Be Yourself Tonight

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Be Yourself Tonight
Studio album by Eurythmics
Released 11 May 1985
Genre New Wave, pop rock
Length 43:15
Label RCA
Producer David A. Stewart
Eurythmics chronology
1984 (For the Love of Big Brother)
(1984)		 Be Yourself Tonight
(1985)		 Revenge
(1986)
Singles from Be Yourself Tonight
  1. "Would I Lie to You?"
    Released: April 1985
  2. "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)"
    Released: June 1985
  3. "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"
    Released: October 1985
  4. "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)"
    Released: December 1985
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[1]
Robert Christgau (B+)[2]

Be Yourself Tonight is the fifth album by the British pop duo Eurythmics, released in 1985.

Contents

[edit] Album Background

[edit] Change in music direction

This album saw Eurythmics move away from their previous more experimental, synthesizer-based songs, to a more commercial pop/rock sound, incorporating a more traditional band line-up/instrumentation. Nonetheless, the recordings still possessed an atmospheric and cutting edge sound, winning Stewart awards for his production work on the album. The release of the album also coincided with a new look for singer Annie Lennox, who ditched the androgynous look of the previous albums and became, in biographer Lucy O'Brien's words, "a bleach-blonde rock 'n' roller."

[edit] Worldwide success

The album sold well, and was top 3 in the UK and top 10 in the US, as well as spawning several hit singles. It included guest appearances by notable artists such as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Elvis Costello. The album included the duo's first (and only) UK number-one "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and the American Top 5 and Australian number-one hit "Would I Lie to You?".

No tour followed the album's release, due to Lennox's continuing recuperation from vocal fold nodules. This condition also caused her to miss 1985's Live Aid concert, making Eurythmics one of the handful of successful 80's groups not to perform.

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

[edit] Track listing

All songs written and composed by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, except where noted. 

No. Title Length
1. "Would I Lie to You?"   4:25
2. "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)"   5:22
3. "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain"   4:04
4. "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (with Aretha Franklin) 5:54
5. "Conditioned Soul"   4:30
6. "Adrian"   4:29
7. "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)"   3:45
8. "Here Comes That Sinking Feeling"   5:40
9. "Better to Have Lost in Love (Than Never to Have Loved at All)"   5:06
2005 Special edition bonus tracks
No. Title Length
11. "Grown Up Girls"   4:13
12. "Tous les garçons et les filles" (Françoise Hardy, Roger Samyn) 3:25
13. "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (with Aretha Franklin) (ET Mix) 7:48
14. "Would I Lie to You?" (ET Mix) 4:55
15. "Conditioned Soul" (Live) 5:08
16. "Hello, I Love You" (Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore) 2:51

[edit] Credits

Eurythmics

  • Annie Lennox - vocals, keyboards (all tracks except "Would I Lie to You?" & "It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)"), keyboard sequencers on "It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)"
  • David A. Stewart - guitars (all tracks except "There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart)", including electric & slide guitars on "Conditioned Soul" and 6-string octave guitar on "Adrian"), keyboards (all tracks except "Would I Lie to You?", "Adrian" & "It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)"), sequencers on "Would I Lie to You?", bass sequencer & drum programming on "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain"

Additional personnel

  • Dean Garcia - bass guitar (all tracks except "Would I Lie to You?", "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" & "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"), wood stomping on "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain"
  • Olle Romo - drums (all tracks except "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" & "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"), wood stomping on "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain"
  • Nathan East - bass guitar on "Would I Lie to You?" & "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"
  • Stan Lynch - drums on "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"
  • Mike Campbell - lead guitar on "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves" & "Adrian"
  • Benmont Tench - organ on "Would I Lie to You?" & "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"
  • Stevie Wonder - harmonica on "There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart)"
  • Dave Plews - trumpet on "Would I Lie to You?" & "It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)"
  • Martin Dobson - saxophones on "Would I Lie to You?" & "It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)"
  • Sadie (and other uncredited performers - gravel stomping on "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain"
  • Adam Williams - drum programming on "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain"
  • Michael Kamen - strings on "There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart)" & "Better to Have Lost in Love (Than Never to Have Loved at All)", celeste on "Adrian", keyboard solo & string parts on "Here Comes That Sinking Feeling"
  • Aretha Franklin - guest vocals on "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"
  • Angel Cross - backing vocals on "There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart)"
  • The Charles Williams Singers - backing vocals on "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain", gospel choir on "Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves"
  • Elvis Costello - harmony vocals on "Adrian"

[edit] Production

  • Producer: Dave Stewart
  • Engineers: Don Smith, Adam Williams
  • Assistant engineer: Jay Willis
  • Mixing: Don Smith, Dave Stewart, Adam Williams
  • Mastering: Stephen Marcussen
  • Sequencing: Dave Stewart
  • Recorder: Shelly Yakus
  • Keyboard programming: Annie Lennox
  • Drum programming: Dave Stewart
  • Art direction: Laurence Stevens
  • Design: Laurence Stevens
  • Photography: Paul Fortune

[edit] Chart performance

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[citation needed] 1
Austrian Albums Chart[3] 25
Canadian Albums Chart[4] 3
Dutch Albums Chart[5] 3
French Albums Chart[6] 20
German Albums Chart[7] 8
Italian Albums Chart[8] 18
New Zealand Albums Chart[9] 2
Norwegian Albums Chart[10] 2
Swedish Albums Chart[11] 2
Swiss Albums Chart[12] 9
UK Albums Chart[13] 3
U.S. Billboard 200[14] 9

[edit] Certifications

Organization Level
BPI (UK) 2xPlatinum
RIAA (USA) Platinum
IFPI (Germany) Gold

[edit] References

Preceded by
Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits		 Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
1 July 1985 – 28 July 1985		 Succeeded by
Listen Like Thieves by INXS

[edit] References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ Robert Christgau review
  3. ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". austriancharts.at. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  4. ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=53gtrvbfj0gk7r9b4sd40dtvu0&q1=Eurythmics+Yourself+Tonight&q2=Top+Albums%2FCDs&interval=20. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  5. ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". dutchcharts.nl. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  6. ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_E.php. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  7. ^ "charts.de". charts.de. 2005-11-14. http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Eurythmics&title=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  8. ^ http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yenda/lpe1985.htm
  9. ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". charts.org.nz. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  10. ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". norwegiancharts.com. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  11. ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". swedishcharts.com. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  12. ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". hitparade.ch. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Be+Yourself+Tonight&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  13. ^ "Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight". Chart Stats. 1987-02-28. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43156. Retrieved 2012-01-15. 
  14. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eurythmics/chart-history/4567?f=305&g=Albums
Studio albums
In the Garden · Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) · Touch · Be Yourself Tonight · Revenge · Savage · We Too Are One · Peace
Soundtracks
Remix and Live albums
Compilations
Singles
"Never Gonna Cry Again" · "Belinda" · "This Is the House" · "The Walk" · "Love Is a Stranger" · "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" · "Who's That Girl?" · "Right by Your Side" · "Here Comes the Rain Again" · "Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)" · "Julia" · "Would I Lie to You?" · "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" · "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" · "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" · "When Tomorrow Comes" · "Thorn in My Side" · "The Miracle of Love" · "Missionary Man" · "Beethoven (I Love to Listen to)" · "Shame" · "I Need a Man" · "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" · "Revival" · "Don't Ask Me Why" · "The King and Queen of America" · "Angel" · "(My My) Baby's Gonna Cry" · "Sweet Dreams '91" · "I Saved the World Today" · "17 Again" · "I've Got a Life"
Videography
Related articles
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