Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves explained

Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
Cover:	Eurythmics SADIFT.jpg
Caption:	One of cover arts for the single release
Type:	single
Artist:	Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
Album:	Be Yourself Tonight Who's Zoomin' Who?
B-Side:	I Love You Like a Ball and Chain
Released:	October 1, 1985
Studio:	United Sound Systems (Detroit, Michigan)^[1] ^[2]
Genre:	Soul
Label:	RCA
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

"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".^[3] Billboard said it has "two varieties of charisma plus a furious funk production".^[4] 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."^[5]

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

Chart (1985–1986)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	15
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[7]	9
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[8]	9
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[9]	22
US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box)^[10]	57

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 featured a cover of the song by actress Lucy Lawless and Gillian Iliana Waters in the episode Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire.

Live cover performances

• In 1986, Kylie Minogue with her sister Dannii Minogue performed this song on Young Talent Time.^[11]
• 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.

External links

• Music video - YouTube
• Lyrics of the song

Notes and References

1. Web site: United Sound Systems » Museum » Detroit's Musical History . unitedsoundsystemsrecordingstudios.com. 6 May 2014. 9 November 2016.
2. Web site: SoulfulDetroit - United Sound Systems - Great Soul Music Recording Studios of Detroit . soulfuldetroit.com. 9 November 2016.
3. Single Releases. Cash Box. October 19, 1985. 2022-08-02. 9.
4. Billboard. October 19, 1985. 2022-08-02. 89. Reviews.
5. . Spins. Elliott Murphy. July 1985. 3. 30.
6. 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.
7. European Hot 100 Singles . . 2 . 48 . 2 December 1985 . 12 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
8. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . fi . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
9. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 7, 1985 . . 30 May 2020.
10. Web site: The Cash Box Top 100 Black Contemporary – Week ending December 28, 1985 . Cash Box . 23 June 2022.
11. Web site: Kylie and Dannii: Sisters are Doin' It for Themselves. National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. 9 October 2023.