Eurythmics

Eurythmics is a pop group and New wave made of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart which was a commercial success as well as artistic during the decade 80. They famous for their are pop incarnated by the powerful voice of Annie Lennox (viola), and the inventive techniques of production worked out by Dave Stewart.

History

Lennox and Stewart work at their beginnings in the group The Tourists, time during which they are lovers. In spite of a notable success (in England only), the two musicians do not feel at ease in the formation and of the tensions occur with the type-setter Pete Coombes.

Lennox and Stewart then decide to form their own group in order to find there a ground of creation which they hardly found in The Tourists. Their interest for the pop one as well as new technologies (in particular new the Synthétiseur S which make fury precisely at that time) is growing and founds Eurythmics thus. Anxious to concentrate all their efforts in their new project musical and eager not to see interfering their life of couple in this new adventure, the couple decides to break.

Their first album is produced by Conny Plank (which also collaborated with The Tourists) and is entitled In the Garden , (it leaves in October 1981). The commercial failure of the album leads them to reconsider their manner of working in studio: indeed, whereas many musicians had collaborated in the recording, Lennox and Stewart will only record from now on, the more so as the technological advancements make it possible to work with the first Samplers and of the programmable synthetizers.

Sweet Dreams

The first large business success (considerable) of Eurythmics arrives beginning 1983 with Sweet Dreams (Are Made off This) ), song sinks constant by low rhythmic synthetic obsessing, which reaches the first place in the USA and is resulting from the album of the same name, which makes a paperboard in the United Kingdom and a little everywhere on planet (in particular in the United States).

The album Touch is born fine of the same year and is an impressive success, extremely of its individual " Young stag Comes the Rain Again" (synthetic ballade supported by a ghostly orchestra directed then by Michael Kamen), " Who' S That Girl" and " Right By Your Side". Applauded by the critic for her melody prowesses and its sound lucky finds, Eurythmics then seems to become a reference impossible to circumvent of the new English scene avant-gardist (at the sides of the New Order and Depeche Mode).

In 1984, RCA Records publishes without the agreement of the two artists Touch Dance , an mini-album of Remix of 4 titles extracted from Touch , remixes then signed by the promising producers François Kevorkian and John " Jellybean" Benitez.

The same year appears 1984 the album which was to be used as band its for the film éponyme realized by Michael Radford, with as main actors Richard Burton, John Hurt, Suzanna Hamilton. Following a disagreement with the realizer, the music, although already composed, was rejected by this one which preferred Dominic Muldowney to them. Individual the most known extracted from this album is Sexcrime (1984) , which becomes one of the large European tubes of the end of 84 and the beginning 1985.

Be Yourself Tonight

Their album Be Yourself Tonight (1985) was produced quickly (in one week, in Paris), and includes rougher sounds, with in particular the use of a battery, and more guitar that in their preceding compositions. Lennox sings there in duet with Aretha Franklin and Elvis Costello and 4 titles is distinguished particularly from the album: " Does Would I Bind To You? " , " There Must Be year Angel (Playing with My Heart) " (with the contribution of Stevie Wonder to the harmonica, first and only number 1 of the group in the United Kingdom), " It' S Alright (Baby' S Coming Back) " as well as the duet with Franklin (at the origin envisaged with Tina Turner) " Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves". The album is again a great international success. At the same time, whereas Lennox plays in some films, Stewart is harnessed with the production for Tom Petty and Bob Dylan.

Their greater success discographic comes in 1986 with the album Revenge - which contains the tubes " The Miracle Off Love" and " Missionary Man" - which enables them to turn in the lasting whole world of many months, even if with the the United States, one can detect a light starter of fall of audience.

Lennox and Stewart are found in 1987 for the album Savage . Based on more samples and of synthé, the album surprises by its new sonorities whose Annie Lennox is on the initiative. In addition to " I Need has Man" and " Shame" , the album is not the success of its predecessors (its sales with US are even catastrophic, whereas their precedents opus had been acclaimed there).

It is necessary to await 1989 so that Eurythmics leave We Are too One , quite symptomatic of the loss of creative energy of the group which still separates some time: Annie Lennox will devote itself to her album " Diva" (1992) and to film Francis Ford Coppola the sumptuous song " will offer; Coil song for has vampire". Stewart on its side leaves some albums solos which did little repercussion, with in particular Greetings from the Gutter (1995) but especially individual the " Lily was here" (1989, instrumental duet with Candy Dulpher with the sax and Dave Stewart with the guitar). In 1993 is published an album of compilations of the lives services of Eurythmics.

Joined together in 1999, Lennox and Stewart reform Eurythmics for the album " Peace" with sonorities chatoyantes and elaborate (the title " I saved the world today" is to date one of their best composition).

