BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
Love did not save the day and I am heartbroken. We must keep fighting to break that glass ceiling.
“Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” is a 1985 song recorded as a duet by the British pop duo Eurythmics and American soul/R&B singer Aretha Franklin. It was released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985, and was featured on both Eurythmics’ Be Yourself Tonight and Franklin’s Who’s Zoomin’ Who? albums.
“Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” is considered to be a modern feminist anthem and was written by Eurythmics’ Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They had originally intended to duet with Tina Turner, who was unavailable at the time and so the duo approached Aretha Franklin instead.
The song was highly successful, reaching #9 on the UK Singles Chart and #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
The track also features three of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers; Stan Lynch on drums, Benmont Tench on organ, and Mike Campbell on lead guitar, plus session bassist Nathan East.
SIDE A:
Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves 5:54
SIDE B:
Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves (ET Mix) 7:56
I Love You Like A Ball And Chain 4:03
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #18 |
| 1985 | Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | #10 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA Victor – PW-14243
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Stereo, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Artwork By [Design] – Laurence Stevens
Engineer – Adam Williams
Engineer [Additional] – Don Smith (tracks: A, B1)
Engineer [Assistant] – Jay Willis
Mixed By – Adam Williams (tracks: B2), Don Smith (tracks: B2), Eric Thorngren (tracks: B1)
Producer, Mixed By – David A. Stewart
Written-By – Lennox*, Stewart*
NOTES:
Both tracks from the album “Be Yourself Tonight”
Aretha Franklin Appears courtesy of Arista Records Inc.
Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves is also included on Aretha Franklins’ album ‘Who’s Zoomin’ Who?’
Find the 12″ on DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Hey Paul,
I tried to send you an e-mail but it said your address was invalid. Did you change it?
Thanks,
David
Hi David no it’s still the same.
I feel some aspects of the constitution – or the rules regarding electoral eligibility – need to be rewritten. Three suggestions: 1) No person can run for president without holding prior political office. This would mean super-rich opportunists like Donald Trump and Ross Perot can’t run. If Trump wants to run as president he should first run for mayor or for the senate. 2) All presidential candidates must release all tax records during the primaries. Trump is now president-elect but has no legal requirement to release his financial affairs. “Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) has introduced a… Read more »
I am with you music_fan and could not agree more. It is really sickening that a candidate can use this kind of filthy language and treat women the way that he did and still be able to run for the highest office in our land. We cannot forget that our now president elect has some upcoming court dates for fraud. There was even a child rape case that was dropped because the victim feared for her life. The media totally was biased. All the media talked about constantly was emails. They glossed over all of the nasty things that Trump… Read more »
This was one of the coolest collaborations, and i wished there had been more singles by The Eurythmics and Aretha.
Thanks Paul 🙂
You’re very welcome Junior 🙂
Oh, politics again? Pity.
(I did not encourage both of the two parties as reliable. Evidence enough that you could be glad there is now not a president ruling, known for lying and evidence-destroyment before she got in the white house already.
The ones that rule are behind the curtains, for over decades. R-ums-fellt?
There. Sorry for the inconvenience. Now I will try to shut up about it again.)
Yes, you may delete this one.
It’s over now. It’s nice that you feel that we have a president that does not lie, although I would argue that the evidence shows that Trump lies excessively, even more than Hillary, throughout the primary and general election. When talking about evidence destroyment, I would argue that not releasing taxes was a form of that. Calling Russia to hack Hillary exclusively, of which he got a pass on his internal communications, was a form of that. We now have the mind of a dictator as our president elect with very few checks and balances from the Republican dominated legislature… Read more »
You pity Paul’s politics, yet you feel necessary to tell us your own opinion.
At Arnoud, like I stated, I was trying. Childish delusional drivel is not something I come here to see and read. The overall not getting it that Both Choices were at the least dubious and not to be taken seriously, is an example. It was a farce this whole election, two years of chatting about hot air. You all could have been busy with the now and then with the current president who likes to throw drone-bombs and went on torturing on prisoners on some island – all in the name of Fellow Americans. I have had it with this… Read more »
Catastrophe, total disaster has struck. More suited song lyrics wood be:
The Doors – The End (from Apocalypse Now)
“…This is the end, my only friend, the end…”
or
Monty Python – Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (from Life of Brian)
“…Life’s full of shit, when you look at it..”
Thank you for the comment Davos Via 45 🙂
No, I thank you Paul for posting this great song, and even more thanks to this extraordinary artist, that Aretha, Annie and Dave are, and all the fabulous music they created or performed. This song was huge, much more popular then the chart positions would suggest!
Dear Friend:
I’m so sorry about the result.
Maybe this period will help your people realize what is what they really want for your country. For that reflection and conclussion, maybe they need to go through this first.
I hope it doesn’t get so tough.
Thanx for sharing this great inspiring track!
Kind regards.
Yerko
You’re welcome Yerko thank you for your positive comment 🙂
My theme song of the day is going back to the 60’s: “We Shall Overcome.” Gotta keep the faith to get through these next dark, dark years.
That is a perfect one MMDD.
Still in shock. Feels like an awful parallel universe.
I knoe Mike C have comfort know that there are millions feeling the same way.
Thanks for posting this, Paul. A majority of the American public yesterday told us (and the world) that bullying is acceptable and that woman, persons of color, LGBTQ people, and non-Christians have no rights as Americans. It is quite possibly the darkest day in our nation’s history.
It is so true Disney Mike I think that we were really blind to the underground hatred that is present in our society. I really feel like I am grieving a death.
I’m trying to imagine what this song would’ve sounded like with Tina Turner, but I suspect it may have been a happy twist of fate that Aretha Franklin was available in her stead as I believe her voice is more suited to the song structure and would have more punch than Turner’s might have.
Agree Aretha was more suited for it.
If humans were dinosaurs we would vote for the meteorite
Impacted by the election result
what a shame!
I agree Rafael 🙂
or we got run over by the DumbDonald Saurus
and then wiped out by the Hillbilly Comet
what a shame Paul already payed for the 2 year site hosting service LOL!
P.S. I forgot to say that today is an International Day against the fascism, racism and anti-Semitism. It’s so symbolic in the day of announcement of the election results in US. Here in Russia we are looking forward to the future. For the first time in many years the mind of ordinary people triumphed over stagnant ideas…
Let’s hope the future is bright but right now it looks very dark.
Cool! I like both of them – Eurythmics and Aretha. Thank you very much Paul! 🙂
You’re welcome Spring.
Dear Paul, Omar et al
I cannot express how shocked the German public is on this sad, sad day. Nevertheless, our political systems and our understanding of democracy demand that we accept this as a struck of fate.
Stiff upper lip, guys. Four years is nothing.
Hugs,
k.
PS: this excellent rip of “Sisters” is about the only good thing that happened to me today (it´s 7.48 pm over here). Thank you 🙂
Thank you Song And Dance your words are a comfort.
Very bummed out myself. Asking WTF happened to myself.
Anyway, thanks for this cool post.
We got a rude awakening and found out that racism is very much alive in our country. God bless George Price 🙂
Paul, the way I dealt with it was – yeah,a bit excessive but beats trying to punch holes in walls – by playing “Chimes Of Freedom” by The Byrds for three solid hours. As I said excessive but did the trick I’m still slowly accepting results, though.
Thanks Paul. Feel heartbroken here as well. Some Eurythmics tracks that sum up our “evil” new president would be Would I Lie To You, Thorn In My Side, Shame & You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart.
You’re welcome Omar I am really speechl;ess. Thanks for commenting.