fbpx
Wikipedia

Eurythmics

Eurythmics were a British pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They were both previously in The Tourists, a band which broke up in 1980. The duo released their first studio album, In the Garden, in 1981 to little success, but went on to achieve global acclaim when their second album Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), was released in 1983. The title track became a worldwide hit, reaching #2 in the UK Singles Chart and #6 in Australia, before hitting #1 in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100. The duo went on to release a string of hit singles and albums, including "Love Is a Stranger", "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and "Here Comes the Rain Again", before they split up in 1990.

Eurythmics
Eurythmics at Rock am Ring in Nürburgring, Nürburg, West Germany, 1987
Background information
OriginLondon, England[1]
Genres
Years active
  • 1980–1990
  • 1999–2005
  • 2014
  • 2019
  • 2022
Labels
Past members
Websiteeurythmics.com

Stewart became a sought-after record producer, while Lennox began a solo recording career in 1992 with her debut album Diva. After almost a decade apart, Eurythmics reunited to record their ninth album, Peace, released in late 1999. They reunited again in 2005 to release the single "I've Got a Life", as part of a new compilation album, Ultimate Collection.

Eurythmics have sold an estimated 75 million records worldwide.[2] The duo have won an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1984, the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1987, the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 1999, and in 2005 were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. In 2020 both Lennox and Stewart were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[3] In 2022, the duo was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[4]

History

1976–1982: Formation and In the Garden

Lennox and Stewart met in 1975 in a restaurant in London, where Lennox worked at that time.[5] They first played together in 1976 in the punk rock band the Catch. After releasing one single as the Catch in 1977, the band evolved into the Tourists. Stewart and Lennox were also romantically involved. The Tourists achieved some commercial success, but the experience was reportedly an unhappy one. Personal and musical tensions existed within the group, whose main songwriter was Peet Coombes, and legal wrangling happened with the band's management, publishers and record labels. Lennox and Stewart felt the fixed band line-up was an inadequate vehicle to explore their experimental creative leanings and decided their next project should be much more flexible and free from artistic compromise. They were interested in creating pop music, but wanted freedom to experiment with electronics and the avant-garde.

It was in a hotel in Wagga Wagga, Australia, while playing around with a portable mini-synthesizer that Lennox and Stewart decided to become a duo.[6] Calling themselves Eurythmics (after the pedagogical exercise system that Lennox had encountered as a child[citation needed]), they decided to keep themselves as the only permanent members and songwriters, and involve others in the collaboration "on the basis of mutual compatibility and availability". The duo signed to RCA Records. At this time, Lennox and Stewart also split as a couple. During the period that Lennox and Stewart were in The Tourists, and later as Eurythmics, they were managed by Kenny Smith and Sandra Turnbull of Hyper Kinetics Ltd.

They recorded their first album in Cologne with Conny Plank (who had produced the later Tourists sessions). This resulted in the album In the Garden, released in October 1981. The album mixed psychedelic, krautrock and electropop influences, and featured contributions from Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit (of Can), drummer Clem Burke (of Blondie), Robert Görl (of D.A.F.), and flautist Tim Wheater. A couple of the songs were co-written by guitarist Roger Pomphrey (later a TV director). The album was not a commercial success (though the debut single "Never Gonna Cry Again" made the UK charts at No. 63).[7] Lennox and Stewart then activated their new Eurythmics mode of operation by touring the record as a duo, accompanied by backing tracks and electronics, carted around the country by themselves in a horse-box.

During 1982, the duo retreated to Chalk Farm in London and used a bank loan to establish a small eight-track studio above a picture framing factory, giving them freedom to record without having to pay expensive studio fees. They began to employ much more electronics in their music, collaborating with Raynard Faulkner and Adam Williams, recording many tracks in the studio and playing live using various line-up permutations. However, the three new singles they released that year ("This Is the House", "The Walk" and "Love Is a Stranger") all performed badly on initial release in the UK. Although their mode of operation had given them the creative freedom they desired, commercial success still eluded them and the responsibility of personally running so many of their affairs (down to transporting their own stage equipment) took its toll. Lennox apparently suffered at least one nervous breakdown during this period, while Stewart was hospitalised with a collapsed lung.[5]

1983–1984: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) and Touch

MTV has paved the way for a host of invaders from abroad: Def Leppard, Adam Ant, Madness, Eurythmics, the Fixx and Billy Idol, to name a few. In return, grateful Brits, even superstars like Pete Townshend and the Police, have mugged for MTV promo spots and made the phrase "I want my MTV" a household commonplace.

—Anglomania: The Second British Invasion, by Parke Puterbaugh for Rolling Stone, November 1983.[8]

Eurythmics' commercial breakthrough came with their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), released in January 1983. The successful title track featured a dark and powerful sequenced synth bass line and a dramatic video that introduced the now orange crew-cut Lennox to audiences. The song reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart,[7] becoming one of the year's biggest sellers, #6 in Australia, and later topped the Canadian chart and US Billboard Hot 100. The band's fortunes changed immensely from this moment on, and Lennox quickly became a pop icon, gracing the covers of numerous magazines including Rolling Stone. Their previous single, "Love Is a Stranger", was also re-released and became another chart success. The video for the song saw Lennox in many different character guises, a concept she would employ in various subsequent videos. The album's working title was Invisible Hands (as was a track left off the album), inspiring the name of the British independent company Invisible Hands Music – known for releasing music by Hugh Cornwell, Mick Karn and Hazel O'Connor. The album also featured a cover of the 1968 Sam & Dave hit "Wrap It Up", performed as a duet between Lennox and Green Gartside of Scritti Politti.

