Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (song)
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| "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" | ||
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| Single by Eurythmics | ||
| from the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) | ||
| Released | 1983 | |
| Format | 7" single, 12" single | |
| Recorded | 1982 | |
| Genre | New Wave Synthpop |
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| Length | 3:41 | |
| Label | RCA | |
| Producer(s) | David A. Stewart | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Eurythmics singles chronology | ||
| "Love Is a Stranger" (first release) (1982) |
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1983) |
"Love Is a Stranger" (second release) (1983) |
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| "Love Is a Stranger" (1991 reissue) (1991) |
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1991 reissue) (1991) |
"I Saved the World Today" (1999) |
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" is a song recorded by Eurythmics from their album of the same name. After several commercial single flops, "Sweet Dreams" became a mainstream breakthrough for Eurythmics members David A. Stewart and Annie Lennox. Its striking music video helped to propel the song to number two in the UK singles chart and to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. It was the fourth single released from the Sweet Dreams album in the UK and the first single released by Eurythmics in the United States.
The song is a heavily-synthesized pop tune based around a computerized bassline that Stewart discovered accidentally in the studio when he played a bass track in reverse. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" is arguably Eurythmics' signature song and it is their only chart-topper in the U.S. (Eurythmics would not top the chart in their native UK until 1985 with "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)"). Following its success, their previous single "Love Is a Stranger" was re-released and became a worldwide hit as well. Rolling Stone ranked it number 356 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and it is the group's only song on the list.
In 1991 the song was remixed and reissued to promote Eurythmics' Greatest Hits package. It recharted in the UK, reaching number forty-six. It was also a moderate hit in dance clubs. Another remix by Steve Angello was released in France in 2006, along with the track "I've Got a Life" (the single peaked at number ten). "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" has been covered by many artists, most notably Marilyn Manson in 1995. Their version, from the Smells Like Children EP, also became an MTV-staple and helped to establish the band in the mainstream. Rapper Nas also prominently sampled the song in his 1996 hit "Street Dreams".
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" was performed at the Live 8 benefit concert in Hyde Park, London on 2 July 2005.
[edit] Music video
The music video for "Sweet Dreams" received heavy airplay on the then-young MTV channel and is widely considered a classic clip from the early-MTV era. Lennox's striking androgynous visual image, with shaved, orange-colored hair, men's suit and cane and detached yet soulful vocal delivery immediately made her a household name. Her gender-bending image would be further explored in other Eurythmics videos such as "Who's That Girl?" and "Love Is a Stranger".
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK singles chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 2 |
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
| UK singles chart | 48 |
| Preceded by "Every Breath You Take" by The Police |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single September 3, 1983 |
Succeeded by "Maniac" by Michael Sembello |
