EURYTHMICS - YOU HAVE PLACED A CHILL IN MY HEART

Released: May 30, 1988

Charted:  US: #64   UK: #16 

"You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" is a track written by British pop duo Eurythmics. Crafted by bandmates Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, the song is featured on the duo's sixth studio album, “Savage”. Released in May 1988 by RCA, it served as the fourth and final single from the album in the United Kingdom, and as the second single in the United States.

In "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart," Eurythmics lead vocalist Annie Lennox channels strength and resilience, reflecting on her past feelings of confinement and belittlement by a partner who has left her feeling cold. The song captures her journey toward embracing a love that is nurturing and genuine. While Lennox has drawn inspiration from specific relationships in some of her songs, she hasn't attributed this one to any particular individual. Instead, its theme resonates with any woman who has felt unloved and unappreciated, particularly those navigating the challenges of domestic life. With lines like "A woman's just too tired to think about the dirty old dishes in the kitchen sink," Lennox captures the exhaustion and emotional burden often experienced by women in such situations. While Lennox is renowned for her bold female empowerment anthem "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves," "You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart" showcases a more nuanced and poetic approach, highlighting her lyrical versatility and depth.

The song "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" is best understood within the context of two other singles from the "Savage" album: "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)" and "I Need A Man." In "Beethoven," Annie Lennox portrays a woman who experiences frustration and boredom, leading her to veer off course. Meanwhile, in "I Need A Man," she explores her carnal desires. "You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart" represents a shift towards empowerment and self-awareness, as Lennox emerges from her struggles with a newfound sense of clarity and self-worth.

The thematic connection among these songs is reinforced by their music videos, all directed by Sophie Muller. In the "Beethoven" video, Lennox transforms from a demurely dressed, frustrated housewife into a confident blonde bombshell ready to embrace life. "I Need A Man" sees her performing with newfound confidence in a club setting. Finally, "You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart" features Lennox in a more natural setting, set against the backdrop of the desert—a place often associated with self-discovery and renewal. The video concludes on a positive note, with Lennox embracing a man as fireworks illuminate the sky, symbolizing her newfound happiness and fulfillment.

 

EURYTHMICS - HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN

Publicació: 12 de gener de 1984

Llistes: EUA: #4   Regne Unit: #8 

"Here Comes the Rain Again" és una cançó del duo britànic Eurythmics, que serveix com a primera pista del seu tercer àlbum d'estudi, "Touch". Escrita pels membres del grup Annie Lennox i David A. Stewart, i produïda per Stewart, la cançó es va llançar el gener de 1984 com el tercer senzill de l'àlbum al Regne Unit i com el primer senzill als Estats Units.

"Here Comes the Rain Again" es desvia de l'estructura vers-tornada-vers convencional alternant entre una secció A ("Here Comes the Rain Again” - “Aquí ve la pluja de nou") i una secció B ("So baby talk to me" - “Així que, amor, parla amb mi"), amb una variació mínima entre les repeticions. La cançó presenta un curt pont instrumental a la meitat, contribuint a una sensació de monotonía, que reflecteix la caiguda contínua de la pluja.

A "In The Dave Stewart Songbook", Stewart comparteix el naixement de "Here Comes the Rain Again", revelant que ell i Lennox la van escriure mentre eren a l'Hotel Mayflower de Nova York. Stewart explica que tocava un riff melancòlic en un petit teclat Casio que acabava de comprar, mentre Lennox mirava el cel ennuvolat des de la finestra. Lennox llavors va cantar espontàniament "Here Comes the Rain Again", que va inspirar la creació de la cançó. Stewart destaca que a vegades tot el que cal és una sola frase, atmosfera o melodia per posar en marxa el procés creatiu, comparant la composició de cançons a resoldre un puzzle on les peces que falten es van omplint gradualment.

El videoclip dirigit per Dave Stewart, Jonathan Gershfield i Jon Roseman, es va llançar el desembre de 1983, un mes abans del llançament del single. Comença amb una presa aèria del Vell Home de Hoy a l'illa de Hoy a les Illes Orkney, abans de passar a Annie Lennox caminant per la costa rocosa i la cinglera. Més tard, Lennox explora una casa abandonada vestida amb una camisa de nit i sosté una llanterna, mentre Stewart la segueix amb una càmera de vídeo. Moltes escenes mostren els dos músics filmats per separat i després superposats en el mateix marc.

EURYTHMICS - HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN

Released: January 12, 1984

Charted:  US: #4   UK: #8 

"Here Comes the Rain Again" is a song by the British duo Eurythmics, serving as the opening track from their third studio album, “Touch”. Written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, and produced by Stewart, the song was released on January 1984, as the album's third single in the UK and as the first single in the United States.

