Savage (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Savage
Type = Album
Artist = Eurythmics


Released = November 1987
Recorded =
Genre = Pop/Rock, New Wave, Synth Pop, Electronica
Length = 47:20
Label = RCA
Producer = David A. Stewart
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hx6fmp939fco~T1 link]

*"Q" Rating|5|5
* Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Eurythmics link]
Last album = "Revenge"
(1986)
This album = "Savage"
(1987)
Next album = "We Too Are One"
(1989)

"Savage" is the seventh album by pop music duo Eurythmics, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music).

Following the much more mainstream commercial content of their previous two albums, "Savage" saw Eurythmics "turn sharp left" (as Stewart put it), with a much more experimental sound. Production-wise, the album is mainly based around drum loops using the NED Synclavier digital sampling keyboard, with synth and guitar parts relatively low in the mix. The only other musician working on the recordings with Stewart and Lennox was drummer Olle Romo, who handled much of the Synclavier programming. Lennox brought a feminist focus to her lyrics, with sequence of frustrated female characters in the songs. This was made more evident by the accompanying video album, which featured a video for each song, directed by Sophie Muller.

The album's more experimental sound saw the group's poorest sales since "In the Garden", and the singles taken from it did not achieve big hit status. The group did not tour to promote the record, as Lennox took some time off to focus on her private life. It was during this first longer break in Eurythmics activity that Lennox first got pregnant, giving birth to a stillborn son, Daniel, in December 1988.

On November 14, 2005, SonyBMG repackaged and released Eurythmics' back catalog as "2005 Deluxe Edition Reissues." Each of their eight studio albums' original track listings were supplemented with bonus tracks and remixes.

Track listing

all songs by Lennox and Stewart
#"Beethoven (I Love to Listen to)" – 4:48
#"I've Got Lover (Back in Japan)" – 4:25
#"Do You Want to Break Up?" – 3:38
#"You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" – 3:50
#"Shame" – 4:23
#"Savage" – 4:10
#"I Need a Man" – 4:21
#"Put the Blame on Me" – 3:44
#"Heaven" – 3:28
#"Wide Eyed Girl" – 3:29
#"I Need You" – 3:22
#"Brand New Day" – 3:42

Bonus material (2005 reissue)

#"Beethoven" (Extended Philharmonic Version) - 4:31 (Taken from the "Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)" 12-inch single)
#"Shame" (Dance Mix) - 5:38 (Taken from the "Shame" 12-inch single)
#"I Need A Man" (Macho Mix) - 5:55 (Taken from the "I Need A Man" 12-inch single)
#"I Need You" (Live) - 3:26 (Previously Unreleased)
#"Come Together" - 3:20 (Previously Unreleased)— The Beatles cover, taken from the aborted "TV Planet" project

Personnel

*Annie Lennox - vocals, keyboards and programming
*Dave Stewart - backing vocals, guitar, keyboards and programming
*Olle Romo - programming

Production

*Producer: Dave Stewart
*Engineers: Fred DeFaye, Manu Guiot, Alan Moulder
*Mixing: Fred DeFaye, Manu Guiot, Serge Pauchard, Claude Pons
*Programming: Olle Romo

Chart performance