"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics

#1 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Rated 10 Alert!

Song#:  1449
Date:  05/14/1983
Debut:  90
Peak:  1 (1 week)
Weeks:  26
Genre:  New Wave, Synthpop



Pop Bits:  As part of The Tourists, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart got a little taste of success when their remake of "I Only Wanna Be with You" reached #4 in the UK (#83 US). But after three albums, the band fizzled out when inner turmoil and musical direction disagreements arose. Lennox and Stewart then decided to set out on their own as a duo and Eurythmics was born. They signed with RCA and issued their debut album "In the Garden." The album was not a success. The duo then recorded and released three singles in the UK, but none of them really took off. In January of '83, they put out one more single - this title track to their second album. The propulsive song and its intriguing video was the one that would make them stars. After hitting #2 in the UK, the single gained ground in the US where it would make it to the top of the Pop chart (#2 Dance, #16 Rock, #36 AC). Eurythmics were finally off and running. The success got them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

ReduxReview:  I'll say it right now - Annie Lennox is tha shizzle. I fell head over heels for her when this song came out and I still worship her. She is a great musician and songwriter, a cool human being, smart as a whip, and she is a force to be reckoned with on stage (if you don't believe me, check out last year's Grammy performance). Combined with the brilliant Dave Stewart, the pair quickly became an absolute favorite of mine. This song hit me full-tilt boogie. It was like a slap across the face. The beat, the synths, and the arrangement were all done to perfection, but it was Lennox's intense voice that sold the song. And then the video. Holy crap. There was nothing like it on MTV up to that point with Lennox creating an indelible image in that suit and short orange hair brandishing that pointer (and the cow - don't forget the cow). This song was all it took to make me a life-long fan. A true classic from the era.

ReduxRating:  10/10

Trivia:  The duo's name comes from the Dalcroze Eurythmic method of teaching music to young students. It uses movement (such as walking, using hands and feet, or even passing around a ball) to help define and understand musical rhythm, structure, and expression. This is usually done before students encounter written forms of music. Annie Lennox had experienced the method as a child.

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