Eurythmics: A Retrospective (1981-2005)

Eurythmics A Retrospective: 1981-2005

Overview: New-wave duo that formed in 1980 in London, England. Comprised of singer Annie Lennox and musician/producer Dave Stewart. They met in a restaurant in 1975 and were romantically involved. They first worked together in the punk band the Catch (1976-77), which evolved into the Tourists (1977-1980). Broke up in 1990 but had several reunions, including 1999-2005, 2014, 2019, and 2022. Links DMDB encyclopedia entry for Eurythmics Eurythmics.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia

Awards

Studio Albums

Compilations/Live Albums G Greatest Hits (compilation: 1983-89, released 1991) L Live (live: 1983-89, released 1993) U Ultimate Collection (compilation: 1982-2005, released 2005) Spotify Playlist Here’s my Eurythmics 1979-2005 playlist at Spotify which includes all songs featured on Greatest Hits and Ultimate Collection plus other singles thrown in. Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

In the Garden Eurythmics

Released: October 16, 1981 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 10 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Genre: new wave Rating: 2.588 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)

Tracks: English Summer Belinda (8/21/81, --) Take Me to Your Heart (32 DF) She’s Invisible Now Your Time Will Come Caveman Head Never Gonna Cry Again (6/5/81, 33 CO, 63 UK, 27 DF) L All the Young People of Today Sing Sing Revenge About the Album: Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were in the Tourists together before forming the Eurythmics in 1980. That group was short-lived, but managed two top-10 hits in the UK, making the #63 peak of “Never Gonna Cry Again” disappointing. While this album would suggest that the Eurythmics weren’t going anywhere, they would become one of the most prominent groups of the new wave movement in the ‘80s with their next album.

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This Eurythmics

Released: January 21, 1983 Peak: 15 US, 3 UK, 6 CN, 5 AU, 2 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 0.8 world (includes US + UK) Genre: new wave Rating: 4.203 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Love Is a Stranger (10/8/82, 23 BB, 24 CB, 23 GR, 21 RR, 3 CO, 6 UK, 15 CN, 17 AU, 9 DF) G, L, U I’ve Got an Angel Wrap It Up (19 DF) I Could Give You a Mirror The Walk (6/18/82) Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (1/21/83, 11 BB, 12 CB, 3 GR, 3 RR, 36 AC, 16 AR, 1 CO, 2 UK, 12 CN, 6 AU, 2 DF) G, L, U Jennifer (19 DF) This Is the House (4/2/82, 22 DF) Somebody Told Me (38 DF) L This City Never Sleeps (22 DF) L About the Album: After their disappointing debut album, things got off to a rock start with the Eurythmics’ sophomore effort, Sweet Dreams Are made of This. The first two singles failed to chart in the UK – but then the third single, “Love Is a Stranger,” was a top-10 hit. The album’s forth single – the title cut – proved to be the most successful song of the band’s career. “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” was a #1 song in the U.S. that became an iconic video and new wave classic.

Touch Eurythmics

Released: November 14, 1983 Peak: 7 US, 12 UK, 3 CN, 4 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.3 UK, 1.3 world (includes US + UK) Genre: new wave Rating: 4.087 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Here Comes the Rain Again (1/13/84, 4 BB, 5 CB, 3 GR, 4 RR, 6 AC, 8 AR, 2 CO, 8 UK, 7 CN, 16 AU, 3 DF) G, L, U Regrets (23 DF) Right by Your Side (10/28/83, 29 BB, 30 CB, 33 GR, 28 RR, 38 AC, 5 CO, 10 UK, 39 CN, 15 AU, 6 DF) G, L, U Cool Blue (15 DF) Who’s That Girl? (7/1/83, 21 BB, 21 CB, 15 GR, 16 RR, 5 CO, 3 UK, 15 CN, 20 AU, 4 DF) G, L, U The First Cut (30 DF) Aqua (39 DF) No Fear, No Hate, No Pain, No Broken Hearts (27 DF) Paint a Rumour (30 DF) About the Album: Eurythmics’ third album, Touch, proved “Sweet Dreams” wasn’t a fluke hit. All three of the album’s singles were top-10 hits in the UK and top-40 hits in the U.S. “Here Comes the Rain Again” gave the Eurythmics their second top-10 hit in the U.S. The album reached the top 10 in the U.S. and #1 in the UK.

1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) Eurythmics

Released: November 12, 1984 Peak: 93 US, 23 UK, 33 CN, 22 AU, 7 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.10 UK Genre: new wave Rating: 3.263 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: I Did It Just the Same Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty Four) (10/22/84, 81 BB, 11 CO, 4 UK, 18 CN, 5 AU, 7 DF) G, L For the Love of Big Brother Winston’s Diary Greetings from a Dead Man Julia (1/7/85, 28 CO, 44 UK, 17 DF) Doubleplusgood (18 DF) Ministry of Love Room 101 About the Album: The Eurythmics recorded what was supposedly going to be the soundtrack for the film version of George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel, 1984. Unfortunately, the film’s director, Michael Radford, wasn’t a fan of the duo and replaced most of their music with an orchestral score for the director’s cut of the film. This hurt an already less commercial and more experimental venture for the Eurythmics. “Sexcrime” was a top-5 hit in the UK but stalled at #81 in the U.S.

