Touch (Eurythmics album)
| Touch | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Eurythmics | ||||
| Released | 26 November 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 at The Church, London | |||
| Genre | New Wave, Synthpop, Electronica | |||
| Length | 45:30 | |||
| Label | RCA Records | |||
| Producer | David A. Stewart | |||
| Eurythmics chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Touch | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Robert Christgau | (B)[2] |
Touch is the third studio album by the British new wave duo Eurythmics, released in November 1983. The album was the duo's first UK number-one album, and also reached the top 10 in the US. It has since been certified Platinum in the US[3] and Silver in the UK.[4] It was rated #500 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums.
Contents |
[edit] Background
[edit] International Success
By this time, the duo had achieved international success with their hit single "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." The follow-up, Touch, was reputedly recorded and mixed in only about three weeks at Eurythmics' own London studio facility, The Church. In addition, Touch was also the first album to be released simultaneously on record and on the then-new CD format in the United States.
[edit] Album singles
The album featured the singles "Who's That Girl?" (#3 UK, #21 US), "Right by Your Side" (#10 UK, #29 US) and "Here Comes the Rain Again" (#8 UK, #4 US). The music video for "Who's That Girl" featured a variety of British stars (including Stewart's future wife, Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama) and uncredited lookalikes of American actress Meryl Streep and Italian actress Sophia Loren, both accompanying Stewart throughout the clip. In this video, Lennox plays both a man and a woman in this video with the characters sharing a kiss at the end of the clip. Lennox later reprised this image dressed up as Elvis Presley for the 1984 Grammy Awards.
[edit] 2005 Re-release
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] Awards and honors
The album is ranked number 500 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[5]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written and composed by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, except "Fame" by David Bowie, Carlos Alomar and John Lennon.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Here Comes the Rain Again" | 4:54 |
| 2. | "Regrets" | 4:43 |
| 3. | "Right By Your Side" | 4:05 |
| 4. | "Cool Blue" | 4:48 |
| 5. | "Who's That Girl?" | 4:46 |
| 6. | "The First Cut" | 4:44 |
| 7. | "Aqua" | 4:36 |
| 8. | "No Fear, No Hate, No Pain (No Broken Hearts)" | 5:24 |
| 9. | "Paint a Rumour" | 7:30 |
| 2005 Special edition bonus tracks | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | |||||||
| 10. | "You Take Some Lentils and You Take Some Rice" | 3:01 | |||||||
| 11. | "ABC (Freeform)" | 2:36 | |||||||
| 12. | "Plus Something Else" | 5:20 | |||||||
| 13. | "Paint a Rumour" (Long Version) | 7:57 | |||||||
| 14. | "Who's That Girl?" (Live) | 3:28 | |||||||
| 15. | "Here Comes the Rain Again" (Live) | 3:07 | |||||||
| 16. | "Fame" | 2:39 | |||||||
[edit] Personnel
Eurythmics
- Annie Lennox - vocals, flute, percussion, keyboard
- Dave Stewart - vocals, dulcimer, bass, guitar, drum programming, keyboard, xylophone
Additional personnel
- Dick Cuthell - trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn
- Martin Dobson - baritone saxophone
- Dean Garcia (later of Curve) - bass
- Michael Kamen - conductor
- British Philharmonic - strings
Live band for the accompanying tour included:
- Victor Martin - synthesizer
- Dean Garcia - bass
- Gill O'Donovan - vocals
- Susie O'List - vocals
- Maggie Ryder - vocals
- Peter Phipps (formerly of the Glitter Band)- drums
[edit] Production
- Producer: Dave Stewart
- Engineer: Jon Bavin
- Sequencing: Dave Stewart
- String arrangements: Michael Kamen
- Arrangers: Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart
- Art direction: Laurence Stevens
- Design: Laurence Stevens
- Cover design: Andrew Christian, Laurence Stevens
- Photography: Brian Aris, Pete Ashworth
[edit] Chart performance
| Chart (1983/1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart[citation needed] | 4 |
| Canadian Albums Chart[6] | 3 |
| Dutch Albums Chart[7] | 9 |
| French Albums Chart[8] | 20 |
| German Albums Chart[9] | 9 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart[10] | 1 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart[11] | 8 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[12] | 9 |
| Swiss Albums Chart[13] | 14 |
| UK Albums Chart[14] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[15] | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B Albums Chart[16] | 35 |
[edit] Certifications
| Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (BVMI)[17] | Gold | 250,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[4] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[3] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
||
[edit] References
- ^ Touch (Eurythmics album) at Allmusic
- ^ "CG: Eurythmics". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Eurythmics. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – Eurythmics – Touch". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Touch%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
- ^ a b "British album certifications – Eurythmics – Touch". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Enter Touch in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
- ^ "500 Greatest Albums: Touch - Eurythmics | Rolling Stone Music | Lists". rollingstone.com. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/touch-eurythmics-19691231. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=53gtrvbfj0gk7r9b4sd40dtvu0&q1=Eurythmics+Touch&q2=Top+Albums%2FCDs&interval=50. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Touch". dutchcharts.nl. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Touch&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. http://www.infodisc.fr/Album_E.php. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
- ^ "charts.de". charts.de. 14 November 2005. http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Eurythmics&title=Touch&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Touch". charts.org.nz. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Touch&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Touch". norwegiancharts.com. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Touch&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Touch". swedishcharts.com. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Touch&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Touch". hitparade.ch. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Eurythmics&titel=Touch&cat=a. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ "Eurythmics - Touch". Chart Stats. 26 November 1983. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=41825. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ "Eurythmics Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com". billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eurythmics/chart-history/4567?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Eurythmics Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com". billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/eurythmics/chart-history/4567?f=333&g=Albums. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eurythmics; 'Touch')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Touch&strInterpret=Eurythmics&strTtArt=alben&strAwards=checked.
| Preceded by Thriller by Michael Jackson |
UK number one album 4 February 1984 – 17 February 1984 |
Succeeded by Sparkle in the Rain by Simple Minds |