Eurythmics - In Their Own Way

Eurythmics' commercial breakthrough came with Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983 in music), whose hit single of the same name featured a dark, powerfully sequenced synth bass line and a striking video that introduced the orange crew cut Lennox sported to fame. The band's fortunes changed immensely from this moment on. The album became a huge British hit due to the title track, which quickly topped the American charts as well. Lennox was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Stewart recently revealed that the famous synth bass line in the song was discovered by accident when he inadvertently played a track backwards. "Love Is A Stranger" was re-released and became a hit in its own right, though it was initially banned by MTV for its "gay" content (which actually involved Lennox in male drag and a fellow, not two men; MTV had to be convinced). The "Love Is A Stranger" video saw Lennox in many different character guises, which she would become known for in subsequent videos ("Beethoven" and "The King & Queen of America" among them).

Touch, the follow-up to Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), was released in late 1983 and spawned three major hits. "Here Comes The Rain Again" (number four in the U.S.) was a haunting orchestral/synth ballad that led album. The video went into heavy rotation on MTV. "Who's That Girl" was also a massive hit, the videoing seeing Lennox as a blonde chanteuse and featured cameos by Bananarama, Kate Garner of Haysi Fantayzee, Jay Aston and Cheryl Baker of Bucks Fizz, Kiki Dee, Jacquie O'Sullivan and "gender-bending" pop singer Marilyn, among others. The upbeat, calypso-flavored "Right By Your Side" showed a different side of Eurythmics altogether, and Touch solidified the duo's reputation as being major talents and cutting edge musicians.

Live at Wechter Festival 1983