Be Yourself Tonight Eurythmics

Released: April 29, 1985 Peak: 9 US, 3 UK, 3 CN, 14 AU, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.6 UK, 1.6 world (includes US + UK) Genre: new wave Rating: 4.114 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Tracks: Would I Lie to You? (4/9/85, 5 BB, 6 CB, 8 GR, 7 RR, 2 AR, 2 CO, 17 UK, 5 CN, 12 AU, 2 DF) G, L, U There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart (with Stevie Wonder) (6/24/85, 22 BB, 23 CB, 19 GR, 25 RR, 5 CO, 11 UK, 12 CN, 3 AU, 17 DF) G, L, U I Love You Like a Ball and Chain (7/13/85, 36 AR, 31 CO, 22 DF) L Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves (with Aretha Franklin) (10/18/85, 18 BB, 22 CB, 25 GR, 25 RR, 66 RB, 3 CO 9 UK, 33 CN, 15 AU, 5 DF) G, U Conditioned Soul (32 DF) Adrian (with Elvis Costello) (27 DF) It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) (12/30/85, 78 BB, 79 CB, 10 CO, 12 UK, 37 CN, 32 AU, 12 DF) G, U Here Comes That Sinking Feeling (39 DF) Better to Have Lost in Love Than Never to Have Loved at All (22 DF) About the Album: After the commercially disappointing 1984 soundtrack, the Eurythmics roared back with Be Yourself Tonight. The album featured guest appearances from heavyweights Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Elvis Costello. It was the duo’s second top-10, platinum album in the U.S.

Revenge Eurythmics

Released: June 30, 1986 Peak: 12 US, 3 UK, 4 CN, 2 AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.6 UK, 1.1 world (includes US + UK) Genre: new wave Rating: 3.575 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: Missionary Man (7/5/86, 14 BB, 15 CB. 16 GR, 16 RR, 11 AR, 4 CO, 31 UK, 13 CN, 9 AU, 13 DF) G, L, U Thorn in My Side (8/26/86, 68 BB, 56 CB, 8 CO, 5 UK, 41 CN, 12 AU, 16 DF) G, L, U When Tomorrow Comes (6/2/86, 18 CO, 30 UK, 7 AU, 18 DF) G, U The Last Time L The Miracle of Love (11/17/86, 17 CO, 23 UK, 14 AU, 22 DF) G, L, U Let’s Go! L Take Your Pain Away A Little of You In This Town I Remember You About the Album: 1985’s Be Yourself Tonight and 1983’s Touch were both platinum, top-10 albums which produced three top-40 Billboard hits in the U.S. 1986’s Revenge was a noticeable drop-off, eeking out just one top-40 hit, missing the top 10, and stopping at gold status. However, in the U.K. the album was the group’s best-seller to date and generated four top-40 hits.

Savage Eurythmics

Released: November 9, 1987 Peak: 41 US, 7 UK, 9 CN, 15 AU, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.3 UK Genre: new wave Rating: 3.693 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: Beethoven (I Love to Listen To) (10/12/87, 7 CO, 25 UK, 13 AU, 5 DF) I’ve Got a Lover Back in Japan (39 DF) Do You Want to Break Up? (39 DF) You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart (5/31/88, 64 BB, 62 CB, 8 CO, 16 UK, 55 CN, 17 DF) G, U Shame (12/7/87, 27 CO, 41 UK, 40 DF) Savage (39 DF) I Need a Man (12/19/87, 46 BB, 62 CB, 37 GR, 32 AR, 7 CO, 26 UK, 14 CN, 78 AU, 15 DF) G, L, U Put the Blame on Me Heaven Wide Eyed Girl I Need You (3 DF) Brand New Day (1 DF) About the Album: The Eurythmics have an odd history with lead singles. “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” was the fourth single from the album of the same name; in the UK, “Here Comes the Rain Again” was the third single from Touch. On previous album, Savage, “When Tomorrow Comes” was released before “Missionary Man.” So, it should come as no surprise that “I Need a Man,” the most obvious single from Savage, was released third. By this stage of the duo’s career it mattered because earlier songs like “Beethoven” and “Shame” didn’t even chart in the U.S., which doomed “I Need a Man” to miss the top 40 – a status it likely would have reached as a lead single. The album ended up being the lowest charting studio release of their career in America.

We Too Are One Eurythmics

Released: September 11, 1989 Peak: 34 US, 11 UK, 12 CN, 7 AU, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.6 UK Genre: new wave Rating: 3.510 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: We Two Are One (39 DF) L The King and Queen of America (1/22/90, 29 UK, 72 AU, 27 DF) G My My Baby’s Gonna Cry (Feb. 1990, 58 CN, 26 DF) L Don’t Ask Me Why (10/23/89, 40 BB, 37 CB, 32 GR, 12 MR, 25 UK, 13 CN, 35 AU, 17 DF) G, L Angel (9/30/89, 23 UK, 56 CN, 17 DF) G, L Revival (8/14/89, 26 UK, 14 AU) You Hurt Me and I Hate You Sylvia How Long When the Day Goes Down (9 DF) About the Album: “Don’t Ask Me Why” was the last top-40 hit for the Eurythmics in America. In fact, it was the only song from the album to reach the Billboard Hot 100, although four songs reached the top-40 in the UK. The biggest head-scratcher was “Angel,” a seemingly surefire top-40 hit that went nowhere in the U.S.

