Their only microphone, a utilitarian model typically used for hi-hat, performed all the acoustic duties, including tracking Lennox's vocals. To fill out the complement of instruments, Lennox played a borrowed Oberheim OB-X for sustained string sounds. The MCS Drum Computer provided drum sounds, and also triggered sequences on a Roland SH-101 synthesizer, used for the synth bass line. Īlso purchased with the bank loan was a £2000 Movement Systems Drum Computer, one of only about 30 built, with the Eurythmics having to sleep for a few days at the Bridgwater apartment of the manufacturer while their early prototype unit was being assembled. The gear was purchased second-hand after Lennox and Stewart obtained a bank loan for £5000. Electronics noise reduction unit, and a single Beyerdynamic M 201 TG microphone. The home studio was equipped with a Tascam 80-8, 8-track half-inch tape recorder, a Soundcraft mixer, a Roland Space Echo, a Klark Teknik DN50 spring reverb, a B.E.L. "Sweet Dreams" was created and recorded in two places, first in the Eurythmics' tiny project studio in the Chalk Farm district of London above a picture framing shop, then in a small room at The Church Studios in North London. Ĭommenting on the line "Some of them want to use you … some of them want to be abused", Lennox said that "people think it’s about sex or S&M, and it’s not about that at all". The song was an expression of how I felt: hopeless and nihilistic." Stewart, however, thought the lyrics too depressing and added the "hold your head up, moving on" line to make it more uplifting. How can it get worse?" adding "I was feeling very vulnerable. She described the song as saying: "Look at the state of us. Īccording to Lennox, the lyrics reflected the unhappy time after the break up of the Tourists, when she felt that they were "in a dream world" and that whatever they were chasing was never going to happen. According to Stewart, he managed to produce the beat and riff of the song on one of their new synthesizers, and Lennox, on hearing it, said: "What the hell is that?" and started playing on another synthesizer, and beginnings of the song came out of the two dueling synths. They became interested in electronic music and bought new synthesizers to play around with. Although the two of them also broke up as a couple, they continued to work together.
It was the first single released by Eurythmics in the US. Its music video helped to propel the song to number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song became their breakthrough hit, establishing the duo worldwide. It is the title track of their album of the same name (1983) and was released as the fourth and final single from the album in early 1983.
" Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" is a song by British new wave music duo Eurythmics.
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" on YouTube