The duo quickly recorded a follow-up album, Touch, which was released in November 1983. It became the duo's first No. 1 album in the UK, and also spawned three major hit singles. "Who's That Girl?" was a top 3 hit in the UK,[7] the video depicting Lennox as both a blonde chanteuse and as a gender-bending Elvis Presley clone. It also featured cameo appearances by Hazel O'Connor, Bananarama (including Stewart's future wife, Siobhan Fahey), Kate Garner of Haysi Fantayzee, Thereza Bazar of Dollar, Jay Aston and Cheryl Baker of Bucks Fizz, Kiki Dee, Jacquie O'Sullivan and the gender-bending pop singer Marilyn, who would go on to musical success of his own that same year. The upbeat, calypso-flavoured "Right by Your Side" showed a different side of Eurythmics altogether and also made the Top 10, and "Here Comes the Rain Again" (No. 8 in the UK,[7] No. 4 in the US) was an orchestral/synth ballad (with orchestrations by Michael Kamen).

In 1984 RCA released Touch Dance, an EP of remixes of four of the tracks from Touch, aimed at the club market. The remixes were by prominent New York City producers Francois Kevorkian and John "Jellybean" Benitez. Also released in 1984 was Eurythmics' soundtrack album 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother). Virgin Films had contracted the band to provide a soundtrack for Michael Radford's modern film adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. However, Radford later said that the music had been "foisted" on his film against his wishes, and that Virgin had replaced most of Dominic Muldowney's original orchestral score with the Eurythmics soundtrack (including the song "Julia", which was heard during the end credits). Nevertheless, the record was presented as "music derived from the original score of Eurythmics for the Michael Radford film version of Orwell's 1984". Eurythmics charged that they had been misled by the film's producers as well,[9] and the album was withdrawn from the market for a period while matters were litigated. The album's first single, "Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)", was a top 5 hit in the UK,[7] Australia and across Europe, and a major dance success in the United States.

1985–1986: Be Yourself Tonight and new musical direction

 
Annie Lennox performing during Revenge Tour in 1986

The duo's next album, Be Yourself Tonight, was produced in a week in Paris and spent 4 weeks at #1 in Australia. It showcased much more of a "band style" and a centred sound (with an R&B influence), with real drums, brass, and much more guitar from Stewart. Almost a dozen other musicians were enlisted, including members of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, guest harmonica from Stevie Wonder, bass guitar from Dean Garcia, string arrangements by Michael Kamen, and Lennox singing duets with Aretha Franklin and Elvis Costello. It continued the duo's transatlantic chart domination in 1985, and contained four hit singles: "Would I Lie to You?" was a US Billboard top five hit and Australian #1, while "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" (featuring Wonder's harmonica contribution) became their first and only UK #1 single.[7] The feminist anthem "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (a duet with Aretha Franklin, though originally intended for Tina Turner), and "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" also rode high in the charts. In September 1985, Eurythmics performed "Would I Lie to You?" at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.[10]

1986–1990: Revenge, Savage and We Too Are One

 
Dave Stewart at Rock am Ring in West Germany, 1987.

Eurythmics released their next album, Revenge, in 1986. The album continued their move towards a band sound, verging on an AOR-pop/rock sound. Sales continued to be strong in the UK and internationally, but were somewhat slower in the US, though "Missionary Man" reached No. 14 on the US Hot 100 chart and went all the way to No. 1 on the US Album Oriented Rock chart (AOR). Revenge would eventually certify double Platinum in the UK and Gold in the US, and spend 40 weeks in the Australian top 10 where it reached #2. The band went on a massive worldwide tour in support of the album, and a live concert video from the Australian leg of the tour was released.

In 1987, Lennox and Stewart released the album Savage. This saw a fairly radical change within the group's sound, being based mainly around programmed samples and drum loops (Lennox would later say that where Revenge was more of a Stewart album in sound, Savage was more of a Lennox one). Lyrically the songs showed an even darker, more obsessive side to Lennox's writing. A video album was also made, directed by Sophie Muller, with a video for each song. This was largely a concept piece, following characters portrayed by Lennox, specifically one of a frustrated housewife-turned-vamp (as exemplified in "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)", a UK top 30 and Australian #13 hit[7]). The brazen, sexually charged rocker "I Need a Man" remains a Eurythmics staple, as does "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart". Much less commercial than the two previous albums, Savage was mostly ignored in the US, although rock radio in more progressive markets supported "I Need a Man". In the duo's native UK however, the album was a top 10 success and was certified Platinum.

In 1989, Eurythmics released the album We Too Are One, which entered the UK Album Chart at No. 1 (their second No. 1 album after Touch[7]) and gave the duo four UK Top 30 hit singles. The album was a return to the rock/pop sound of their mid-80s albums and was certified Double Platinum in the UK, and reached #7 in Australia, but was less successful in the US (although the single "Don't Ask Me Why" grazed the Billboard Top 40). Other singles from the album included "Revival", "The King and Queen of America" and "Angel". Accompanying the album, the duo conducted their Revival world tour from 8 September 1989 to 25 January 1990.[11][12] Parts of the tour (both on and off-stage) were interspersed with promo videos for Eurythmics' 1990 video album We Two Are One Too.

