Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

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Template:Album infobox Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) is a New Wave album by British synth pop duo Eurythmics, released in January of 1983 (see 1983 in music).

After two years of initial commercial failure for the Eurythmics project, this album became a commercial breakthrough for the duo on both sides of the Atlantic, with the title track being especially popular: it remains one of Eurythmics' most recognizable songs, and its music video, popular on MTV in the United States, is memorable for Annie Lennox's gender-bending psycho-sexual imagery. In the wake of this success, the single "Love is a Stranger", previously a flop, achieved hit status as well. It too was accompanied by a striking video, which featured Lennox dressed both as a man and a woman.

Stewart, together with Robert Crash & ex-The Selector bassist Adam Williams, produced the album in Eurythmics' own relatively primitive 8-track studio, winning awards for the quality of the end result which belied its low-budget origins. Sweet Dreams saw the duo move away from the psychedelic, guitar-tinged band-orientated sound of In the Garden, instead focussing on raw analogue synthesizers (including the Oberheim OB1 and EDP Wasp) and drum machines (particularly the Movement Systems drum computer, which featured a graphic visual display of the drum patterns). However whilst the 'synth pop' genre had grown in popularity in the preceding years, it was often associated with all male groups and somewhat clinical, emotionless music. Eurythmics (particularly with Lennox's vocal stylings) brought a soul music twist to the electronic sound, which proved popular with broader audiences.

The famous synth bass line in the song was discovered by accident, when Dave Stewart played the music from a musical box backwards.

The title track was covered by Marilyn Manson in 1995, on their album Smells Like Children. It also served as the theme song for The Apprentice: Martha Stewart in 2005.

On November 14, 2005, SonyBMG repackaged and released Eurythmics' back catalog as "2005 Deluxe Edition Reissues". Each of their eight studio albums' original track listings are supplemented with bonus tracks and remixes.

Contents

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Track listing

  1. "Love Is a Stranger" (Lennox, Stewart) - 3:43
  2. "I've Got an Angel" (Lennox, Stewart) - 2:45
  3. "Wrap It Up" (Hayes, Porter) - 3:33
  4. "I Could Give You (A Mirror)" (Lennox, Stewart) - 3:51
  5. "The Walk" (Lennox, Stewart) - 4:40
  6. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (Lennox, Stewart) - 3:36
  7. "Jennifer" (Lennox, Stewart) - 5:06
  8. "This Is the House" (Lennox, Stewart) - 4:56
  9. "Somebody Told Me" (Lennox, Stewart) - 3:29
  10. "This City Never Sleeps" (Lennox, Stewart) - 6:20
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Bonus material (2005 reissue)

  1. "Home Is Where the Heart Is" - 2.28 (Taken from "This Is The House" 7-inch single)
  2. "Monkey Monkey" - 4.14 (Taken from "Love Is A Stranger" 7-inch single)
  3. "Baby's Gone Blue" - 5.15) Taken from "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" 12-inch single)
  4. "Sweet Dreams (Hot Remix)" - 5.17 (Taken from "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) 1991" 12-inch single)
  5. "Love Is A Stranger (Coldcut Remix)" - 7.18 (Taken from "Love Is A Stranger 1991" 12-inch single)
  6. "Satellite Of Love" - 4.37 (originally released on a free cassette with "Right By Your Side" singles)
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Personnel

  • Eurythmics
  • Green Gartside (of Scritti Politti) - guest vocal duet on Wrap it Up
  • Dick Cuthell - trumpet
  • Adam Williams - bass guitar, synthesizer ?
  • Andy Brown - bass guitar
  • Reynard Falconer - synthesisers
  • John Turnbull - guitar

Note: musician credits are not printed on the album sleeve, however some additional info can be gained from the sleeves of the Touch album and "This is the House" single.

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Production

  • Producer: David A. Stewart, Adam Williams, Robert Crash
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Charts

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Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1983 The Billboard 200 15
1983 Top R&B Albums 36
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Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1983 "Love Is A Stranger" Club Play Singles 7
1983 "Love Is A Stranger" Pop Singles 23
1983 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Adult Contemporary 36
1983 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" Club Play Singles 2
1983 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Mainstream Rock 16
1983 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Pop Singles 1
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Trivia

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