Wet Thud: April 2018

Next up in Wet Thud's series of Top 40 lists dedicated to music's biggest icons, we take a look at the discography of Eurythmics, the mostly-defunct duo consisting of vocal powerhouse Annie Lennox and musical wizard Dave Stewart.

First meeting in 1976, the pair formed their first band The Catch, as a trio with songwriter Peet Coombes. Adding a bassist and drummer to the lineup, the group renamed themselves The Tourists and put out three moderately successful new wave albums before breaking up in 1980.

Despite a romantic involvement during their stint in The Tourists also coming to an end, Lennox and Stewart maintained a professional union, and formed Eurythmics. The erstwhile couple has since sold over 75 million albums worldwide.

Evolving with every release, Eurythmics first arrived on London's post-punk scene with 1981's In The Garden, before leaning toward experimental pop on their followup albums, Sweet Dreams... and Touch, inadvertently helping to define the synth-driven sound of the eighties along the way. Their mid-decade records, Be Yourself Tonight and Revenge, further emphasized the group's pop sensibilities, while reintroducing more guitars back into the mix. Finally, the duo delivered their two most fully realized long-players, the artful and mature Savage and We Are The One, before parting ways in 1990.

Annie Lennox has enjoyed enormous success as a solo artist, and Dave Stewart has also done very well, producing and penning hits with the likes of Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry, and Stevie Nicks. In spite of their individual achievements, Eurythmics have reunited on occasion, most notably for 1999's Peace album and tour, and then to record two new songs for 2005's Ultimate Collection.

Reissues of In The Garden, Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), Touch, and 1984 - For The Love Of Big Brother are out now, with remasters of the rest of the band's discography to follow later this year. Below, find a countdown of Wet Thud's favourite forty songs from Eurythmics. Look for a Spotify playlist of the entire list following number one. Enjoy.

040. "Paint A Rumour" (album cut from Touch, 1983)

039. "Wrap It Up" (album cut from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)

038. "Never Gonna Cry Again" (single from In The Garden, 1981)

037. "Sylvia" (album cut from We Too Are One, 1989)

036. "Power To The Meek" (single from Peace, 1999)

035. "Adrian" [with Elvis Costello] (album cut from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)

034. "Anything But Strong" (album cut from Peace, 1999)

033. "The First Cut" (album cut from Touch, 1983)

032. "Savage" (album cut from Savage, 1987)

031. "In This Town" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)

030. "A Little Of You" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)

029. "I Could Give You (A Mirror)" (album cut from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)

028. "Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)" (single from 1984 - For The Love Of Big Brother, 1984)

027. "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves" [with Aretha Franklin] (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)

026. "Let's Go!" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)

025. "Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)" (single from Savage, 1987)

024. "The King And Queen Of America" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)

023. "I've Tried Everything" (album cut from Peace, 1999)

022. "Shame" (single from Savage, 1987)

021. "This Is The House" (single from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)

020. "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)

019. "I Need You" (album cut from Savage, 1987)

018. "(My My) Baby's Gonna Cry" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)

017. "I Saved The World Today" (single from Peace, 1999)

016. "Right By Your Side" (single from Touch, 1983)

015. "Who's That Girl?" (single from Touch, 1983)

014. "The Last Time" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)

013. "Would I Lie To You?" (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)

012. "When Tomorrow Comes" (single from Revenge, 1986)

011. "Angel" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)

010. "I Need A Man" (single from Savage, 1987)

009. "Love Is A Stranger" (single from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)

008. "Belinda" (single from In The Garden, 1981)

007. "Missionary Man" (single from Revenge, 1986)

006. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" (single from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)

005. "Don't Ask Me Why" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)

004. "Here Comes The Rain Again" (single from Touch, 1983)

003. "You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart" (single from Savage, 1987)

002. "Thorn In My Side" (single from Revenge, 1986)

001. "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)" (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)

***** text-only version of the list *****

###. "Song Title" (format, Album Title, Release Date)

040. "Paint A Rumour" (album cut from Touch, 1983)
039. "Wrap It Up" (album cut from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)
038. "Never Gonna Cry Again" (single from In The Garden, 1981)
037. "Sylvia" (album cut from We Too Are One, 1989)
036. "Power To The Meek" (single from Peace, 1999)
035. "Adrian" [with Elvis Costello] (album cut from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)
034. "Anything But Strong" (album cut from Peace, 1999)
033. "The First Cut" (album cut from Touch, 1983)
032. "Savage" (album cut from Savage, 1987)
031. "In This Town" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)
030. "A Little Of You" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)
029. "I Could Give You (A Mirror)" (album cut from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)
028. "Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)" (single from 1984 - For The Love Of Big Brother, 1984)
027. "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves" [with Aretha Franklin] (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)
026. "Let's Go!" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)
025. "Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)" (single from Savage, 1987)
024. "The King And Queen Of America" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)
023. "I've Tried Everything" (album cut from Peace, 1999)
022. "Shame" (single from Savage, 1987)
021. "This Is The House" (single from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)
020. "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)
019. "I Need You" (album cut from Savage, 1987)
018. "(My My) Baby's Gonna Cry" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)
017. "I Saved The World Today" (single from Peace, 1999)
016. "Right By Your Side" (single from Touch, 1983)
015. "Who's That Girl?" (single from Touch, 1983)
014. "The Last Time" (album cut from Revenge, 1986)
013. "Would I Lie To You?" (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)
012. "When Tomorrow Comes" (single from Revenge, 1986)
011. "Angel" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)
010. "I Need A Man" (single from Savage, 1987)
009. "Love Is A Stranger" (single from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)
008. "Belinda" (single from In The Garden, 1981)
007. "Missionary Man" (single from Revenge, 1986)
006. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" (single from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), 1983)
005. "Don't Ask Me Why" (single from We Too Are One, 1989)
004. "Here Comes The Rain Again" (single from Touch, 1983)
003. "You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart" (single from Savage, 1987)
002. "Thorn In My Side" (single from Revenge, 1986)
001. "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)" (single from Be Yourself Tonight, 1985)

Photo: Gered Mankowitz, 1981

All songs RCA Records, except #28 Virgin Records

Monday 30 April 2018

April 2018 Recap

Wednesday 25 April 2018

Artist Top 40: Eurythmics