Love Is a Stranger
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“Love Is a Stranger” | |||||||||||
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Single by Eurythmics from the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) |
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Released | November 1982 | ||||||||||
Format | 7", 12" | ||||||||||
Recorded | 1982 | ||||||||||
Genre | New Wave, Electronica, Synth Pop | ||||||||||
Label | RCA | ||||||||||
Producer | David A. Stewart Adam Williams |
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Eurythmics singles chronology | |||||||||||
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Alternate covers | |||||||||||
1991 re-issue cover |
"Love Is a Stranger" is Eurythmics' fifth single, and like its predecessors, was initially a commercial flop, although it later became a worldwide hit when it re-entered the chart following their commercial breakthrough with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)".
It was produced by David A. Stewart and Adam Williams and was self-financed at Eurythmics' 8-track facility in Chalk Farm.
The song has a fairly sparse, up-tempo arrangement. It uses the rare Movement Systems Drum Computer and various synthesizers (providing bass, melody lines and sound effects), including the Suzuki Omnichord, combined with Lennox's strident multi-tracked vocal harmonies. The song is also punctuated with sexual-sounding vocal grunts of "uh!" from Stewart.
The single release was accompanied by a striking music video, in which Stewart acts as chauffeur for an androgynous Lennox, who plays the role of a high-class prostitute. During the course of the video, Lennox removes a curly blonde wig to reveal her trademark, close-cropped, ginger hair underneath. This caused controversy in the USA, as some people mistakenly thought Lennox was a male transvestite.
The single B-side was "Monkey Monkey", a stripped-down electro track featuring a sparse drum machine and sequenced synthesizer arrangement, with Lennox's vocal heavily electronically processed. The bass-line consists of a rhythmically shifting motive permutating against the drum pattern. Lennox plays with half-articulated fake-French soundings and extremely long intonations.
On the 12-inch maxi-single this song was preceded by "Let's Just Close Our Eyes" a completely alternative version of their previous single "The Walk"
The single was re-released in 1991.
[edit] Chart performance
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
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UK | 54 |
Chart (1983) | Peak position |
UK | 6 |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 23 |
U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 7 |
Ireland | 4 |
Germany | 12 |
Australia | 17 |
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
UK | 46 |
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