Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

{{Short description|1985 single by Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

| cover = Eurythmics SADIFT.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Standard artwork

| type = single

| artist = Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin

| album = Be Yourself Tonight {{noitalic|and}} Who's Zoomin' Who?

| B-side = I Love You Like a Ball and Chain

| released = 21 October 1985

| recorded =

| studio = United Sound Systems (Detroit, Michigan){{cite web|url=http://unitedsoundsystemsrecordingstudios.com/museum/|publisher=unitedsoundsystemsrecordingstudios.com|title=United Sound Systems » Museum » Detroit's Musical History |date=6 May 2014|access-date=9 November 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://soulfuldetroit.com/web01-soulfuldetroit/united-sound.htm|publisher=soulfuldetroit.com|title= SoulfulDetroit - United Sound Systems - Great Soul Music Recording Studios of Detroit |access-date=9 November 2016}}

| genre =

Soul{{AllMusic |class=album |id= mw0000676312

|title= Eurythmics - Greatest Hits (1991) Review |last= Erlewine|first= Stephen Thomas|access-date= February 4, 2024}}

R&B{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2024/11/how-aretha-franklin-brought-gospel-and-soul-to-pop|title=Say a Little Prayer Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=November 15, 2024|access-date=February 17, 2025}}
electro

| length = {{ubl|5:52 (album version)|4:29 (single version)}}

| label = RCA

| writer = {{hlist|Annie Lennox|David A. Stewart}}

| producer = David A. Stewart

| chronology = Eurythmics

| prev_title = There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back)

| next_year = 1986

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = Aretha Franklin

| type = single

| prev_title = Who's Zoomin' Who

| prev_year = 1985

| title = Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

| year = 1985

| next_title = Another Night

| next_year = 1986

}}

{{External music video|{{YouTube|drGx7JkFSp4|"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by Eurythmics}}}}

}}

"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a song by British pop duo Eurythmics and American singer Aretha Franklin. A modern feminist anthem, it was written by Eurythmics members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and featured on both Eurythmics' Be Yourself Tonight (1985) and Franklin's Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985) albums. The duo originally intended to perform with Tina Turner, who was unavailable at the time and so they flew to Detroit and recorded with Franklin instead. 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.

Reception

Released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985, "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" was highly successful, reaching number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Cash Box said that the song is "a rousing, soulful tune with a driving R&B feel".{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-10-19.pdf|date=October 19, 1985|accessdate=2022-08-02|page=9}} Billboard said it has "two varieties of charisma plus a furious funk production".{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=October 19, 1985|accessdate=2022-08-02|page=89|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Reviews}} Spin wrote, "That this hard-driving feminist anthem works so wonderfully for both women is a testament to the talent of Lennox. Any lesser singer would have wilted and died in such company."{{cite magazine| magazine= Spin | title=Spins|author=Elliott Murphy| date=July 1985|issue=3|page=30}}

Music video

This music video was taped at Detroit's Music Hall. The video is interspersed with clips from old black and white films, including 1962's A Kind of Loving. The video uses the single version of the song, as opposed to the album version.

Track listings

7-inch

A: "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (7-inch version) – 4:35
B: "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" (LP version) – 4:08

12-inch

A1: "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (LP version) – 5:54
B1: "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (ET mix) – 7:53
B2: "I Love You Like a Ball and Chain" (LP version) – 4:08

Credits

;Eurythmics

Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards
David A. Stewart – guitars, keyboards

;Additional personnel

Nathan East – bass guitar
Stan Lynch – drums
Mike Campbell – lead guitar
Benmont Tench – organ
Aretha Franklin – guest vocals
The Charles Williams Singers – gospel choir

