Love Is a Stranger
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| "Love Is a Stranger" | |||||||||||
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| Single by Eurythmics | |||||||||||
| from the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) | |||||||||||
| Released | 8 November 1982 28 March 1983 (Re-issue) |
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| Format | 7", 12" | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 1982 | ||||||||||
| Genre | New Wave, Electronica, Synth Pop | ||||||||||
| Label | RCA | ||||||||||
| Producer | David A. Stewart Adam Williams |
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| Eurythmics singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Love Is a Stranger" is Eurythmics' fifth single, and like its predecessors, was initially a commercial flop, although it later became a worldwide hit when it re-entered the chart following their commercial breakthrough with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)".
It was produced by David A. Stewart and Adam Williams and was self-financed at Eurythmics' 8-track facility in Chalk Farm.
The song has a fairly sparse, up-tempo arrangement. It uses the rare Movement Systems Drum Computer and various synthesizers (providing bass, melody lines and sound effects), including the Suzuki Omnichord, combined with Lennox's strident multi-tracked vocal harmonies. The song is also punctuated with vocal grunts of "uh!" from Stewart.
The single was re-released in 1991.
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[edit] Music video
The single release was accompanied by a striking music video, in which Stewart acts as chauffeur for an androgynous Lennox, who plays the role of a high-class prostitute. During the course of the video, Lennox removes a curly blonde wig to reveal her trademark, close-cropped, ginger hair underneath. This caused controversy in the USA, as some people mistakenly thought Lennox was a male transvestite.
[edit] B-side
The single B-side was "Monkey Monkey", a stripped-down electro track featuring a sparse drum machine and sequenced synthesizer arrangement, with Lennox's vocal heavily electronically processed. The bass-line consists of a rhythmically shifting motive permutating against the drum pattern. Lennox plays with half-articulated fake-French soundings and extremely long intonations.
On the 12-inch maxi-single this song was preceded by "Let's Just Close Our Eyes" a completely alternative version of their previous single "The Walk"
[edit] Track listings
7"
- A: "Love Is a Stranger"
- B: "Monkey Monkey"
12"
- A: "Love Is a Stranger"
- B1: "Monkey Monkey"
- B2: "Let's Just Close Our Eyes"
[edit] Chart performance
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
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| UK | 54 |
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
| UK | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 23 |
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 7 |
| Ireland | 4 |
| Germany | 12 |
| Australia | 17 |
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
| UK | 46 |
[edit] Cover versions
- U.K. gothic rock band Rosetta Stone recorded a cover for their 2000 album Unerotica.
- Singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright included a cover of the song on her 2008 album I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too.
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