"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.
| "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Eurythmics | ||||
| from the album Be Yourself Tonight | ||||
| B-side | "Tous les garçons et les filles" | |||
| Released | 30 December 1985 | |||
| Recorded | 1985 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | David A. Stewart | |||
| Eurythmics singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" on YouTube | ||||
The single became Eurythmics' tenth Top 20 hit in the UK where it peaked at number 12, but was less successful in the United States, stalling at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. As songwriters, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart received the 1986 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.[1]
Composition
editThe song is a blend of R&B and electronica[2] in the key of D♭ Major, with a tempo of 93 beats per minute. The intro and chorus repeats the chords D♭ Major, C♭ Major, G♭ Major and F♭ Major over a bass pedal point of D♭, while the bridge remains on E♭ minor throughout.
Reception
editCash Box said it "carries on the soul groove of earlier outings."[3]
Track listings
edit7"
- A: "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (LP Version) - 3:50
- B: "Conditioned Soul" (LP Version) - 4:32
12"
- A: "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (LP Version) - 3:50
- B1: "Conditioned Soul" (LP Version) - 4:32
- B2: "Tous les garçons et les filles" (Non-LP Track) - 3:29
Music video
editThe song's music video, directed by Willy Smax,[4] is a combination of live shots and computer animation, an innovative look for a music video in the mid-1980s. The video depicts a story in which Annie Lennox is in a car accident at the beginning of the video and her partner, portrayed by Dave Stewart, is so connected to her that he can instantly tell that something is wrong and immediately travels from the Orient to get to her. She is seen lying in a hospital bed with a heart monitor in the background. She performs the song as an out of body experience. The main focus of the video is Stewart's race to get to Lennox's side, which he finally does by the end of the video. When he opens the door to her hospital room, her eyes instantly pop wide open and the two embrace and then turn into pieces of abstract animation.
Personnel
edit- Eurythmics
- Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboard sequencers
- David A. Stewart – guitars, sequencers
- Additional Personnel
- Dean Garcia – bass guitar
- Olle Romo – drums
- Dave Plews – trumpet
- Martin Dobson – saxophones
- Michael Kamen - brass arrangement idea
Charts
edit| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 32 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] | 14 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 26 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] | 37 |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[9] | 14 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[10] | 8 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] | 20 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] | 21 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] | 18 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] | 23 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[15] | 12 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[16] | 78 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[17] | 79 |
| West Germany (GfK)[18] | 22 |
References
edit- ^ Lister, David, Pop ballads bite back in lyrical fashion, The Independent, 28 May 1994
- ^ Gerard, Chris (11 February 2022). "The Case for Eurythmics' Induction Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". PopMatters. p. 2. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 8 February 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Willy Smax Official Site". willysmax.com. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 105. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Eurythmics – It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Eurythmics – It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0658." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 7. 22 February 1986. p. 11. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It's Alright". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eurythmics" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Eurythmics – It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Eurythmics – It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Eurythmics – It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Eurythmics: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Eurythmics Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending March 8, 1986". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Eurythmics – It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
External links
edit- "Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) [Remastered]" on YouTube
- "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) (2018 Remastered)" on YouTube
- "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) (Peacetour Live)" on YouTube
- "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) (Remastered Version)" on YouTube
- "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) (Remastered Version)" on YouTube
- "It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)" on YouTube