Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (album)

Untitled

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) is the second album by British synth pop duo Eurythmics.

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 focusing 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.

Track listing

All tracks written by Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart unless otherwise indicated.

1. "Love Is a Stranger" – 3:43
2. "I've Got an Angel" – 2:45
3. "Wrap It Up" (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) performed by Eurythmics & Green (of Scritti Politti) – 3:33
4. "I Could Give You (A Mirror)" – 3:51
5. "The Walk" – 4:40
6. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" – 3:36
7. "Jennifer" – 5:06
8. "This Is the House" – 4:56
9. "Somebody Told Me" – 3:29
10. "This City Never Sleeps" – 6:20

Bonus tracks (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" (Lou Reed) – 4:37 (originally released on a free cassette with "Right by Your Side" singles, 1983)

Personnel

• Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards, synthesisers, flute
• David A. Stewart – guitar, keyboards, synthesisers, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Robert Crash - Guitar/ E-Drums/ Synth/ Robotic Vocals
• Green Gartside (of Scritti Politti) – guest vocal duet on "Wrap it Up"
• Dick Cuthell – trumpet
• Adam Williams – bass, synthesiser
• Andy Brown – bass
• 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.

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart	3
U.S. Billboard 200	15
U.S. Billboard Top R&B Albums	36

Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
BPI – UK	Gold	March 22 1983
CRIA – Canada	Gold	September 1 1983
CRIA – Canada	Platinum	December 1 1983
RIAA – United States	Gold	November 11 1983
BPI – UK	Platinum	January 16 1984
CRIA – Canada	Double Platinum	December 1 1986

External links

• "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" music video with lyrics