"Precious" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Annie Lennox | ||||
from the album Diva | ||||
B-side | "Step by Step" | |||
Released | 25 May 1992 [1] | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Annie Lennox | |||
Producer(s) | Stephen Lipson | |||
Annie Lennox singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Precious" on YouTube |
"Precious" is a song by Scottish singer and songwriter Annie Lennox, released on 25 May 1992 as the second single from her debut solo album, Diva (1992). It peaked at number 23 in the UK and was a top 10 hit in Italy. The B-side, "Step by Step", was later covered by Whitney Houston for the soundtrack of her 1996 film, The Preacher's Wife , and became a top 10 hit. "Precious" is unrelated to the B-side track of the same name on the single "Revival" by Eurythmics.
Robbert Tilli from Music & Media described "Precious" as a "Stevie Wonderesque funk-edged song". [2] Alan Jones from Music Week named it Pick of the Week, commenting, "Not as immediate as "Why", but a stylish little offering with few pretentions. Peppy uptempo pop/rock, and highly engaging, this is certain to keep demand for Lennox's Diva album at a high level." [3] A reviewer from People Magazine noted the "passion" the singer does on the song. [4] Pop Rescue complimented its "wonderfully thick plodding bass line", adding that Lennox' vocals "are rich here, and she has the space to give some higher notes too." [5]
Harry Dean from Smash Hits declared it as "pleasantly melodic". Craig S. Semon from Telegram & Gazette wrote, "On "Precious", Lennox's tarnished Eurythmics' mystique and her newly found solo freedom finally fall into place. With intense vocals, she romances an angel (obviously a song to her 18-month-old daughter, Lola), while a funky program and a jazzy horn solo keep the song grooving. She effectively conveys the love she feels for her little bundle of joy, explaining how it has changed her life and replaced all her bitterness." He added, "The song is one of the album's better numbers and it has all the passion and intensity of a successful Lisa Stansfield outing". [6]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Precious" (Radio Edit) | 3:51 |
2. | "Step by Step" | 4:46 |
3. | "Precious" (Album version) | 5:07 |
4. | "Why" | 4:53 |
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [7] | 83 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8] | 27 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [9] | 37 |
Europe Dance ( Music & Media ) [10] | 13 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [11] | 49 |
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [12] | 7 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [13] | 30 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [14] | 39 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [15] | 28 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [16] | 37 |
UK Singles (OCC) [17] | 23 |
The Tony Cetinski's song "Onaj ko te ljubi sretan je" (2005) and the SevdahBABY's song "Najbolja pesma" (2010) (featuring Anette & Djixx) contain the sample of the chorus melody of the Annie Lennox' song "Precious".
Eurythmics were a British pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They were both previously in the Tourists, a band which broke up in 1980. The duo released their first studio album, In the Garden, in 1981 to little success, but went on to achieve global acclaim when their second album Sweet Dreams , was released in 1983. The title track became a worldwide hit, reaching No.2 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 6 in Australia, before hitting No. 1 in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100. The duo went on to release a string of hit singles and albums, including "Love Is a Stranger", "There Must Be an Angel " and "Here Comes the Rain Again", before they split up in 1990.
Ann Lennox is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the new wave band the Tourists, she and fellow musician Dave Stewart went on to achieve international success in the 1980s as Eurythmics. Appearing in the 1983 music video for "Sweet Dreams " with orange cropped hair and wearing a man's business suit, the BBC states, "all eyes were on Annie Lennox, the singer whose powerful androgynous look defied the male gaze". Subsequent hits with Eurythmics include "There Must Be an Angel ", "Love Is a Stranger" and "Here Comes the Rain Again".
"Why" is the debut solo single of Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox, released on 16 March 1992. It was taken from her debut solo album, Diva (1992), and reached number five in the United Kingdom. In the United States, "Why" peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was also a big hit internationally, reaching number one in Italy and peaking within the top 10 in Belgium, Canada, Ireland and five other countries. Its music video was directed by Sophie Muller. Stereogum ranked "Why" number one in their list of the 10 best Annie Lennox songs in 2015.
"Love Is a Stranger" is a song by the British pop duo Eurythmics. Originally released in late 1982, the single was commercially unsuccessful, but it was re-released in 1983, reaching the UK top 10. The single was re-released again in 1991, to promote Eurythmics' Greatest Hits album.