1990–1998: Hiatus and solo careers

After strenuous years of touring and recording (Eurythmics had released eight studio albums in eight years), a rift had developed between the duo and Eurythmics disbanded, although no formal notice was given. Stewart began writing film soundtracks and had a big international hit in 1990 with the instrumental track "Lily Was Here" (featuring saxophonist Candy Dulfer). The single reached No. 6 in the UK[13] and the Top 20 throughout much of Europe and the US, and top 10 in Australia. A soundtrack of the same name was also released, produced and largely written by Stewart. He formed a band called The Spiritual Cowboys, releasing two albums with this group in the early 1990s. Lennox took time off from her career to have a baby and to consider a life after Eurythmics. Accordingly, the duo had very little communication with each other from 1991 to 1998. In 1991, Eurythmics' Greatest Hits collection was released, entering the UK album chart at No. 1 and spending a total of 10 weeks at that position,[7] plus 7 weeks at #1 in Australia as well as becoming a massive worldwide seller. New remixes of "Sweet Dreams" and "Love Is a Stranger" were also released as singles at this time. During 1993, a live album entitled Live 1983–1989 featuring recordings from various years throughout Eurythmics' career was also released.

In 1992, Lennox released her first solo album, Diva. The album was a critical and popular success, entering the UK album chart at No. 1 and achieving quadruple platinum status (more than any Eurythmics studio album had done), as well as producing a string of five hit singles. She followed this up in 1995 with her second album, Medusa, an album of cover versions. It became her second No. 1 album in the UK, reaching double platinum status both there and in the US.

Stewart, meanwhile, released the solo albums Greetings from the Gutter (1995), and Sly-Fi (1998), but neither was commercially successful.

1999–2005: Peace and Ultimate Collection

 
Stewart and Lennox performing on The Today Show in November 2005.

In the late 1990s, Eurythmics reunited and recorded a new album, Peace, which was released in 1999. The single "I Saved the World Today" reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart,[7] and a remix of "17 Again" gave the duo their first chart-topper on the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The band also embarked on a world tour, dubbed the "Peacetour", to support the album. The tour started on 18 September 1999 at Cologne's Kölnarena and ended on 6 December 1999 at the London Docklands Arena (which was filmed and released on video and DVD). All proceeds from the tour went to Greenpeace and Amnesty International. The year 2000 saw numerous European festival appearances by Eurythmics (at Germany's Rock am Ring, among others). In 2001, Stewart performed with U2 for the America: A Tribute to Heroes benefit concert. In 2002, he collaborated with Bryan Ferry on his album Frantic.

In June 2003, Lennox released her third solo album, entitled Bare, which was a top 5 hit in the UK and the US., with three tracks reaching the top of the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. She also recorded the song "Into the West" for Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, where it appeared as the closing theme and earned Lennox the Academy Award for Best Song. In November 2003, Eurythmics played three songs at the 46664 in Cape Town, South Africa, for which Stewart was one of the primary organisers. They played an unplugged version of "Here Comes the Rain Again", "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour and "Sweet Dreams". Stewart collaborated with The Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger on the soundtrack to the movie Alfie, released in 2004, including the critically acclaimed "Old Habits Die Hard", which won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song from a Motion Picture.

On 7 November 2005, Eurythmics released Ultimate Collection, a remastered greatest hits package with two new songs. One of them, "I've Got a Life", was released as a single and reached No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart[7] as well as spending three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play in the US. Lennox and Stewart appeared on a number of TV shows to promote their new compilation album, which was a Top 5 hit and certified Platinum in the UK. On 14 November 2005, the duo's label, RCA, re-released their eight studio albums in remastered and expanded editions featuring rare B-sides, remixes and unreleased songs. The remasters were made available separately with expanded artwork, and also together in a collector's box set, entitled Boxed. However, the 1984 soundtrack album 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) was not included in this re-release campaign as Virgin Records holds the rights to that album. Also in 2005, Eurythmics were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.[14] In 2007, Lennox resumed her solo career with her fourth album, Songs of Mass Destruction, which was a top 10 success in the UK and the US. In 2009, she released her first solo "greatest hits" package, The Annie Lennox Collection. The same year, Lennox stated that although she and Stewart remain friends, she does not foresee any further Eurythmics projects in the future.[15]

In an interview with Reuters in September 2012, Stewart was quizzed on whether a new Eurythmics album is in the works, to which he replied: "We're not talking about one right now, but never say never." He added that he was considering developing a musical based on the music of Eurythmics.[16]

2014: Reuniting for Beatles tribute concert

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart performed as a duo for "The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles". The event was recorded at the Los Angeles Convention Center on 27 January 2014, the day after the Grammy Awards. They performed The Beatles song "The Fool on the Hill".

2019: Reuniting for Sting's 30th We'll Be Together benefit concert

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, billed as Eurythmics, performed at Sting's 30th We'll Be Together benefit concert in aid of his Rainforest Foundation Fund on 9 December 2019 at New York City's Beacon Theatre. The group played "Would I Lie to You?", "Here Comes the Rain Again", and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", before returning to join in the finale performance of Journey’s "Don't Stop Believin'" along with the night's other performers.[17]

2022: Reuniting for The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart performed as Eurythmics at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California performing "Would I Lie To You", "Missionary Man" and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" as part of The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. They were inducted by U2's The Edge.

