Love Is a Stranger

"Love Is a Stranger"
Single by Eurythmics
from the album Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Released 8 November 1982
28 March 1983 (Re-issue)
25 February 1991 (2nd Re-issue)
Format 7", 12", CD single (1991 release)
Recorded 1982
Genre Synthpop, new wave
Label RCA Records
Writer(s) Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart
Producer(s) David A. Stewart, Adam Williams
Eurythmics singles chronology
"The Walk"
(1982)		 "Love Is a Stranger"
(1982)		 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
(1983)
Eurythmics chronology
"(My My) Baby's Gonna Cry"
(1990)		 "Love Is a Stranger" (1991 release)
(1991)		 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (1991 release)
(1991)
Alternative covers
1991 re-issue cover
Music sample
"Love Is a Stranger"
Music video
"Love Is a Stranger" on YouTube

"Love Is a Stranger" is the fifth single by the British rock/pop duo Eurythmics. Originally released in late 1982, the single was commercially unsuccessful, but it was rereleased in 1983 when it became a hit, reaching the UK Top Ten. The single was re-released again in 1991, to promote Eurythmics' Greatest Hits album.

Reception

Originally released in November 1982 in the United Kingdom, the song reached a disappointing #54 on the singles chart.[1] Following the huge success of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" the following year, the song was re-released and reached #6 in April 1983.[1] In the United States, the song was the second single from the Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) album and it was released just as the title track reached number one. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #81 on 17 September 1983 and peaked at #23 on 12 November of that year. The song was in the charts for thirteen weeks.[2][3]

Music video

The single release was accompanied by a striking music video directed by Mike Brady, 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, red hair underneath, though in the music video her hair was slicked back rather than being a buzz cut as seen in the subsequent music video, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)". This caused minor controversy in the USA, as some people mistakenly thought Lennox was a male transvestite.[4]

Track listings

7"
12"

"Let's Just Close Our Eyes" is a newly recorded version of "The Walk" with a more synth-oriented instrumentation.

Chart performance

Original release

Chart (1982) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[1] 54

1983 release

Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 17
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 6
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 12
France (SNEP)[9] 51
Germany (Official German Charts)[10] 12
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 4
Japanese Singles Chart 60
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 20
South African Singles Chart[13] 2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 23
US Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart[15] 7

1991 Reissue

Chart (1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Chart)[16] 156
UK Singles Chart[1] 46

References

[17]

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Eurythmics - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "Music:Top 100 Songs". Billboard Hot 100. 17 September 1983. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Eurythmics – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Eurythmics. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Ellis, Lucy (2009). [https://books.google.com/books?id=BzwKfkQS1QwC&pg=PT201&dq="love+is+a+stranger" Annie Lennox – The Biography]. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857121141.
  5. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 105. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eurythmics – Love Is a Stranger" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4390." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  8. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eurythmics – Love Is a Stranger" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  9. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  10. ↑ "Musicline.de – Eurythmics Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  11. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Love Is a Stranger". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Eurythmics – Love Is a Stranger". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  13. ↑ Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (E)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  14. ↑ "Eurythmics: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  15. ↑ Eurythmics. "Eurythmics - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  16. ↑ "Fw: ARIA Chart peaks (response from ARIA to chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015)". imgur.com. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  17. ↑ "Song artist 244 - The Eurythmics". Tsort.info. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
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