School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Annie Lennox

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Annie Lennox was born on Christmas Day 1954 in Aberdeen, Scotland. At school she learned the flute and piano, sang in the choir and played in orchestras. She also took Dalcroze eurhythmics lessons, a method of learning music through movement. In 1971 she went to the Royal Academy of Music in London, but the classical world did not feel like hers and she did not finish her studies. From 1977 to 1980 she sang in The Tourists, her first band with Dave Stewart.

Music and breakthrough

Lennox and Stewart then started Eurythmics together, a synth-pop duo named after that teaching method. With Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) from 1983 they broke through worldwide. In the video clip Lennox wore short orange hair and a suit, an image with which she played with the idea of masculine and feminine. Hits followed such as Love Is a Stranger, Here Comes the Rain Again, Would I Lie to You?, Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves and There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart). Around 1990 she went her own way.

Influence

Her solo album Diva (1992) produced Why and Walking on Broken Glass. On Medusa (1995) she sang songs by others, such as A Whiter Shade of Pale. For the film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King she co-wrote Into the West, which won an Oscar. Lennox has a low, soulful contralto voice and combined cool electronics with a great deal of feeling. She is also active in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics. Notice the cool synthesizer pattern that is repeated again and again, and Annie Lennox's voice, which begins low and detached and later reaches out more powerfully.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

See also

Categories: Artists