Discography

Concert tours

  • Sweet Dreams Tour (1983)
  • Touch Tour (1983–1984)
  • Revenge Tour (1986–1987)
  • Revival Tour (1989–1990)
  • Peace Tour (1999)

Awards

Billboard Music Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1983 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Top Hot 100 Song Nominated [18]
1984 Themselves Top Disco Artist – Duo/Group Nominated [19]
1985 Top Artist Nominated [20]
Top Billboard 200 Artist Nominated
Top Hot 100 Artist Nominated
Top Hot 100 Artist – Duo/Group Nominated
Top Dance Club Play Artist Nominated
Be Yourself Tonight Top Billboard 200 Album Nominated
Top Compact Disk Nominated
"Would I Lie to You?" Top Hot 100 Song Nominated
"Sexcrime" Top Dance Play Single Nominated
1986 Themselves Top Billboard 200 Artist Nominated [21]
Top Hot 100 Artist Nominated

Brit Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1984 Themselves Best British Group Nominated
1986 Be Yourself Tonight Best British Album Nominated
Themselves Best British Group Nominated
1987 Nominated
1990 Nominated
We Too Are One Best British Album Nominated
"Don't Ask Me Why" Best British Video Nominated
1999 Themselves Outstanding Contribution to British Music Won
2010 "There Must Be an Angel" Live Performance of 30 Years Nominated

Grammy Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

Music & Media Year-End Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1987 Themselves Group of the Year Won [26]
  • 1984: Ivor Novello Award – Songwriters of the Year
  • 1987: Ivor Novello Award – Songwriters of the Year
  • 1987: Ivor Novello Award – Best Contemporary Song for "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)"
  • 2000: Silver Clef Award
  • 2000: ASCAP Award for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
  • 2003: Kindred Spirit Music Award
  • 2005: Inducted into UK Music Hall of Fame
  • 2008: ASCAP Award for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
  • 2009: ASCAP Award for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
  • 2010: ASCAP Award for "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"[27]

References

  1. ^ "All Music Guide (Eurythmics profile)". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Annie Lennox champions charity work". walesonline. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  3. ^ "Songwriters Hall Of Fame Announces 2020 Inductees". Songhall.org. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Inductees Announced". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Official Website. 4 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b O'Brien, Lucy (1991). Annie Lennox. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. p. 55. ISBN 0283061219.
  6. ^ "Eurythmics began in Wagga, says Dave Stewart". Smh.com.au. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Official Charts Company – Eurythmics". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  8. ^ "Anglomania: The Second British Invasion". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Eurythmics". Record Collector. Diamond Publishing. January 1992. pp. 14–15.
  10. ^ "1985 MTV Video Music Awards". Mtv.com. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  11. ^ "GIG0251 1989-09-08 : Eurythmics - Point Depot, Dublin, Ireland - Ultimate Eurythmics". Retrieved 11 May 2019. Artist: Eurythmics. Date: 1989-09-08. Tour: Revival. Country: Ireland. Town: Dublin. Venue: Point Depot
  12. ^ "GIG0318 1990-01-25 : Eurythmics - Praça da Apotoese, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - Ultimate Eurythmics". Retrieved 11 May 2019. Artist: Eurythmics. Date: 1990-01-25. Tour: Revival. Country: Brazil. Town: Rio De Janeiro. Venue: Praça da Apotoese
  13. ^ "The Official Charts Company – David A Stewart Featuring Candy Dulfer – Lily Was Here". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  14. ^ "Eurythmics discography – awards". Dnafiles.net. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  15. ^ "No more Eurythmics reunion, says Annie Lennox". Top News. 6 March 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  16. ^ "Eurythmics reunion album could happen, says Dave Stewart – Music News". Digital Spy. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  17. ^ "Eurythmics reunite and perform together for the first time in five years". Smooth Radio. 11 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Rock On The Net: 1983 Billboard Year-End Chart-Toppers". www.rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Rock On The Net: 1984 Billboard Year-End Chart-Toppers". www.rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  20. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (28 December 1985). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 27 April 2020 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  21. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (27 December 1986). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 27 April 2020 – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  22. ^ 1984 MTV Video Music Awards
  23. ^ 1985 MTV Video Music Awards
  24. ^ 1987 MTV Video Music Awards
  25. ^ 1988 MTV Video Music Awards
  26. ^ "Music & Media" (PDF). 26 December 1987. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Awards listed on Annie Lennox website". Annielennox.com. Retrieved 27 September 2014.

