I have always liked The Eurythmics. I was introduced to them, as most people were, through the single “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)” and its corresponding music video. It may have been a bit unusual to see a woman appearing like that int he music video in 1983, but when the band appeared on television in February or March of 1984 the visual image people had of the band was turned on its head. I was hooked.
I was amazed at how Annie Lennox transformed all the time, yet still so recognizable. She never fully inhabited any of these alter egos, they were just costumes she would don for a small time, usually just long enough to have a music video done.
“Would I Lie To You” was the next song that really struck me. Sure there were previous songs that were not only good but major hits for the band, but that song has an underlying ferocity making the message more urgent. One of the things I like about Eurythmics is how each song has its own style. While the genre of music the band participated in is rather broad in the “rock” or possibly even “alternative” there is enough difference on each album to give the listener something to pay attention to.
“Would I Lie To You”
1987’s Savage is, in my opinion, the band’s best album. I could probably write a small book analyzing this release which loosely tells a sort of parallel story about the band. While not a “rock opera” with a specific narrative and plot it is difficult to not see similarities between the character portrayed in the songs and corresponding music videos. The album was also accompanied by a video album which rearranged the song order. The video album makes more of a case for this being a concept album. Sadly it was only ever released on VHS (which of course I still have).
After Savage the band switched record labels and I don’t know if this affected the band or not but their subsequent album We Too Are One did not fare well, at least here. Back “home” in the United Kingdom the album went to number 1 and was more successful than Savage. Unfortunately the duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart succumbed to the stress and pressures of the industry and split up.
Eurythmics as a band would return a decade later with Peace, a fantastic album that recaptured the “magic” sound of their earlier albums featuring some brilliant songs. It was on this tour I finally got to see Eurythmics perform. Their set was cut short because it was in a festival setting and the outdoor venue was interrupted by helicopter noise. Still, I am very glad I was finally able to see them live.
“Beautiful Child”
Sadly the duo never did anything more except a couple of new songs for a greatest hits compilation.
“Was It Just Another Love Affair?”
Even if they remained a studio band it would be nice to have more music from Eurythmics. They may not have changed the musical landscape, but the sure had a good ride turning it on its ear (figuratively speaking, of course). With the gender-bending imagery of Annie Lennox to the sonic landscape provided by Dave Stewart this was a band that perhaps burned too brightly too quickly.