Eurythmics

Released: February 14, 1987

Songwriter: Annie Lennox David A. Stewart

Producer: David A. Stewart

Well, I was born an original sinner
I was borne from original sin
And if I had a dollar bill for all the things I've done
There'd be a mountain of money piled up to my chin

My mama told me good, my mama told me strong
She said, "Be true to yourself and you can't go wrong"
But there's just one thing that you must understand
You can fool with your brother but don't mess with a missionary man"

"Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man"

Well, l the missionary man, he's got God on his side
He's got the saints and apostles backin' up from behind
Black eyed looks from those Bible books

He's a man with a mission, got a serious mind
There was a woman in the jungle and a monkey on a tree
Missionary man he was followin' me

He said, "Stop what you're doing, get down upon your knees
I've a message for you that you better believe, believe, believe"

Well, I was born an original sinner
I was borne from original sin
And if I had a dollar bill for all the things I've done
There'd be a mountain of money piled up

Don't mess with a missionary man
Missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man
Don't mess with a missionary man

While working as a waitress at a health food restaurant in London, Annie Lennox met Dave Stewart, with whom she formed the band Catch with singer-songwriter Peet Coombes. Catch released one single before adding two more members and changing their name to The Tourists. Under that name, the band scored five UK hits before Coombes' substance abuse broke the band apart.

Lennox and Stewart continued writing together – with Stewart moving from guitar to synthesizer and Lennox adopting an androgynous look – and formed Eurythmics. Within a few years, the duo was propelled into international stardom when “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”, a single from their second album, became a top ten hit in nine countries.

Over the decade, the duo moved away from their dark new wave sound and S&M imagery, evolving into a more mainstream synthpop band. In that time, they scored twenty-one UK top 40’s (ten of which were also US top 40 hits). In 1990, Eurythmics quietly disbanded and Lennox took a break from music to have her first child.

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