Eurythmics – Greatest Hits

Honestly, and without exaggeration I declare: absolutely all the songs from the presented collection are truly GREAT HITS!

As is known, the effect of compiling a greatest hits album is not without its drawbacks. Often, the sequencing can often leave a lot to be desired, or it tells an incomplete, biased story of an artist's career. Take for example a popular duo such as Eurythmics, whose most ubiquitous output was a succession of electropop singles released during the '80s. It would be very difficult for a compilation producer not to achieve a stylistically accordant, well-represented collection. Given that the wealth of material available was invariably released under the RCA label, no problems are likely to occur with regards to securing rights to the back catalogue. So what could go wrong? Most if not all of their five '80s albums generated a substantial hit, easily boiled down to the essentials without even filling a single disc to capacity. And when one examines the contents of "Greatest Hits", released in 1991 when their legacy was shaping up to be rather impressive, that approach seems to be have been applied, rather indulgently in fact, with more than merely their array of chart smashes making an appearance. If certain incompatible fringe hits are incorporated whilst more valid hits are overlooked, how can this be an accurate overview? Well, it isn't, but don't let that put you off. Such lesser-heard tracks as "Angel," "Sexcrime 1984" and "Don't Ask Me Why" are vital inclusions if the end goal of this compilation is to tell the complete story of Eurythmics, who originated as a slightly avant-garde, refreshingly soulful version of Kraftwerk and then gradually grew into a more contemporary pop band. In tracing that splendid evolution, all the better-than-expected surpluses are necessarily trimmed, thus fitting the bill of a thoroughly concise, compelling and illuminating alternative to consuming the seven or so albums that these 18 songs are drawn from.

By combining Dave Stewart's edgy synthesizers, pre-techno dance beats with the warm, ethereal, powerhouse vocals of Annie Lennox, Eurythmics were never destined to be low-key. Lennox's ground-breaking androgyny alone bound them to the MTV era's focus on image as a means of promotion, which they incidentally took full advantage of, their mildly surreal, sexually fluid promo clips now considered landmark music videos, especially in the current climate. Strongly present alto vocals and image aside, Eurythmics' instrumentalist Dave Stewart was also ambitious with his multi-tiered arrangements, always careful not to be reactionary to musical trends. Together, they adopted disparate styles on almost all of their songs, never straying too far from the parameters of electronic or pop music whilst trying to remain as innovative as possible. Naturally, "Greatest Hits" leans toward the duo's commercial peak, when their experimental streak was confined to the second side of their albums, not their consistently popular singles. That means their first album, a very abstract effort that received little attention, is unrepresented, though frankly it is not missed. In spite of its non-chronological order, the disc thankfully commences from the very moment they became proficient: the spellbinding yet icy synths of "Love Is A Stranger," "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" and "Here Comes The Rain Again" set the tone of the collection as it segues seamlessly into their sonically organic and aesthetically experimental periods before ending on a high with the blistering dance-rock of "Would I Lie To You?," "Missionary Man" and "I Need A Man". It may not be biased, but it isn't entirely comprehensive; glaring omissions include "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)" and "Shame", both of which qualify as essential tracks in the Eurythmics canon. Nevertheless, the wide range of tracks on offer does flow pleasantly, delivering a surfeit of radio staples capable of satisfying neophytes as well as casual fans.

Rating: 5/5

10 second teaser TV commercial for Eurythmics "Greatest Hits" as aired on Sky Sports 21st May 1991 can be found here.