"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" | ||||
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Single by Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin | ||||
from the album Be Yourself Tonight and Who's Zoomin' Who? | ||||
B-side | "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" | |||
Released | October 1, 1985 | |||
Studio | United Sound Systems (Detroit, Michigan) [1] [2] | |||
Genre | Soul [3] | |||
Length |
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Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | David A. Stewart | |||
Eurythmics singles chronology | ||||
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Aretha Franklin singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by Eurythmics on YouTube |
"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics and American singer Aretha Franklin. A modern feminist anthem,it was written by Eurythmics members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and featured on both Eurythmics' Be Yourself Tonight (1985) and Franklin's Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985) albums. The duo originally intended to perform with Tina Turner,who was unavailable at the time and so they flew to Detroit and recorded with Franklin instead. The track also features three of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers:Stan Lynch on drums,Benmont Tench on organ,and Mike Campbell on lead guitar,plus session bassist Nathan East.
Released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985,"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" was highly successful,reaching number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Cash Box said that the song is "a rousing,soulful tune with a driving R&B feel". [4] Billboard said it has "two varieties of charisma plus a furious funk production". [5] Spin wrote,"That this hard-driving feminist anthem works so wonderfully for both women is a testament to the talent of Lennox. Any lesser singer would have wilted and died in such company." [6]
This music video was taped at Detroit's Music Hall. The video is interspersed with clips from old black and white films,including 1962's A Kind of Loving . The video uses the single version of the song,as opposed to the album version.
7-inch
12-inch
Chart (1985–1986) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] | 15 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8] | 28 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [9] | 33 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [10] | 9 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [11] | 9 |
Germany (GfK) [12] | 22 |
Ireland (IRMA) [13] | 5 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [14] | 20 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [15] | 17 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [16] | 6 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [17] | 20 |
UK Singles (OCC) [18] | 9 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [19] | 18 |
US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [20] | 10 |
US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [21] | 21 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [22] | 66 |
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles [23] | 22 |
US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles ( Cash Box ) [24] | 57 |
Eurythmics were a British pop duo formed in 1980,consisting of Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox and English musician and producer Dave Stewart. They were both previously in the Tourists,a band that broke up in 1980. They released their first studio album,In the Garden,in 1981 to little success,but achieved global acclaim with their second album,Sweet Dreams (1983). The title track became a worldwide hit,reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart,and number one in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100. Eurythmics 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 splitting in 1990.
Be Yourself Tonight is the fourth studio album by British pop duo Eurythmics,released on 29 April 1985 by RCA Records.
"Respect" is a song written and originally recorded by American soul singer Otis Redding. It was released in 1965 as a single from his third album Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul and became a crossover hit for Redding.
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