Concept

The concept of a British Duet formed of a charismatic singer to the look Androgyne, Annie Lennox, and of a silent and erased guitarist, Dave Stewart, was carrying in terms sales, probably because of the growing emergence of the feminist concepts.

This diagram of the electronic duet was spread especially in the middle of the Années 1980, in particular with the the United Kingdom where Eurythmics divided the high-speed motorboat with OMD, Soft Concealment, Tears For Fears or puncture-proof the Erasure.

The principle was also declined with identical in other countries, for example in France with the Niagara, then Rita Mitsouko or in Sweden, with Roxette.

Discography

Albums

1981 : In the Garden
1983: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Off This)
1983: Touch
1984 : Touch Dance , album remix
1984: 1984 (For The Coils Big Brother Off) , inspired of the novel 1984 of George Orwell
1985: Be Yourself Tonight
1986: Revenge
1987 : Savage
1989 : We Are too One
1991: Greatest Hits , compilation
1993: Live 1983 - 1989 , compilation of versions live resulting from various concerts, 1983 to 1989
1999: Peace
2005 : Ultimate Collection , compilation with 2 new songs
2005: Remasterized republications of the 8 albums with + of 40 titles no-claims bonus

Individual

May 1981: Never gonna cry again (first extract of the album " In The Garden")
August 1981: Belinda
March 1982: This is the house (first extract of the album " Sweet Dreams (Are Made Off This) ")
June 1982: The walk
September 1982: Love has stranger (first individual with being left to France)
January 1983: Sweet dreams (are made off this) , tube which was taken again much by other artists like Marilyn Manson or Pink and which was also remixé many times, in particular by Benny Benassi or Steve Angello. Sylvie Vartan even made a French parody entitled of it Déprime , appeared in second title of individual the Danse your life (it will be noticed that the words do not have any relationship between the original version and this parody)
June 1983: Who' S that girl? (first extract of the album " Touch")
October 1983: Right by your side
January 1984: Young stag comes the rain again
November 1984: Sexcrime (nineteen eighty-furnace) (first extract of the album " 1984 (For The Coils Big Brother Off) " , original soundtrack of the film 1984)
January 1985: Julia
April 1985: Would I binds to you? (first extract of the album " Be Yourself Tonight")
June 1985: There must Be year angel (playing with my heart) (one can note the presence of Stevie Wonder who plays of the harmonica on this title) Before recording the title " There must Be year angel" Annie Lennox had the voice very tired after a round with the group.

In order to help it, it called upon the coatch vocal Richard Cross which, enabled him to recover the splendor of its voice of singer. To thank Richard Cross-country race, it makes him sing on " There must Be year angel" the heart of Angel which one hears at the end of the title behind the voice of Annie Lennox.

October 1985: Sisters are doin' it for themselves (in duet with Aretha Franklin)
December 1985: It' S alright (baby' S coming back) (the face B All the boys and the girls is a resumption of Francoise Hardy and it is reproduced on the remasterized version of the album " Be Yourself Tonight" exit in 2005)
May 1986: When tomorrow comes (first extract of the album " Revenge")
August 1986: Thorn in my side
November 1986: The miracle off coils
February 1987: Missionary man
October 1987: Beethoven (I coils to listen to) (first extract of the album " Savage")
December 1987: Shame
March 1988: I need has man
May 1988: You cuts placed has chill in my heart
August 1989: Revival (first extract of the album " We Are too One")
October 1989: Don' T ask me why
January 1990: The King & Queen off America
April 1990: Angel
October 1999: I saved the world today (first extract of the album " Peace")
March 2000: 17 again
May 2000: Peace is just has Word
October 2005: I' ve got has life (new extracted compilation " Ultimate Collection")
February 2006: Sweet dreams (are made off this) Steve Angello (individual left to France only and contains the same titles that individual the I' ve got has life )

Video

1983 Sweet Dreams (The Video Album)
1987 Live (Revenge Turn)
1987 Savage (Video Album)
1987 Brand New Day - filmed by Amos Gitaï

1990 We Two Are One Too

1991 Greatest Hits

2000 Peacetour

2005 Ultimate Collection

Famous titles

Sweet Dreams (are made off this)
Here Comes The Rain Again
There Must Be Year Angel (playing with my heart)
The Miracle Off Coils
I Saved The World Today
Sex Crime (1984)

Rounds

1981 In The Garden Turn
1983 Sweet Dreams Turn
1983/1984 Touch Turn
1986/1987 Revenge Turn
1989/1990 World Revival Turn
1999 Peacetour

External bonds

the official site of Eurythmics
complete and very detailed Discographies of Eurythmics and the careers solo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart

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