"Here Comes the Rain Again" deviates from the conventional verse-chorus-verse structure by alternating between an A section ("Here comes the rain again") and a B section ("So baby talk to me"), with minimal variation between repetitions. The song features a short instrumental bridge in the middle, contributing to a sense of monotony, mirroring the continuous falling of rain.

"In The Dave Stewart Songbook," Stewart shares the genesis of "Here Comes the Rain Again," revealing that he and Lennox composed it while staying at the Mayflower Hotel in New York City. Stewart recounts playing a melancholic riff on a small Casio keyboard he had just purchased, while Lennox gazed out the window at the overcast sky. Lennox then spontaneously sang, "Here Comes The Rain Again," which sparked the creation of the song. Stewart emphasizes that sometimes all it takes is one line, atmosphere, or melody to set the creative process in motion, likening songwriting to solving a puzzle where missing pieces are gradually filled in.

The music video directed by Dave Stewart, Jonathan Gershfield, and Jon Roseman, was released in December 1983, preceding the single's release by a month. It begins with an aerial shot of the Old Man of Hoy on the Island of Hoy in the Orkney Islands before transitioning to Annie Lennox walking along the rocky shore and cliff top. Lennox later explores a derelict cottage while clad in a nightgown and holding a lantern, while Stewart follows her with a video camera. Many scenes feature the two musicians filmed separately and then superimposed into the same frame.

KAJAGOOGOO - TOO SHY

Estrena: gener de 1983

Llistes: EUA: #5   Regne Unit: #1 (2 setmanes)

"Too Shy" és una cançó escrita i enregistrada per la banda anglesa Kajagoogoo, llançada com a primer senzill del seu àlbum debut "White Feathers". Aquesta cançó presenta al cantant principal Chris Hamill (conegut com "Limahl") intentant convèncer una noia perquè s'obri amb ell. La cançó va ser escrita per Limahl i el baixista de la banda, Nick Beggs.

Nick Rhodes de Duran Duran va aconseguir que la banda signés amb el seu segell EMI, i Rhodes va produir la cançó amb Colin Thurston, qui va produir els dos primers àlbums de Duran Duran.

"Too Shy" va ser un èxit enorme de Kajagoogoo al seu país natal, el Regne Unit. Als Estats Units, MTV es va llançar l’agost de 1981 obrint la porta de la promoció per a molts grups foranis. Durant els següents anys moltes bandes britàniques amb una aparença interessant van tenir èxit a Amèrica simplement perquè tenien vídeos disponibles per al canal per reproduir; a Europa hi havia més facilitat per a programar vídeos musicals abans que es promocionesin als Estats Units. Alguns d'aquests grups, com Duran Duran, van tenir regularitat a Amèrica, però d'altres, com Haircut One Hundred, Soft Cell o Dexys Midnight Runners, van ser fenòmens d'un sol èxit a Estats Units. Kajagoogoo pertanyen a l'última categoria, tot i que van tenir diversos èxits més al Regne Unit, com "Ooh To Be Ah" i "Big Apple".

Aquesta és una cançó que parla sobre una persona que lluita per comunicar els seus sentiments i desitjos a la noia que li agrada. L'ús de frases fent referència a la llengua callada, la mancat d'alè per llançar-se o moure’t en cercles no t’ajudarà, suggereixen un sentiment de nerviosisme i vacil·lació cap a fer el pas. La frase repetida "You're too shy shy, hush hush eye to eye" reforça encara més aquesta idea que la persona reprimeix els seus veritables sentiments a causa de la seva timidesa. L'ús de la frase "Modern medicine falls short of your complaint" (La medicina moderna falla en el teu reclam) crea un sentiment de frustració, com si el cantant sentís que hauria de poder superar la seva timidesa però sembla que no pot fer-ho.

El cantant Limahl va marxar després del primer àlbum de Kajagoogoo, i la banda va continuar sense èxit com a "Kaja", mentre que Limahl va seguir com a solista, assolint un únic èxit el 1985 amb "Never Ending Story".

KAJAGOOGOO - TOO SHY

Released: January 1983

Charted:  US: #5    UK: #1 (2 wks)

"Too Shy" is a song written and recorded by English band Kajagoogoo released as the first single from their debut album “White feathers”. This synthesizer-driven song finds lead singer Chris Hamill (who goes by "Limahl") trying to convince a girl to open up to him. The song was written by Limahl and the band's bass player, Nick Beggs.

Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran got the band signed to their label EMI, and Rhodes produced this track with Colin Thurston, who produced Duran Duran's first two albums.

