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Thorn in My Side

{{Short description|1986 single by Eurythmics}}

{{About||the song by Bon Jovi|The Circle (Bon Jovi album)|the song by Quicksand|Manic Compression}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Thorn in My Side

| cover = Eurythmics TIMS.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Eurythmics

| album = Revenge

| B-side = "When Tomorrow Comes" (live)

| released = August 1986

| recorded =

| studio =

  • Conny's studio (Cologne, Germany){{cite AV media notes |author=Eurythmics |author-link=Eurythmics |title=Revenge |type=liner notes |publisher=RCA Records |year=1986 |id=PD71050}}
  • Studio de la Grande Armée (Paris, France){{cite AV media notes |author=Eurythmics |author-link=Eurythmics |title=Revenge |type=liner notes |publisher=RCA Records |year=1986 |id=PD71050}}

| genre = Pop rock{{AllMusic |class=album |id= mw0000676312

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

| length = 4:12

| label = RCA

| writer = Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart

| producer = David A. Stewart

| prev_title = When Tomorrow Comes

| prev_year = 1986

| next_title = The Miracle of Love

| next_year = 1986

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|_AmkmqYEarw|"Thorn in My Side"}}}}

}}

"Thorn in My Side" is a song by British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was released as the second single from the duo's fifth studio album, Revenge (1986). Written by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, the song is a cast-off to an unfaithful lover. "Thorn in My Side" was produced by Stewart.

Background

Although the first single from Revenge, "When Tomorrow Comes", barely reached the UK Top 30, "Thorn in My Side" became Eurythmics' ninth Top 10 single, reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart and marking their last appearance in the UK top 10. In the United States, the track stalled at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song additionally peaked at number two in Ireland and reached the top 10 in New Zealand (number seven) and Sweden (number six).

Reception

Billboard said it sounds like "Swinging London, 1964" although it "views the past with as much irony as affection."{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=October 25, 1986|accessdate=2022-08-07|page=81|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Reviews}} Cash Box called it an "appealing pop/rock single" in which the "seething lyrics are masked by an infectious melody and Annie Lennox’s winning vocal."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-10-25.pdf|date=October 25, 1986|accessdate=2022-08-07|page=9}}

Music video

The music video, directed by Chris Ashbrook and Dave Stewart, depicts the band adorned in their black and leather Revenge stage costumes, playing in a studio set bar filled with an audience that includes a gang of Hells Angels. Clem Burke, drummer from the band Blondie, appears in the video as he was recording and touring with Eurythmics that year. It was also the second music video to feature backing vocalist Joniece Jamison, after first appearing in "When Tomorrow Comes".

Track listings

7-inch single

:A. "Thorn in My Side" (album version) – 4:07

:B. "When Tomorrow Comes" (live at the Roxy in Los Angeles) – 5:02

12-inch single

:A1. "Thorn in My Side" (extended mix) – 6:54

:B1. "Thorn in My Side" (album version) – 4:07

:B2. "When Tomorrow Comes" (live at the Roxy in Los Angeles) – 5:02

12-inch single (Houston remix)

:A1. "Thorn in My Side" (Houston remix) – 5:49

:B1. "Thorn in My Side" (album version) – 4:07

:B2. "In This Town" (live)

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Weekly chart performance for "Thorn in My Side"

! scope="col"| Chart (1986–1987)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

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}}

| 12

{{single chart|Austria|14|artist=Eurythmics|song=Thorn in My Side|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart|Flanders|34|artist=Eurythmics|song=Thorn in My Side|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|41|chartid=0759|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/86/M&M-1986-10-11-OCR-Page-0007.pdf |title=European Hot 100 Singles |magazine=Music & Media |volume=3 |issue=40 |date=11 October 1986 |page=12 |oclc=29800226 |via=World Radio History}}

| 14

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|2|song=Thorn in My Side|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|7|artist=Eurythmics|song=Thorn in My Side|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
scope="row"| Spain (AFYVE){{cite book |last=Salaverrie |first=Fernando |date=September 2005 |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=es |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=Fundación Autor/SGAE |isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

| 13

{{single chart|Sweden|6|artist=Eurythmics|song=Thorn in My Side|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|5|artist=Eurythmics|artistid=27723|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|68|artist=Eurythmics|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
scope="row"| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19861220.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 20, 1986 |work=Cash Box |access-date=30 May 2020}}

| 56

{{single chart|West Germany|26|songid=14384|artist=Eurythmics|song=Thorn in My Side|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "Thorn in My Side"

! scope="col"| Chart (1986)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| UK Singles (Gallup){{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/1987/Music-Week-1987-01-24-IDX-26.pdf |title=Top 100 Singles (January to December 1986) |magazine=Music Week |date=24 January 1987 |page=24 |issn=0265-1548 |via=World Radio History}}

| 48

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Thorn in My Side"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Eurythmics|title=Thorn In My Side|type=single|relyear=1986|certyear=2023|award=Gold|source=radioscope}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Eurythmics|title=Thorn In My Side|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|id=19595-73-1|access-date=6 January 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{YouTube|-kDlEZb_7so|"Thorn In My Side (2018 Remastered)"}}
  • {{YouTube|6v5waGatMQk|"Thorn in My Side (Remastered)"}}
  • {{YouTube|THwXdoh1Pgw|"Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart - Thorn in My Side (Peacetour Live)"}}
  • {{YouTube|I35dM9B79zg|"Thorn In My Side"}}
  • {{YouTube|4Y0mYkETT2k|"Thorn in My Side (Extended Version)"}}
  • {{YouTube|_V9YENtnEl4|"Thorn In My Side (Live)"}}
  • {{YouTube|rWTW-9l2_xo|"Thorn In My Side"}}
  • {{YouTube|0gJmltpEbWk|"Thorn In My Side (Live)"}}

{{Eurythmics}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1986 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:Eurythmics songs

Category:RCA Records singles

Category:Songs written by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)

Category:Songs written by Annie Lennox

Category:Song recordings produced by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)