External links

  • Official website  

eurythmics, this, article, about, musical, group, system, musical, pedagogy, dalcroze, eurhythmics, movement, eurythmy, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsou. This article is about the musical group For the system of musical pedagogy see Dalcroze eurhythmics For the art movement see Eurythmy This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Eurythmics news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Eurythmics were a British pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart They were both previously in The Tourists a band which broke up in 1980 The duo released their first studio album In the Garden in 1981 to little success but went on to achieve global acclaim when their second album Sweet Dreams Are Made of This was released in 1983 The title track became a worldwide hit reaching 2 in the UK Singles Chart and 6 in Australia before hitting 1 in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100 The duo went on to release a string of hit singles and albums including Love Is a Stranger There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart and Here Comes the Rain Again before they split up in 1990 EurythmicsEurythmics at Rock am Ring in Nurburgring Nurburg West Germany 1987Background informationOriginLondon England 1 GenresSynth pop new wave dance rockYears active1980 1990 1999 2005 2014 2019 2022LabelsArista RCA Sony BMGPast membersAnnie Lennox Dave StewartWebsiteeurythmics wbr comStewart became a sought after record producer while Lennox began a solo recording career in 1992 with her debut album Diva After almost a decade apart Eurythmics reunited to record their ninth album Peace released in late 1999 They reunited again in 2005 to release the single I ve Got a Life as part of a new compilation album Ultimate Collection Eurythmics have sold an estimated 75 million records worldwide 2 The duo have won an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1984 the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1987 the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 1999 and in 2005 were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame In 2020 both Lennox and Stewart were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame 3 In 2022 the duo was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 4 Contents 1 History 1 1 1976 1982 Formation and In the Garden 1 2 1983 1984 Sweet Dreams Are Made of This and Touch 1 3 1985 1986 Be Yourself Tonight and new musical direction 1 4 1986 1990 Revenge Savage and We Too Are One 1 5 1990 1998 Hiatus and solo careers 1 6 1999 2005 Peace and Ultimate Collection 1 7 2014 Reuniting for Beatles tribute concert 1 8 2019 Reuniting for Sting s 30th We ll Be Together benefit concert 1 9 2022 Reuniting for The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2 Discography 3 Concert tours 4 Awards 5 References 6 External linksHistory1976 1982 Formation and In the Garden Lennox and Stewart met in 1975 in a restaurant in London where Lennox worked at that time 5 They first played together in 1976 in the punk rock band the Catch After releasing one single as the Catch in 1977 the band evolved into the Tourists Stewart and Lennox were also romantically involved The Tourists achieved some commercial success but the experience was reportedly an unhappy one Personal and musical tensions existed within the group whose main songwriter was Peet Coombes and legal wrangling happened with the band s management publishers and record labels Lennox and Stewart felt the fixed band line up was an inadequate vehicle to explore their experimental creative leanings and decided their next project should be much more flexible and free from artistic compromise They were interested in creating pop music but wanted freedom to experiment with electronics and the avant garde It was in a hotel in Wagga Wagga Australia while playing around with a portable mini synthesizer that Lennox and Stewart decided to become a duo 6 Calling themselves Eurythmics after the pedagogical exercise system that Lennox had encountered as a child citation needed they decided to keep themselves as the only permanent members and songwriters and involve others in the collaboration on the basis of mutual compatibility and availability The duo signed to RCA Records At this time Lennox and Stewart also split as a couple During the period that Lennox and Stewart were in The Tourists and later as Eurythmics they were managed by Kenny Smith and Sandra Turnbull of Hyper Kinetics Ltd They recorded their first album in Cologne with Conny Plank who had produced the later Tourists sessions This resulted in the album In the Garden released in October 1981 The album mixed psychedelic krautrock and electropop influences and featured contributions from Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit of Can drummer Clem Burke of Blondie Robert Gorl of D A F and flautist Tim Wheater A couple of the songs were co written by guitarist Roger Pomphrey later a TV director The album was not a commercial success though the debut single Never Gonna Cry Again made the UK charts at No 63 7 Lennox and Stewart then activated their new Eurythmics mode of operation by touring the record as a duo accompanied by backing tracks and electronics carted around the country by themselves in a horse box During 1982 the duo retreated to Chalk Farm in London and used a bank loan to establish a small eight track studio above a picture framing factory giving them freedom to record without having to pay expensive studio fees They began to employ much more electronics in their music collaborating with Raynard Faulkner and Adam Williams recording many tracks in the studio and playing live using various line up permutations However the three new singles they released that year This Is the House The Walk and Love Is a Stranger all performed badly on initial release in the UK Although their mode of operation had given them the creative freedom they desired commercial success still eluded them and the responsibility of personally running so many of their affairs down to transporting their own stage equipment took its toll Lennox apparently suffered at least one nervous breakdown during this period while Stewart was hospitalised with a collapsed lung 5 1983 1984 Sweet Dreams Are Made of This and Touch MTV has paved the way for a host of invaders from abroad Def Leppard Adam Ant Madness Eurythmics the Fixx and Billy Idol to name a few In return grateful Brits even superstars like Pete Townshend and the Police have mugged for MTV promo spots and made the phrase I want my MTV a household commonplace