Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin – Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

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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

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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

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David
David
November 10, 2016 9:50 am

Hey Paul,
I tried to send you an e-mail but it said your address was invalid. Did you change it?
Thanks,
David

music_fan
music_fan
November 10, 2016 5:17 am

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 »

Junior
Junior
November 10, 2016 5:11 am

This was one of the coolest collaborations, and i wished there had been more singles by The Eurythmics and Aretha.

Thanks Paul 🙂

Dirk
Dirk
November 10, 2016 3:20 am

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.

Arnaud
Arnaud
Reply to  Dirk
November 11, 2016 5:15 am

You pity Paul’s politics, yet you feel necessary to tell us your own opinion.

Dirk
Dirk
Reply to  Arnaud
November 11, 2016 12:45 pm

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 »

Davos Via 45
Davos Via 45
November 9, 2016 11:14 pm

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..”

Davos Via 45
Davos Via 45
Reply to  DjPaulT
November 10, 2016 7:24 pm

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!

Yerko
Yerko
November 9, 2016 8:37 pm

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

MMDD
MMDD
November 9, 2016 5:09 pm

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.

Mike C.
Mike C.
November 9, 2016 4:59 pm

Still in shock. Feels like an awful parallel universe.

Disney Mike
Disney Mike
November 9, 2016 4:01 pm

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.

Morts
Morts
November 9, 2016 3:48 pm

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.

Rafael Cova
Rafael Cova
November 9, 2016 2:36 pm

If humans were dinosaurs we would vote for the meteorite

Impacted by the election result

what a shame!

Davos Via 45
Davos Via 45
Reply to  Rafael Cova
November 9, 2016 9:53 pm

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!

Spring
Spring
November 9, 2016 2:20 pm

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…

Spring
Spring
November 9, 2016 2:10 pm

Cool! I like both of them – Eurythmics and Aretha. Thank you very much Paul! 🙂

Song And Dance
Song And Dance
November 9, 2016 12:48 pm

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 🙂

George Price
George Price
November 9, 2016 12:45 pm

Very bummed out myself. Asking WTF happened to myself.

Anyway, thanks for this cool post.

George Price
George Price
Reply to  DjPaulT
November 10, 2016 9:36 am

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.

OMAR
OMAR
November 9, 2016 12:05 pm

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.