Diva is the debut solo studio album by Scottish singer Annie Lennox, released on 6 April 1992 by RCA Records. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and has since sold over 1.2 million copies in the UK alone, being certified quadruple platinum. In the United States, it reached number 23 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified double platinum. Diva won the Brit Award for British Album of the Year at the 1993 Brit Awards. The album received nominations for Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Long Form Music Video, winning the latter award at the Grammy Awards the same year.
"I Believe" is a song by American singer-songwriter Marcella Detroit, released on February 28, 1994, via London Records as the lead single from her second studio album, Jewel (1994). Written by Detroit and produced by Chris Thomas, the song went on to become Detroit's most successful single, peaking at number 11 in the United Kingdom, and achieved similar success internationally. Its highest peak on a national chart was in Australia, where it reached number 10.
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" is a song by British new wave music duo Eurythmics. 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. The song became their breakthrough hit, establishing the duo worldwide. It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in March 1983 and number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 six months later; it was their first single released in the US.
"Who's That Girl?" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics, released as the lead single from their third studio album, Touch (1983). It was written by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart.
"Here Comes the Rain Again" is a 1983 song by British duo Eurythmics and the opening track from their third studio album Touch. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart. The song was released on 12 January 1984 as the album's third single in the UK and in the United States as the first single.
"Would I Lie to You?" is a song written and performed by the British pop duo Eurythmics. Released on 9 April 1985 as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album, Be Yourself Tonight (1985), the song was the first by the duo to feature their change in musical direction from a predominantly synthpop style to rock and rhythm and blues. The song, and its accompanying album, featured a full backing band and relied less on electronic programming.
"There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" is a song by the British musical duo Eurythmics, released as the second single from their fifth studio album, Be Yourself Tonight (1985). It features a harmonica solo by American musician Stevie Wonder. The song became a worldwide success; most notably in Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom, where it remains the duo's only chart-topper.
"It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" is a song written and recorded by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was released as the fourth and final single from their 1985 album Be Yourself Tonight. The song was produced by Dave Stewart, and the song's brass arrangement was devised by Michael Kamen.
"Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics, released on 12 October 1987 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Savage (1987).
"Revival" is a 1989 song by the British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, along with keyboardist Pat Seymour and vocalist Charlie Wilson who also sang backing vocals for the track. Produced by Stewart and Jimmy Iovine, it was the first single to be released from Eurythmics' 1989 album We Too Are One.
"Love Song for a Vampire" is a song composed and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. It was recorded for Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film, Bram Stoker's Dracula based on the 1897 gothic horror novel, where it plays during the end credits. Released in February 1993 as a double A-side with "Little Bird" in Ireland, the United Kingdom and several other countries in Europe, the single was a hit, peaking at number three on the UK and Irish Singles Charts. "Love Song for a Vampire" by itself reached number four in Spain and number 10 in France.
"Walking on Broken Glass" is a song written and performed by Scottish singer Annie Lennox, included on her debut solo studio album, Diva (1992). Released on 10 August 1992, the single peaked at number one in Canada, number eight in the United Kingdom and Ireland and number 14 in the United States.
"Cold" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. It was released as the fourth single from her first solo album, Diva (1992), and reached no. 26 in the UK. The single was released as a series of three separate CD singles, titled Cold, Colder and Coldest. Each CD featured the track "Cold" as well as a collection of live tracks. It was the first single to chart in the UK Top 40 without being released on vinyl. A cassette version was also available featuring the lead track and one live track from each CD.
"No More 'I Love You's'" is a song written by British musicians David Freeman and Joseph Hughes and originally recorded by them as the Lover Speaks. It was released in 1986 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album. The song was covered by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox and became a commercial success for her in 1995, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart.
"Little Bird" is a song composed and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. Taken from her debut solo album, Diva (1992), it was released in 1993 as a double A-side with "Love Song for a Vampire" in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and various other European countries. In other territories, "Little Bird" was released alone.
This article is the discography of the Scottish pop and rock singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. After a decade of major international success as part of Eurythmics, Lennox began her solo career in earnest in 1992 with the release of her first album Diva. A multi-platinum success, she has since released five further solo studio albums, three of them being covers albums and also a greatest hits collection. Six of her albums have reached the UK top ten, and two of them reached number one.