Eurythmics combined 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
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.
Video Notes
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) – 1982
Touch – 1983
1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) – 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. More analysis of this album can be heard at our podcast on this site.
Album Liner Notes
Be Yourself Tonight – 1985
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 Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder (who plays harmonica on the UK #1 smash "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)", and members of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
Album Liner Notes
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
Revenge – 1986
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
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
Savage – 1987
We Too Are One – 1989
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
Peace – 1999
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" (1992) and "Medusa" (1995).
"Peace", released October 19, 1999, was supported by a limited world tour called "Peacetour", and the album was a commercial and critical success, 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 orchestral rock and pop album proved that even after almost 10 years apart, Eurythmics' amazing songwriting remained, anchored as always by the duo's unique musical imagery.
Album Liner Notes
Ultimate Collection – 2005
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 "17 Again" from the same album. In addition, all of the videoclips from both the "1984" and "We Too Are One" albums, as well as the clip for "Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)" from "Savage" are omitted as well.
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.
