"Right By Your Side" by Eurythmics

Song#:  1985
Date:  07/21/1984
Debut:  67
Peak:  29
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Synthpop



Pop Bits:  After a set of dark and edgy new wave singles that included the the #4 "Here Comes the Rain Again," the duo unleashed this joyous, calypso-leaning tune that served as the third single from their album Touch. The tune had already been a hit in the UK where it got to #10, but it didn't do quite that well in the US. The song struggled to reach the Top 30 and couldn't do any better at Dance (#32) or AC (#38). However, by this time the album was already a #7 platinum hit.

ReduxReview:  This is a fun track that showed the duo in a completely different light. Not everything they did had to be so serious and intense. The song was a welcome breath of fresh air. I loved the tune when I first heard it on the album, but wasn't so sure it would do so well as a single. The UK embraced it, but I had doubts that US pop listeners would latch on to the quirky calypso sound. It ended up not doing too bad hitting the Top 30. While I prefer their darker tunes, I still enjoy hearing this once in a while.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  As a quick follow-up to the Touch album, the band's label, RCA, decided to release a remix EP of songs from the album. It featured remixes of four tracks from Touch that were not issued as singles, plus three instrumental versions. Heading up the remixes were noted producers Jellybean Benitez (Madonna) and Francois Kevorkian. Titled Touch Dance, the collection would reach #19 on the US Dance chart. It also did fairly well in the UK where it got to #31 on the Album chart. On the US Album chart it could only manage a #115 showing.

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