Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

The song's harmony is defined by its minimalist, industrial approach. By strictly adhering to a i-VI-V loop and avoiding the standard pop IV or III chords, it creates a sense of entrapment and persistence. The use of a major V chord (G) instead of a minor v chord (Gm) provides the sharp, classical tension-resolution characteristic of the harmonic minor scale, which gives the song its slightly gothic, dramatic edge.

Written following the breakup of The Tourists and a period of professional and personal struggle. Annie Lennox was in a state of deep depression in a hotel room in San Francisco when Dave Stewart began playing a beat on a newly acquired Oberheim DMX drum machine. Lennox immediately responded by improvising the synthesizer riff on a Roland SH-101 and singing the iconic opening lines.

As Eurythmics' global breakthrough, this 1983 single became a definitive anthem of the synth-pop movement. It combines dark, repetitive electronic textures with soulful delivery to create one of the most recognizable tracks in music history.