Eurythmics combine a striking appeal of outstanding singing, songwriting, and production with a unique visual style.  With roots in art-house cinema, the duo blended satire, parody, and social commentary, along with incisive takes on interpersonal relationships, to redefine the possibility of the music video medium.  Along the way they influenced a generation of musicians and video directors.  Explore the groundbreaking and visionary music, imagery, and video work of Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart – Eurythmics.

In the Garden – 1981

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Never Gonna Cry Again

Eurythmics' debut album "In The Garden" was released on October 16, 1981. Produced by Conny Plank (Kraftwerk, CAN), the album features members of CAN, Clem Burke of Blondie, and Robert Gorl. The album was not a commercial success and only one promo video was filmed, "Never Gonna Cry Again", despite two singles being released, the other entitled "Belinda". Although not indicative of Eurythmics' sound moving forward, the new-wave, psychedelic-tinged album has gone on to significant critical acclaim in recent years, noted especially for Dave Stewart's intricate guitar arrangements and Annie Lennox's ethereal vocals. Standout tracks include "Take Me To Your Heart", "Belinda", "Caveman Head" and "Never Gonna Cry Again".

Album Liner Notes

To date, the video for "Never Gonna Cry Again" remains commercially unavailable, though available to view on YouTube. Brief footage from it can also be seen during the performance of the song “Jennifer” on the "Sweet Dreams" home video album. The video, filmed in 1981, features Dave and some other odd characters at the seaside while Annie sings about her broken heart. This is an arty, Fellini-like clip with odd images, people and symbolism. Some subtle ideas from this video appear to have resurfaced later in the “Here Comes The Rain Again” video.

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Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – 1982

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Sweet Dreams

(Are Made Of This)

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Love Is A Stranger

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The Walk

Touch – 1983

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Who’s That Girl?

 
 
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Here Comes The Rain Again

right by your side
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Right By Your Side

 
 

1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) – 1984

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Sexcrime (1984)

Eurythmics contributed a moody electronic score for Michael Radford's film adaptation of George Orwell's novel "1984". Released November 12, 1984, the album contains some of the duo's most ground-breaking electronic musical experimentation and is notable for its early use of ambient and house techno music stylings. The album gained a considerable cult following in underground dance culture in the 1980s. In addition to the instrumentals on the album, there are several vocal songs, two of which were released as singles, the controversial "Sexcrime (1984)" and "Julia". Despite controversy in the U.S., the former was a successful hit single and both songs were accompanied by music video clips. For further exploration of this album, listen to our podcast on this site.

Album Liner Notes

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Julia

Be Yourself Tonight – 1985

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Would I Lie To You?

Moving from an electronic style to a fully-fleshed band sound, "Be Yourself Tonight" featured the break-out single "Would I Lie To You?", a 60's-inspired R&B stomper that has been described as modern-day "Hit The Road Jack". Released April 29, 1985, it was the duo's most commercially successful album in the U.S., spawning four hit singles, all accompanied by cutting-edge videoclips. The album includes Eurythmics' iconic duet with Aretha Franklin - "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves". Other guests on the album include Stevie Wonder (playing harmonica on the UK #1 smash "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)", and Elvis Costello.

Album Liner Notes

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There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)

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Sisters Are Doin’ It
For Themselves

Dave and Annie's unique video style can be traced back to many art and independent films. The video for the 1985 single "There Must Be An Angel" pays tribute to the opening scene of Ken Russell's controversial film "The Devils." The story is set in the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV of France (played by Dave Stewart), and Annie Lennox is the angelic chanteuse brought in to entertain His Majesty. For awhile it seems that the King is bored with the performance, but as the song reaches its crescendo he becomes enraptured, and at the end praises the singer, lavishing her with extravagant gifts to show his appreciation.

Video Notes

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It’s Alright
(Baby’s Coming Back)

Revenge – 1986

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When Tomorrow Comes

Intended as a showcase for the massive worldwide Revenge Tour, this album was released on June 30, 1986 and features the band experimenting with a more AOR-type sound. Songs such as the stunning electro-blues rocker "Missionary Man" (a Grammy winner for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1987 Grammy Awards), the post-modern girl group romp and Blondie-nod "Thorn In My Side" and the sad, but hopeful guitar-driven "When Tomorrow Comes" made "Revenge" Eurythmics' biggest-selling album worldwide, helped along by the hugely successful Revenge tour.

