Eurythmics made a stylistic shift in 1985, away from the New Wave synth pop of ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ toward a more rock/R&B sound. The resulting album, Be Yourself Tonight, was a major hit both commercially and critically.

Along with the musical shift, lead singer Annie Lennox switched from her striking androgynous visage to an equally striking platinum blonde bombshell look. She proved that her strong, distinctive vocals were as well-suited to crowd-pleasing romps as dreamy/creepy synth hits.

Be Yourself Tonight is a real blast. It kicks off with the propulsive ‘Would I Lie to You,’ setting the stage for an album that really makes you want to move. Other hits include the sublime ‘There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart),’ a great showcase for Lennox’s vocals, and ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves,’ a feminist anthem on which Lennox pairs up with Aretha Franklin.

Other guest artists include Stevie Wonder, who contributes a harmonica solo on ‘There Must Be an Angel,’ and Elvis Costello, who lends his vocals to today’s SOTD. Tucked away on the album’s second side, ‘Adrian’ was a great find. I always love to hear one of my favorite artists pop up on a peer’s album.

I sound like a broken record during these Decades posts, always remarking that I’d like to dig deeper into the featured artists’ catalogs. That’s true once again after sampling this great effort by a band I only know through their hits.