Anglomania The Second British Invasion by Parke Puterbaugh for Rolling Stone November 1983 8 Eurythmics commercial breakthrough came with their second album Sweet Dreams Are Made of This released in January 1983 The successful title track featured a dark and powerful sequenced synth bass line and a dramatic video that introduced the now orange crew cut Lennox to audiences The song reached No 2 on the UK Singles Chart 7 becoming one of the year s biggest sellers 6 in Australia and later topped the Canadian chart and US Billboard Hot 100 The band s fortunes changed immensely from this moment on and Lennox quickly became a pop icon gracing the covers of numerous magazines including Rolling Stone Their previous single Love Is a Stranger was also re released and became another chart success The video for the song saw Lennox in many different character guises a concept she would employ in various subsequent videos The album s working title was Invisible Hands as was a track left off the album inspiring the name of the British independent company Invisible Hands Music known for releasing music by Hugh Cornwell Mick Karn and Hazel O Connor The album also featured a cover of the 1968 Sam amp Dave hit Wrap It Up performed as a duet between Lennox and Green Gartside of Scritti Politti The duo quickly recorded a follow up album Touch which was released in November 1983 It became the duo s first No 1 album in the UK and also spawned three major hit singles Who s That Girl was a top 3 hit in the UK 7 the video depicting Lennox as both a blonde chanteuse and as a gender bending Elvis Presley clone It also featured cameo appearances by Hazel O Connor Bananarama including Stewart s future wife Siobhan Fahey Kate Garner of Haysi Fantayzee Thereza Bazar of Dollar Jay Aston and Cheryl Baker of Bucks Fizz Kiki Dee Jacquie O Sullivan and the gender bending pop singer Marilyn who would go on to musical success of his own that same year The upbeat calypso flavoured Right by Your Side showed a different side of Eurythmics altogether and also made the Top 10 and Here Comes the Rain Again No 8 in the UK 7 No 4 in the US was an orchestral synth ballad with orchestrations by Michael Kamen In 1984 RCA released Touch Dance an EP of remixes of four of the tracks from Touch aimed at the club market The remixes were by prominent New York City producers Francois Kevorkian and John Jellybean Benitez Also released in 1984 was Eurythmics soundtrack album 1984 For the Love of Big Brother Virgin Films had contracted the band to provide a soundtrack for Michael Radford s modern film adaptation of George Orwell s Nineteen Eighty Four However Radford later said that the music had been foisted on his film against his wishes and that Virgin had replaced most of Dominic Muldowney s original orchestral score with the Eurythmics soundtrack including the song Julia which was heard during the end credits Nevertheless the record was presented as music derived from the original score of Eurythmics for the Michael Radford film version of Orwell s 1984 Eurythmics charged that they had been misled by the film s producers as well 9 and the album was withdrawn from the market for a period while matters were litigated The album s first single Sexcrime Nineteen Eighty Four was a top 5 hit in the UK 7 Australia and across Europe and a major dance success in the United States 1985 1986 Be Yourself Tonight and new musical direction Annie Lennox performing during Revenge Tour in 1986 The duo s next album Be Yourself Tonight was produced in a week in Paris and spent 4 weeks at 1 in Australia It showcased much more of a band style and a centred sound with an R amp B influence with real drums brass and much more guitar from Stewart Almost a dozen other musicians were enlisted including members of Tom Petty s Heartbreakers guest harmonica from Stevie Wonder bass guitar from Dean Garcia string arrangements by Michael Kamen and Lennox singing duets with Aretha Franklin and Elvis Costello It continued the duo s transatlantic chart domination in 1985 and contained four hit singles Would I Lie to You was a US Billboard top five hit and Australian 1 while There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart featuring Wonder s harmonica contribution became their first and only UK 1 single 7 The feminist anthem Sisters Are Doin It for Themselves a duet with Aretha Franklin though originally intended for Tina Turner and It s Alright Baby s Coming Back also rode high in the charts In September 1985 Eurythmics performed Would I Lie to You at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards at the Radio City Music Hall in New York 10 1986 1990 Revenge Savage and We Too Are One Dave Stewart at Rock am Ring in West Germany 1987 Eurythmics released their next album Revenge in 1986 The album continued their move towards a band sound verging on an AOR pop rock sound Sales continued to be strong in the UK and internationally but were somewhat slower in the US though Missionary Man reached No 14 on the US Hot 100 chart and went all the way to No 1 on the US Album Oriented Rock chart AOR Revenge would eventually certify double Platinum in the UK and Gold in the US and spend 40 weeks in the Australian top 10 where it reached 2 The band went on a massive worldwide tour in support of the album and a live concert video from the Australian leg of the tour was released In 1987 Lennox and Stewart released the album Savage This saw a fairly radical change within the group s sound being based mainly around programmed samples and drum loops Lennox would later say that where Revenge was more of a Stewart album in sound Savage was more of a Lennox one Lyrically the songs showed an even darker more obsessive side to Lennox s writing A video album was also made directed by Sophie Muller with a video for each song This was largely a concept piece following characters portrayed by Lennox specifically one of a frustrated housewife turned vamp as exemplified in Beethoven I Love to Listen To a UK top 30 and Australian 13 hit 7 The brazen sexually charged rocker I Need a Man remains a Eurythmics staple as does You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart Much less commercial than the two previous albums Savage was mostly ignored in the US although rock radio in more progressive markets supported I Need a Man In the duo s native UK however the album was a top 10 success and was certified Platinum In 1989 Eurythmics released the album We Too Are One which entered the UK Album Chart at No 1 their second No 1 album after Touch 7 and gave the duo four UK Top 30 hit singles The album was a return to the rock pop sound of their