Right by Your Side (Eurythmics song) explained

Right by Your Side
Cover:	Eurythmics RBYS.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Eurythmics
Album:	Touch
B-Side:	Right by Your Side (Party Mix)
Released:	October 1983
Recorded:	March 1983
Length:	3:52
Label:	RCA
Producer:	David A. Stewart
Prev Title:	Who's That Girl?
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	Here Comes the Rain Again
Next Year:	1984

"Right by Your Side" is a 1983 song by the British pop duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, and produced by Stewart.

In the UK, the track was released in October 1983 as the second single from Eurythmics' third album Touch, and was issued a few weeks in advance of the album. In North America, the song was issued as the album's third single, and did not appear as a single until July 1984.

Background

"Right by Your Side" was something of a departure from previous Eurythmics songs, and is an uptempo love song which features a calypso music instrumental backdrop, complete with synthesized steel drum and marimba sounds and a horn section.

Billboard commented on "the extravagantly joyful sound and full-to-bursting Caribbean rhythms."^[1]

"Right by Your Side" became the fourth consecutive Eurythmics single to hit the Top 10 of the UK singles chart during 1983. It also climbed to number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Track listings

7"

• A: "Right by Your Side" (7" Version) - 3:52
• B: "Right by Your Side" (Party Mix) - 6:27

12"

• A: "Right by Your Side" (Extended Version)* - 12:25
• B1: "Right by Your Side" (Special Mix) - 0:59
• B2: "Plus Something Else" 5:30 ** (later released on the Remastered Re-Issue of the LP 'Touch' (2005)

* Simply titled "Right By Your Side" on the record, there is no indication on duration or version.

** This is an instrumental/dub mix of the song "Regrets", which opens with Dave saying "Well, that's enough of that. Here's something else." Another version of "Regrets", this time a 7'34 "vocal" remix can be found on the EP "Touch Dance" (1984; 12" and CD) - original version of the song "Regrets" from the LP "Touch" (1983).

Versions

Special Mix - 0:59

• Opens with an announcement from Dave: "Hello. This is our hopefully Special Mix. Bye-bye." Then the first (approximately) 55 seconds of the album version plays before fading out.

7" Version - 3:52

• Essentially an edit of the album version, fading before the end sequence.

Album version - 4:46

• Only version with "white noise" bursts during the end sequence as the song fades out.

Party mix - 6:27

• Remix with additional electronic percussion effects and sax solo ending, edited down from full Extended Mix.

Extended Mix, a.k.a. SuperExtended Mix - 12:25

• Remix with additional electronic percussion effects, a much longer sax solo, and panted wordless vocalizing.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1983–1984)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[2]	15
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[3]	30

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)! scope="col"

Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[4]	93

Notes and References

1. Billboard. Singles Reviews. July 21, 1984. 2023-02-08. 57.
2. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . illustrated . St Ives, N.S.W. . Australian Chart Book . 1993 . 105 . 0-646-11917-6.
3. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending September 15, 1984 . . 4 June 2020.
4. National Top 100 Singles for 1984 . . 548 . 31 December 1984 . Imgur.