Eurythmics Album: “Savage [Bonus Tracks]”

Years before Annie Lennox became a solo superstar, she and Dave Stewart released this dark and beautiful album from the leftfield. Savage was pretty much ignored in the US but over the years, it came to be regarded by many Eurythmics fans as the duo's best album, and Dave Stewart himself declared it to be his all-time favorite Eurythmics project. Yet Savage is an album that is hard to embrace on its surface. Coldly electronic for the most part and emotionally bipolar, Annie Lennox was clearly keeping her audience at arm's length even as she bared her soul through some of the most harrowing lyrics she ever wrote. If the music was distancing, Lennox's persona was even more so. Playing her sexual politics to a hilt behind a persona that blurred gender lines more aggressively than ever, Annie Lennox seemed not to care what the fans or critics thought. When the video for I Need A Man played on MTV, a collective "huh?" could be heard as few recognized the blonde vamp with pouting cleavage in the video to be her. The most subversive moment in the video came when, for just a moment, the wig was knocked slightly askew and you were made to wonder whether she was vamping it or playing a drag queen. "Is it my turn? You want me to sing now? OK..." Little did you know she was inviting you into a private drag show. Musically, Savage is equally bold and aggressive, the greatest showcase of the fire-and-ice creative tension of Eurythmics' two members. Mostly electronica, the album will surprise you by cutting into hard rock or neo-disco, then abruptly stripping down to guitar and voice. Admittedly all of this is too bewildering, bipolar and eclectic for most people to appreciate. But if you're willing to take risks and plumb the depths with Dave and Annie, you'll be richly rewarded.

This CD has a fairly unique legacy. It is probably the CD that most Eurythmics fans would say is their favourite yet it was the least successful (with the exception of "In the Garden") the band were to release.

The CD was released after Dave & Annie rocked the world with the "Revenge" CD. That CD was full of guitar and horn driven rock numbers and ballads. Exciting but not ground breaking. Most people were probably expecting more of the same. Instead they got "Savage" which could not have been more different. This CD was electronic and original. Dave has stated that the album in some ways was Annie's first solo project as she worked through a great many issues in the lyrics. The videos to focused mainly on Annie with Dave rarely appearing.

Despite rave reviews for the music and the videos the CD did poorly. One single "Shame" actually failed to enter the British top 40. As if shocked by the poor performance of the CD Dave and Annie began to perform some of the tracks acoustically which I felt did them no justice at all. In the end "Beethoven", "Shame", "I Need a Man" (Great performance & stunning video) and "You have Placed a Chill in my Heart" were all released as singles.

Dave and Annie tried to return to the succesful formula of "Revenge" with the "We TOO are One" follow up to "Savage". ALthough this was more succesful "Savage" remains Dave & Annie's finest hour. Original and ground breaking. Do yourselves a favour and have a listen.

On the list of the top 100 CDs I'd have to take with me if I was stranded on a deserted island. Acoustic songs like "I Need You" take the group to a new level... definitely an experimental stage for Annie & Dave and they do it with class.

This "experimental" phase for them is not a wild departure from what Eurythmics fans love, but rather it opens up a whole new list of possibilites for this dynamic group.

I was blown away by this album when I first bought it back in 1987. I felt it was an artist pushing the limits of what they do best, being experimental and arty, without sacrificing good music. After listening to it now, fifteen years later, it retains all of the brilliance it had on the day of its release and shows that true musical greatness is timeless. This album goes from moody electronics (Beethoven, Heaven, Shame) to in your face tongue-in-cheek rock (I Need A Man, Do You Want to Break Up, Wide Eyed Girl), to joyously beautiful sparse and acoustic tracks (I Need You, Brand New Day.) This CD is a truly vital addition to any music lovers collection. Don't hesitate...buy it now and give it repeated listens.

I remember buying this album in 1987, and being struck by the beauty, darkness and stylishness of this album. I had been a fan of Eurythmics for some time but this was the one album by them that made an impression on me. From the stunning album cover photography to the unique opening track "Beethoven (I Love To Listen To)", this was unlike any other Eurythmics album.

I liked that Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart made an album that may not have been as commercial as previous albums, but they stayed true to their vision, which was admittedly often dark. "I Need A Man" was one of their most raucous songs, and although it was not a big hit on North American radio, it still remains a pumping track, thanks to Stewart's powerhouse guitars, and Lennox's Jagger-esque vocals. "You Have A Placed A Chill In My Heart" is a biting but also touching love song over a techno beat, and both "Shame" and "Savage" are moving and haunting.

The newly remastered version of "Savage" is a true gift to fans who have waited almost 20 years to hear this album in pristine sound. The bonus tracks are wonderful, including the 12-inch dance versions which are a reminder that the Eurythmics have always been popular in the clubs.

"Savage" is my favorite Eurythmics album because it truly represents their innovative vision, and it remains an underrated album that was released at a time when teen-pop (ie. Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, The Jets) was making its mark on the charts in the late 80s. The Eurythmics' songs of breaking up, lust, loneliness and cruelty may not have been what radio wanted to play alongside "Could've Been" or "Only In My Dreams" but they demonstrated a band at its peak, and almost 20 years later, those songs still retain the power they did when first released.