It was Kajagoogoo's huge hit in their native UK. In America, MTV launched in August 1981, and over the next few years many British bands with interesting looks had some success in America simply because they had videos available for the station to play - in Europe there were outlets for music videos before they became viable in the States. Some of these acts, like Duran Duran, had staying power, but others, like Haircut One Hundred, Soft Cell or Dexys Midnight Runners, were one-hit wonders in America. Kajagoogoo is very much in the latter category, although they had several more hits in the UK, including "Ooh To Be Ah" and "Big Apple."

This is a song about a person who is struggling to communicate their feelings and desires to their romantic interest. The use of phrases such as "Tongue tied or short of breath" and "Moving in circles won't you dilate" suggest a sense of nervousness and hesitation towards making a move. The repeated lines "You're too shy shy, hush hush eye to eye" further emphasize this idea that the person is holding back their true feelings due to their shyness. The request for the object of the speaker's affection to "move a little closer" in the pre-chorus implies that the speaker is seeking some sort of physical or emotional closeness, but is too shy to make the first move. The use of the line "Modern medicine falls short of your complaint" creates a sense of frustration, as if the speaker feels that they should be able to overcome their shyness but can't seem to do so. 

Lead singer Limahl left after Kajagoogoo's first album, and the band continued without success as "Kaja" while Limahl carried on as a solo act, scoring a hit in 1985 with “Never ending story”.

EURYTHMICS - WHO’S THAT GIRL?

Estrenada: 27 de juny de 1983

Llistes: EUA: #21   Regne Unit: #3

"Who's That Girl?" és una cançó del duo de pop britànic Eurythmics, escrita pels membres del grup Annie Lennox i David A. Stewart i produïda per Stewart. Inicialment llançada al Regne Unit el juny de 1983, va precedir el seu tercer àlbum d'estudi, "Touch" (1983). A Amèrica del Nord, la cançó va servir com a segon single del disc, fent el seu debut com a senzill a l'abril de 1984.

La lletra retracta una dona caracteritzada com a misteriosa i captivadora, però esquiva i enigmàtica. La pregunta recurrent a la tornada, "Who's that girl?" ("Qui és aquesta noia?") implica una intriga sobre la seva identitat, suggerint que és algú que val la pena descobrir i entendre. L'experiència personal d'Annie Lennox amb l'amor no correspós va infondre "Who's That Girl?" D’una important càrrega emocional. La cançó aborda l'angoixa d'una dona que lluita amb la infidelitat del seu company, reflectint les pròpies lluites amb l'amor de Lennox durant aquell període.

El videoclip té una narrativa visual captivadora que subratllava els temes de la sospita i la dinàmica de gènere de la cançó. La interpretació d'Annie Lennox de diversos personatges, incloent-hi tant la dona que qüestiona com el seu homòleg masculí. El vídeo va comptar amb un repartiment estel·lar d'estrelles convidades, incloent-hi Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston, Kiki Dee, Hazel O'Connor, Kate Garner, les quatre membres de Bananarama, i l'estrella del pop caracteritzat amb una imatge de gènere ambigua, Marilyn. Cada convidat interpretava una dona diferent acompanyant el personatge de Stewart. L'aparició de Marilyn, en particular, el va ajudar a assolir una major visibilitat i a iniciar la seva pròpia carrera musical poc després.

EURYTHMICS - WHO’S THAT GIRL?

Released: June 27, 1983

Charted:  US: #21   UK: #3 

"Who's That Girl?" is a track by the British pop duo Eurythmics, composed by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart. Initially released in the UK in June 1983, it preceded their third studio album Touch (1983). In North America, the song served as the second single from Touch, making its single debut in April 1984.

The lyrics portray a woman characterized as mysterious and captivating, yet elusive and enigmatic. The recurring question in the chorus, "Who's that girl?" implies an intrigue about her identity, suggesting that she is someone worth discovering and understanding. Annie Lennox's personal experience with unrequited love infused "Who's That Girl?" with emotional depth. The song delves into the anguish of a woman grappling with her partner's infidelity, reflecting Lennox's own struggles with love during that period. 

The music video for "Who's That Girl?" was a captivating visual narrative that underscored the song's themes of suspicion and gender dynamics. Annie Lennox's portrayal of multiple characters, including both the questioning woman and her male counterpart. The video featured a star-studded cast of guest stars, including Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston, Kiki Dee, Hazel O'Connor, Kate Garner, all four members of Bananarama, and the gender-bending pop star Marilyn. Each guest played a different woman accompanying Stewart's character. Marilyn's appearance in particular helped catapult him to greater visibility and kick-start his own music career shortly thereafter.