British new wave duo Eurythmics were one of the premier music acts of the 1980s. The pair were known for their captivating videos, Annie Lennox’s genre-bending attire, and their amazing music, including gems like “This City Never Sleeps.” This atmospheric song effectively captures the mood of a big city in the evening. There is a distinct sound of a large metropolis at night, a steady muffled hum of activity, expertly conveyed in this song. It evokes images of dark city streets and nearly deserted underground train stations. Lennox delivers a mesmerizing vocal performance. Dave Stewart creates an intoxicating soundscape, employing sonic samples–such as underground trains, distant conversations, random sounds of the streets, thunder, etc.–to help further enhance the night-time big-city vibe. A hypnotic bass line drives the song, which features brooding keyboards and feedback-laden guitar blasts.
“This City Never Sleeps” was inspired by Lennox's early struggling years when she lived alone in a London bedsit. The song is about her feelings of loneliness and solitude. Surrounded by strangers in a big city, her sense of claustrophobia and disconnection was overwhelming: “Walls so thin, I can almost hear them breathing/And if I listen in I can hear my own heart beating.”
“This City Never Sleeps” is a track from Eurythmics’ hugely successful second album Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), released in 1983 on RCA Records. The song was co-written and produced by Stewart and Lennox. Stewart also played all the instruments on the track. It was featured on the soundtrack for the erotic romantic drama 9½ Weeks (1986).
Eurythmics performing "This City Never Sleeps" at The Church Studios in North London in 1983
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