My childhood was filled with a very healthy overload of music and I was one of those incredibly lucky kids that saw the latter half of the ‘70s come to a close, lived through the entirety of the ‘80s, was a teenager as I entered the ‘90s and a fully blown young man as I entered the new millennium. My musical influences were, and are, as diverse as they possibly can be. A big part of this diversity had strong roots in the ‘80s and one band, Eurythmics, played an instrumental role in my musical education. Fresh from the success of the band’s two previous studio albums—Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and Touch, both released in 1983—the duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart moved into a more commercial pop/rock sound for the first time with their fourth studio album Be Yourself Tonight. Pulling from the ‘60s and utilizing the sounds of American soul and British pop, Eurythmics managed to combine these two sounds perfectly on the album’s first track and lead single “Would I Lie To You?”
There is no denying that Eurythmics were at the forefront when it came to experimenting with their music via synth sounds and the usage of Lennox’s hauntingly, but incredibly soulful voice. For many, Be Yourself Tonight was a departure from this formula and was even perceived as “selling out” given its phenomenal commercial success. I disagree. Even with the introduction and implementation of a more traditional lineup and usage of instruments, their distinctive and somewhat unconventional take on the norm was still in full view. Be Yourself Tonight is no doubt Eurythmics’ most commercially successful studio album to date. The album spawned four singles, with the aforementioned lead track storming the charts around the globe, ultimately securing the number one spot in Australia, whilst cracking the top ten and top twenty in the US and UK respectively. Two months later, the duo released the gospel inspired “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart).” Again proving that Eurythmics where onto something special, the song hit number one in three countries, including the U.K., the only number one the band has ever achieved there. A harmonica solo by the legendary Stevie Wonder adds an extra, soulful layer to an already ethereal song.
Towards the latter half of 1985, the band turned up the soul to full blast by releasing “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves,” featuring the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The feminist anthem was filmed in the now historical Music Hall in Detroit, Michigan and also featured three of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. Mike Campbell provided the lead guitar, Benmont Tench on the organ the legendary Stan Lynchan on drums, all bringing an extra layer to a song that remains anthemic to many women around the world to this very day. Tina Turner was originally offered the track by Eurythmics, but was unavailable. Imagine if there is a long-lost demo floating around somewhere out there of the Queen of Rock going head-to-head with Annie Lennox. One can dream. The fourth and final single from the album was “It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back).” Whilst it did break into the top 20 in the UK, it failed to make an impact elsewhere, like the album’s first three singles. The duo did go on to receive an Ivor Novello Award in 1986 for best song, recognizing the composition’s musical and lyrical importance.
There are some other treasures on this album too. “Conditioned Soul” opens with some beautiful instrumental work courtesy of the pan flute, which continues throughout the track, coupled with Dave Stewart showcasing some of his spectacular guitar work. Another equally interesting track on the album saw Elvis Costello join Lennox on vocals on the romantically fear laden “Adrian.” Yes, the commerciality is present in this album, but it was a move in the right direction both financially and yes, even creatively.
Whilst this album covers a wide array of musical styles, many of them new for the duo at the time, it is safe to say that each song independently brings something of value to this album. There is no question that Be Yourself Tonight is by far one of the best pop/rock albums of the 1980s. As mentioned earlier, the creativity and even grandeur that was delivered by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart is something that is rarely rivaled, let alone heard today. Their innovation and ability to not succumb to the “machine” that was so prevalent with so many artists at the time meant that like most of their work, this album has also remained one of music’s finest masterpieces. From: https://albumism.com/features/eurythmics-be-yourself-tonight-turns-35-anniversary-retrospective