Charts

scope="row"\| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book \|last=Kent \|first=David \|author-link=David Kent (historian) \|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 \|edition=illustrated \|location=St Ives, N.S.W. \|publisher=Australian Chart Book \|year=1993 \|page=105 \|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} \| 15
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Chart performance for "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" ! scope="col"\| Chart (1985–1986) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Flanders\|28\|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin\|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2018}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|33\|chartid=0611\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 May 2020}}
scope="row"\| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine \|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/80s/85/M&M-1985-12-02-OCR-Page-0004.pdf \|title=European Hot 100 Singles \|magazine=Eurotipsheet \|volume=2 \|issue=48 \|date=2 December 1985 \|page=12 \|oclc=29800226 \|via=World Radio History}} \| 9
scope="row"\| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book \|last=Pennanen \|first=Timo \|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 \|language=fi \|edition=1st \|location=Helsinki \|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava \|year=2006 \|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5}} \| 9
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|5\|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2018}}
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|20\|artist=Eurythmics\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|17\|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin\|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2018}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|6\|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin\|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2018}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|20\|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin\|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2018}}
{{single chart\|UKsinglesbyname\|9\|artist=Eurythmics\|artistid=27723\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|18\|artist=Eurythmics\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart\|Billboarddanceclubplay\|10\|artist=Eurythmics\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart\|Billboarddancesales\|21\|artist=Eurythmics\|rowheader=true\|access-date=3 June 2020}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrandbhiphop\|66\|artist=Eurythmics\|rowheader=true\|access-date=3 June 2020}}
scope="row"\| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles{{cite web \|url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19851207.html \|title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 7, 1985 \|work=Cash Box \|access-date=30 May 2020}} \| 22
scope="row"\| US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box){{cite web \|url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/80s_files/19851228R.html \|title=The Cash Box Top 100 Black Contemporary – Week ending December 28, 1985 \|work=Cash Box \|access-date=23 June 2022}} \| 57
{{single chart\|West Germany\|22\|songid=1363\|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin\|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 May 2020}}

Cover versions

The song was performed by the cartoon character Lisa Simpson (as sung by actress Yeardley Smith) along with Lisa's aunts Patty and Selma Bouvier as well as Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart on The Yellow Album released in 1998.
In 2005, The Pointer Sisters recorded a cover version of the song with Belgian singer Natalia. The single was released only in Belgium in October 2005 and reached number two on the Belgian singles chart.
The television show Xena: Warrior Princess featured a cover of the song by actress Lucy Lawless and Gillian Iliana Waters in the episode Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire.
The 2019 comedy series This Time With Alan Partridge featured a performance of the song by vocal harmony group 'The Quavers', featuring Steve Coogan's character Partridge himself. In typical Partridge clumsiness, this interpretation gives all the lead vocals to the males in the group while its three female members are relegated to the back row.

=Live cover performances=

In 1986, Kylie Minogue with her sister Dannii Minogue performed this song on Young Talent Time.{{cite web|url= https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/kylie-and-dannii-sisters-are-doin-it-themselves|title= Kylie and Dannii: Sisters are Doin' It for Themselves|website=National Film and Sound Archive of Australia|access-date=9 October 2023}}
On October 21st, 1991, the gothic rock band Rosetta Stone performed a live cover version of the song at the Leeds Warehouse. In 1992, a bootleg recording of the concert has been released as "Under the rose".
In 1998, the Spice Girls performed a live cover version of the song on their Spiceworld Tour, as a duet between Melanie C (Sporty Spice) and Mel B (Scary Spice). They also performed it on TFI Friday.
In 2011, Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson & Yolanda Adams covered this song at 53rd Grammy Awards.

References

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0EDX07Kgj0 Music video - YouTube]
[https://genius.com/Eurythmics-sisters-are-doin-it-for-themselves-lyrics Lyrics of the song]

Category:1985 songs

Category:1985 singles

Category:Eurythmics songs

Category:Aretha Franklin songs

Category:Songs with feminist themes

Category:RCA Records singles

Category:Songs written by Annie Lennox

Category:Songs written by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)

Category:Song recordings produced by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)

Category:Female vocal duets

Category:British soul songs

Category:Feminist anthems