by Parlophone Records on 11 March 1991. It was subsequently released as a single in its own right in the United States and France. The single later peaked at a low number 93 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

As "Being Boring" and "It's Alright" were not released in the US, tracks from these releases were used on a number of the American releases.

Of interest to collectors, EMI USA commissioned dance DJ David Morales to create 5 remixes that were released to clubs and DJs on a limited promotion 12". Morales would later work with the duo co-writing and co-producing the 1999 single "New York City Boy".

Neil Tennant later said that the track 'was inspired by a female pop star from 1989', it is strongly believed that the inspiration was in fact Transvision Vamp frontwoman Wendy James.

Below is a listing of formats which featured "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" as the main song. Additional track listings can be found on the page about "Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes off You)".

"How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" was heavily remixed for single release. The version used for the music video was also released on 7-inch vinyl and cassette-single. Due to its playing time of 4:10 minutes, it is often confused with the similar "Perfect Attitude mix", which has an identical playing time, but a different introduction.

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