Album Liner Notes

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The Miracle of Love

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Missionary Man

The amazing video for the hit single "Missionary Man", called "ultra-sensual" by Rolling Stone magazine, finds Dave, Annie and the band performing in "hell" and is a tongue-in-cheek look at the wages of sin. Biblical imagery such as an apple and a snake make appearances and Dave plays a creator-type figure, making Annie in his laboratory and then in the end sentencing her to "hell" for all the things she's done. Experimental and advanced for its time, the omission of key frames from the final cut of the video resulted in the visually stunning robotic-like motions of Annie, Dave and the band. Annie's Emma Peel-style leather catsuit made video and fashion waves at the time, and the song, with its groundbreaking new-wave and blues hybrid, still really hasn't been equaled.  Filmed in Los Angeles in Spring 1986. Directed by Willy Smax

Video Notes

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Thorn In My Side

Savage – 1987

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Beethoven
(I Love To Listen To)

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I Need A Man

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You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart

We Too Are One – 1989

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Don’t Ask Me Why

Released September 11, 1989, "We Too Are One" was to be Eurythmics' last studio album before a hiatus of ten years. A massive world-wide success, the album went to #1 in the UK and worldwide contained five singles, "Revival", "The King & Queen of America", "Don't Ask Me Why" "Angel", and "My My (Baby's Gonna Cry)", all accompanied by cutting-edge videos. In the U.S., it was the duo's first album on Arista Records after their contract with RCA Records expired. The album's sophisticated pop/rock sound foreshadowed Annie Lennox's solo album "Diva" in 1992. In the Fall of 1989, the band embarked on the successful world-wide "Revival Tour" to promote the album, ending with a date in Rio de Janeiro on January 25, 1990, the last live date Eurythmics would play for almost 10 years.

Album Liner Notes

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Angel

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My My
(Baby’s Gonna Cry)

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The King & Queen
of America

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Revival

Peace – 1999

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17 Again

Eurythmics reunited in 1999 to record their last proper studio album "Peace". In the years between "We Too Are One" and "Peace", Annie Lennox had become a huge world-wide solo star due to the massive popularity of her two albums "Diva" and "Medusa". Released October 19, 1999, and supported by a limited world tour called "Peacetour", the album was a commercial and critical success, and certified Gold in the U.S. and Platinum in Europe. Three singles, "17 Again", "I Saved The World Today" and "Peace Is Just A Word" became significant world-wide hits for the band. Two videos were filmed to promote the album, "17 Again" and "I Saved The World Today". The album, with its orchestral rock and pop stylings, proved that even after almost 10 years apart, the unique Eurythmics' chemistry remained and the duo's songwriting was as strong as ever.

Album Liner Notes

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I Saved The World Today

Ultimate Collection – 2005

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I’ve Got A Life

Although a Greatest Hits compilation was released in 1991, it wasn't until 2005 that all of Eurythmics back catalog was remastered and reissued on CD. The new greatest hits compilation featured two new songs "I've Got A Life" and "Was It Just Another Love Affair?", the former of which became a #14 hit in the UK and a #31 hit in the US. A stunning videoclip for "I've Got A Life" was also released - the first new Eurythmics video in 6 years. Ultimate Collection reached triple platinum status in the UK. A companion DVD was released with the same name, containing the new videoclip "I've Got A Life" and the previously unreleased "I Saved The World Today" from "Peace", but curiously omitting all of the videoclips from both the "1984" and "We Too Are One" albums as well as the videoclip "Beethoven" from "Savage".

Album Liner Notes

"I've Got A Life" was the first new video from Eurythmics in nearly six years and is directed by Matthew Rolston. Annie Lennox ushers us through a parade of memorable images from Eurythmics' video past, elegantly strutting past flickering television monitors. As the tempo picks up, we are suddenly transported via disco ball to a pulsating electro-dance hall where Annie and Dave Stewart are performing, surrounded by dancers representing people from all walks of life. The video cuts back and forth between the performance and Annie in the room of monitors, still flickering with those iconic images. As the clip ends, Annie slowly walks away, back turned to the audience, and just as she is about to exit, looks back at us with all her natural authority.

Video Notes