Greatest Hits Eurythmics

Recorded: 1982-1989 Released: March 18, 1991 Peak: 72 US, 110 UK, 10 CN, 17 AU, 10 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 2.06 UK, 9.53 world (includes US and UK) Genre: new wave Rating: 4.440 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks (international version): (1) Love Is a Stranger (2) Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (3) Who’s That Girl? (4) Right by Your Side (5) Here Comes the Rain Again (6) There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart (7) Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves (with Aretha Franklin) (8) It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) (9) When Tomorrow Comes (10) You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart (11) The Miracle of Love (12) Sexcrime (1984) (13) Thorn in My Side (14) Don’t Ask Me Why (15) Angel (16) Would I Lie to You (17) Missionary Man (18) I Need a Man Tracks (U.S. version): (1) Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (2) When Tomorrow Comes (3) Here Comes the Rain Again (4) Who’s That Girl? (5) Would I Lie to You? (6) Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves (with Aretha Franklin) (7) There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart (8) Missionary Man (9) Don’t Ask Me Why (10) I Need a Man (11) Love Is a Stranger (12) Thorn in My Side (13) The King and Queen of America (14) Angel About the Album: The first Eurythmics’ greatest-hits collection had very different track listings for the international and U.S. versions. Both were flawed by omissions and a non-chronological running order, but if combined into one collection would have made for a well-done overview of the band’s career.

Live 1983-1989 Eurythmics

Recorded: 1983-1989 Released: November 15, 1993 Peak: 22 US, -- UK, -- CN, 102 AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK Genre: new wave Rating: 3.118 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Never Gonna Cry Again (2) Love Is a Stranger (3) Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (4) This City Never Sleeps (5) Somebody Told Me (6) Who’s That Girl? (7) Right by Your Side (8) Here Comes the Rain Again (9) Sexcrime (1984) (10) I Love You Like a Ball and Chain (11) Would I Lie to You? Tracks, Disc 2: (1) There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart (2) Thorn in My Side (3) Let’s Go! (4) Missionary Man (5) The Last Time (6) The Miracle of Love (7) I Need a Man (8) We Two Are One (9) My My Baby’s Gonna Cry (10) Don’t Ask Me Why (11) Angel About the Album: My preference is that compilations are presented in chronological order. Live albums, however, are a very different animal. They should feel like a document of an actual stage show, kicking in with some powerful, well-known anthem and having ebbs and flows throughout the show that culminate in a closer that’s one of, if not the band’s most, dramatic moment. This one doesn’t do that, instead opting to present the songs in chronological order, which dampens the feel of being at a live show.

Peace Eurythmics

Released: October 20, 1999 Peak: 25 US, 4 UK, 9 CN, 9 AU, 12 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 1.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: new wave Rating: 3.387 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: 17 Again (1/10/00, 27 UK, 57 CN, 22 DF) U I Save the World Today (10/4/99, 11 UK, 85 AU, 17 DF) U Power to the Meek Beautiful Child (39 DF) Anything But Strong Peace Is Just a Word (5/15/00, 19 DF) I’ve Tried Everything I Want it All (39 DF) My True Love Forever Lifted About the Album: After ten years apart, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart reunited for this album. This is a solid album with two worthy top-30 UK hits, but it isn’t quite on par with the work from the Eurythmics’ heyday.

Ultimate Collection Eurythmics

Recorded: 1982-2005 Released: November 7, 2005 Peak: -- US, 5 UK, -- CN, 14 AU, 12 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Genre: new wave Rating: 3.963 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) I’ve Got a Life (2) Love Is a Stranger (3) Sweet Dreams Are Made of This (4) Who’s That Girl? (5) Right by Your Side (6) Here Comes the Rain Again (7) Would I Lie to You? (8) There Must Be an Angel Playing with My Heart (9) Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves (with Aretha Franklin) (10) It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) (11) When Tomorrow Comes (120 Thorn in My Side (13) The Miracle of Love (14) Missionary Man (15) You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart (16) I Need a Man (17) I Saved the World Today (18) 17 Again (19) Was It Just Another Love Affair? About the Album: This is a well put together collection presenting selections from most of the Eurythmics’ albums (1981’s In the Garden and the 1984 soundtrack are not represented) in chronological order, plus two new songs (although they were actually recorded during the sessions for the 1999 Peace album). New Tracks: I’ve Got a Life (10/17/05, 31 AC, 14 UK, 22 DF) U Was It Just Another Love Affair? U

Resources/References: Wikipedia page for Eurythmics Related DMDB Links: First posted 5/23/2026.