mid 80s albums and was certified Double Platinum in the UK and reached 7 in Australia but was less successful in the US although the single Don t Ask Me Why grazed the Billboard Top 40 Other singles from the album included Revival The King and Queen of America and Angel Accompanying the album the duo conducted their Revival world tour from 8 September 1989 to 25 January 1990 11 12 Parts of the tour both on and off stage were interspersed with promo videos for Eurythmics 1990 video album We Two Are One Too 1990 1998 Hiatus and solo careers After strenuous years of touring and recording Eurythmics had released eight studio albums in eight years a rift had developed between the duo and Eurythmics disbanded although no formal notice was given Stewart began writing film soundtracks and had a big international hit in 1990 with the instrumental track Lily Was Here featuring saxophonist Candy Dulfer The single reached No 6 in the UK 13 and the Top 20 throughout much of Europe and the US and top 10 in Australia A soundtrack of the same name was also released produced and largely written by Stewart He formed a band called The Spiritual Cowboys releasing two albums with this group in the early 1990s Lennox took time off from her career to have a baby and to consider a life after Eurythmics Accordingly the duo had very little communication with each other from 1991 to 1998 In 1991 Eurythmics Greatest Hits collection was released entering the UK album chart at No 1 and spending a total of 10 weeks at that position 7 plus 7 weeks at 1 in Australia as well as becoming a massive worldwide seller New remixes of Sweet Dreams and Love Is a Stranger were also released as singles at this time During 1993 a live album entitled Live 1983 1989 featuring recordings from various years throughout Eurythmics career was also released In 1992 Lennox released her first solo album Diva The album was a critical and popular success entering the UK album chart at No 1 and achieving quadruple platinum status more than any Eurythmics studio album had done as well as producing a string of five hit singles She followed this up in 1995 with her second album Medusa an album of cover versions It became her second No 1 album in the UK reaching double platinum status both there and in the US Stewart meanwhile released the solo albums Greetings from the Gutter 1995 and Sly Fi 1998 but neither was commercially successful 1999 2005 Peace and Ultimate Collection Stewart and Lennox performing on The Today Show in November 2005 In the late 1990s Eurythmics reunited and recorded a new album Peace which was released in 1999 The single I Saved the World Today reached No 11 in the UK Singles Chart 7 and a remix of 17 Again gave the duo their first chart topper on the US Hot Dance Music Club Play chart The band also embarked on a world tour dubbed the Peacetour to support the album The tour started on 18 September 1999 at Cologne s Kolnarena and ended on 6 December 1999 at the London Docklands Arena which was filmed and released on video and DVD All proceeds from the tour went to Greenpeace and Amnesty International The year 2000 saw numerous European festival appearances by Eurythmics at Germany s Rock am Ring among others In 2001 Stewart performed with U2 for the America A Tribute to Heroes benefit concert In 2002 he collaborated with Bryan Ferry on his album Frantic In June 2003 Lennox released her third solo album entitled Bare which was a top 5 hit in the UK and the US with three tracks reaching the top of the US Billboard Hot Dance Music Club Play chart She also recorded the song Into the West for Peter Jackson s film The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King where it appeared as the closing theme and earned Lennox the Academy Award for Best Song In November 2003 Eurythmics played three songs at the 46664 in Cape Town South Africa for which Stewart was one of the primary organisers They played an unplugged version of Here Comes the Rain Again 7 Seconds with Youssou N Dour and Sweet Dreams Stewart collaborated with The Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger on the soundtrack to the movie Alfie released in 2004 including the critically acclaimed Old Habits Die Hard which won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song from a Motion Picture On 7 November 2005 Eurythmics released Ultimate Collection a remastered greatest hits package with two new songs One of them I ve Got a Life was released as a single and reached No 14 on the UK Singles Chart 7 as well as spending three consecutive weeks at No 1 on Billboard s Hot Dance Music Club Play in the US Lennox and Stewart appeared on a number of TV shows to promote their new compilation album which was a Top 5 hit and certified Platinum in the UK On 14 November 2005 the duo s label RCA re released their eight studio albums in remastered and expanded editions featuring rare B sides remixes and unreleased songs The remasters were made available separately with expanded artwork and also together in a collector s box set entitled Boxed However the 1984 soundtrack album 1984 For the Love of Big Brother was not included in this re release campaign as Virgin Records holds the rights to that album Also in 2005 Eurythmics were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame 14 In 2007 Lennox resumed her solo career with her fourth album Songs of Mass Destruction which was a top 10 success in the UK and the US In 2009 she released her first solo greatest hits package The Annie Lennox Collection The same year Lennox stated that although she and Stewart remain friends she does not foresee any further Eurythmics projects in the future 15 In an interview with Reuters in September 2012 Stewart was quizzed on whether a new Eurythmics album is in the works to which he replied We re not talking about one right now but never say never He added that he was considering developing a musical based on the music of Eurythmics 16 2014 Reuniting for Beatles tribute concert Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart performed as a duo for The Night That Changed America A Grammy Salute to The Beatles The event was recorded at the Los Angeles Convention Center on 27 January 2014 the day after the Grammy Awards They performed The Beatles song The Fool on the Hill 2019 Reuniting for Sting s 30th We ll Be Together benefit concert Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart billed as Eurythmics performed at Sting s 30th We ll Be Together benefit concert in aid of his Rainforest Foundation Fund on 9 December 2019 at New York City s Beacon Theatre The group played Would I Lie to You Here Comes the Rain Again