Love Is a Stranger

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“Love Is a Stranger”
“Love Is a Stranger” cover
Single by Eurythmics
from the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Released November 1982
Format 7", 12"
Recorded 1982
Genre New Wave, Electronica, Synth Pop
Label RCA
Producer David A. Stewart
Adam Williams
Eurythmics singles chronology
"The Walk"
(1982)
"Love Is a Stranger"
(1982)
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
(1982)





"(My My) Baby's Gonna Cry"
(1990)
"Love Is a Stranger" (1991 release)
(1991)
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1991 release)
(1991)
Alternate covers
1991 re-issue cover
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
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
Languages