Annie Lennox in 1984, posing for the camera in one of her many guises, with Dave Stewart in his usual supporting role.
One of the most visually captivating rock bands of the 1980s, Eurythmics—a colourful duo consisting of singer Annie Lennox and multi-instrumentalist Dave Stewart—were among the first pop artists to take advantage of the music video revolution of that era. The intense and sexually menacing video for “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” received constant play on MTV, ensuring that the single swiftly soared to the top of the charts in 1983, while cable TV banned the promo for “Love Is a Stranger” because of its (rather tame) transvestite imagery. The band’s pairing of modern technology and Lennox’s uniquely plaintive soul vocalising was inspired and riveting.
English-born Dave Stewart (b. September 9, 1952) had been a member of Longdancer, an early signing of Elton JOHN’S Rocket Records label. Scottish-born Lennox (b. December 25, 1954) had previously sung with Stewart in the successful power-pop group The Tourists, which had several hits in Britain. Stewart and Lennox formed Eurythmics in 1980. Between that year and 1989, when they parted to pursue solo careers, the duo released eight full albums, most well received.
Eurythmics’ commercial success could not have been predicted on the basis of their debut album, In the Garden (1981). It was recorded at the Cologne studio of legendary German producer Conny Plank, and it featured both bassist Holger Czukay and drummer Jaki Liebezeit of Can—a distinctly noncommercial German band. It was a debut album that never reached America. RCA, Eurythmics’ U.S. label, opted to wait for their second set, 1983’s Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This). It quickly went gold, setting the stage for the platinum follow-up, Touch (1984).
Throughout the 1980s, the band released a string of singles, including the Top 5 hits “Here Comes the Rain” and “Would I Lie to You” (1985), and became a highly regarded live act. Critics uniformly praised Lennox’s striking stage presence, and were similarly charmed by her charismatic video performances.
After a series of albums that sold respectably, ending with 1989’s We Too Are One, Lennox and Stewart split up. Lennox went on to record two solo albums, the platinum-selling Diva (1992) and Medusa (1995), an album of past hits by other singers that included Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale.” Stewart formed a new band, Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys, but enjoyed much greater success as a producer, later forming his own label, Anxious Records. In the late 1990s, Eurythmics are fondly remembered as one of the few bands of the 1980s to offer matching musical substance to the visual appeal that the video-conscious pop era required.
Annie Lennox in 1984, posing for the camera in one of her many guises, with Dave Stewart in his usual supporting role.
Dave DiMartino
SEE ALSO:
FRANKLIN, ARETHA; ROCK MUSIC; SOUL.
FURTHER READING
Jasper, Tony. Eurythmics (Port Chester, NY: Cherry Lane, 1985);
Waller, Johnny. “Sweet Dreams”: The Definitive Biography of Eurythmics (Wauwatosa, WI: Robus, 1985).
SUGGESTED LISTENING
Eurythmics: Savage;
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This); Touch;
Annie Lennox: Diva.