and Sweet Dreams Are Made of This before returning to join in the finale performance of Journey s Don t Stop Believin along with the night s other performers 17 2022 Reuniting for The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart performed as Eurythmics at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles California performing Would I Lie To You Missionary Man and Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This as part of The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony They were inducted by U2 s The Edge DiscographyMain article Eurythmics discography In the Garden 1981 Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 1983 Touch 1983 1984 For the Love of Big Brother 1984 soundtrack Be Yourself Tonight 1985 Revenge 1986 Savage 1987 We Too Are One 1989 Peace 1999 Concert toursSweet Dreams Tour 1983 Touch Tour 1983 1984 Revenge Tour 1986 1987 Revival Tour 1989 1990 Peace Tour 1999 AwardsBillboard Music Awards Year Nominee work Award Result Ref 1983 Sweet Dreams Are Made of This Top Hot 100 Song Nominated 18 1984 Themselves Top Disco Artist Duo Group Nominated 19 1985 Top Artist Nominated 20 Top Billboard 200 Artist NominatedTop Hot 100 Artist NominatedTop Hot 100 Artist Duo Group NominatedTop Dance Club Play Artist NominatedBe Yourself Tonight Top Billboard 200 Album NominatedTop Compact Disk Nominated Would I Lie to You Top Hot 100 Song Nominated Sexcrime Top Dance Play Single Nominated1986 Themselves Top Billboard 200 Artist Nominated 21 Top Hot 100 Artist NominatedBrit Awards Year Nominee work Award Result1984 Themselves Best British Group Nominated1986 Be Yourself Tonight Best British Album NominatedThemselves Best British Group Nominated1987 Nominated1990 NominatedWe Too Are One Best British Album Nominated Don t Ask Me Why Best British Video Nominated1999 Themselves Outstanding Contribution to British Music Won2010 There Must Be an Angel Live Performance of 30 Years NominatedGrammy Awards Year Nominee work Award Result1984 Themselves Best New Artist Nominated1985 Eurythmics Sweet Dreams The Video Album Best Video Album Nominated1986 Sisters Are Doin It for Themselves with Aretha Franklin Best R amp B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated Would I Lie to You Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated1987 Missionary Man Won1990 Savage Best Music Video Long Form Nominated1991 We Two Are One Too NominatedMTV Video Music Awards Year Nominee work Award Result1984 22 circular reference Sweet Dreams Are Made of This Best New Artist Won1985 23 circular reference Would I Lie to You Best Stage Performance NominatedBest Overall Performance NominatedBest Choreography NominatedBest Editing NominatedBest Group Video Nominated1987 24 circular reference Missionary Man NominatedBest Concept Video NominatedMost Experimental Video NominatedBest Special Effects NominatedBest Editing Nominated1988 25 circular reference I Need a Man Best Group Video Nominated You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart Best Direction NominatedMusic amp Media Year End Awards Year Nominee work Award Result Ref 1987 Themselves Group of the Year Won 26 1984 Ivor Novello Award Songwriters of the Year 1987 Ivor Novello Award Songwriters of the Year 1987 Ivor Novello Award Best Contemporary Song for It s Alright Baby s Coming Back 2000 Silver Clef Award 2000 ASCAP Award for Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 2003 Kindred Spirit Music Award 2005 Inducted into UK Music Hall of Fame 2008 ASCAP Award for Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 2009 ASCAP Award for Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 2010 ASCAP Award for Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 27 References All Music Guide Eurythmics profile AllMusic Retrieved 27 September 2014 Annie Lennox champions charity work walesonline 18 August 2010 Retrieved 27 September 2014 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Announces 2020 Inductees Songhall org Retrieved 7 April 2022 Inductees Announced Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Official Website 4 May 2022 a b O Brien Lucy 1991 Annie Lennox London Sidgwick amp Jackson p 55 ISBN 0283061219 Eurythmics began in Wagga says Dave Stewart Smh com au 5 November 2013 Retrieved 5 November 2013 a b c d e f g h i j k The Official Charts Company Eurythmics Official Charts Company Retrieved 10 August 2009 Anglomania The Second British Invasion Rolling Stone Retrieved 2 May 2019 Eurythmics Record Collector Diamond Publishing January 1992 pp 14 15 1985 MTV Video Music Awards Mtv com Retrieved 27 September 2014 GIG0251 1989 09 08 Eurythmics Point Depot Dublin Ireland Ultimate Eurythmics Retrieved 11 May 2019 Artist Eurythmics Date 1989 09 08 Tour Revival Country Ireland Town Dublin Venue Point Depot GIG0318 1990 01 25 Eurythmics Praca da Apotoese Rio De Janeiro Brazil Ultimate Eurythmics Retrieved 11 May 2019 Artist Eurythmics Date 1990 01 25 Tour Revival Country Brazil Town Rio De Janeiro Venue Praca da Apotoese The Official Charts Company David A Stewart Featuring Candy Dulfer Lily Was Here Official Charts Company Retrieved 6 August 2010 Eurythmics discography awards Dnafiles net Retrieved 10 August 2010 No more Eurythmics reunion says Annie Lennox Top News 6 March 2009 Retrieved 13 June 2009 Eurythmics reunion album could happen says Dave Stewart Music News Digital Spy 10 September 2012 Retrieved 1 February 2013 Eurythmics reunite and perform together for the first time in five years Smooth Radio 11 December 2019 Retrieved 27 December 2019 Rock On The Net 1983 Billboard Year End Chart Toppers www rockonthenet com Retrieved 27 April 2020 Rock On The Net 1984 Billboard Year End Chart Toppers www rockonthenet com Retrieved 27 April 2020 Inc Nielsen Business Media 28 December 1985 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc Retrieved 27 April 2020 via Google Books a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help Inc Nielsen Business Media 27 December 1986 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc Retrieved 27 April 2020 via Google Books a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help 1984 MTV Video Music Awards 1985 MTV Video Music Awards 1987 MTV Video Music Awards 1988 MTV Video Music Awards Music amp Media PDF 26 December 1987 Retrieved 1 March 2022 Awards listed on Annie Lennox website Annielennox com Retrieved 27 September 2014 External linksEurythmics at Wikipedia s sister projects Media from Commons Quotations from Wikiquote Data from Wikidata Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eurythmics amp oldid 1123297157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.