Right by Your Side (Eurythmics song)

1983 single by Eurythmics

"Right by Your Side"

Single by Eurythmics

from the album Touch

B-side

"Right by Your Side (Party Mix)"

Released

October 1983

Recorded

March 1983

Genre

New wave^[1]
calypso^[2]^[3]
electro^[3]

Length

3:52

Label

RCA

Songwriter(s)

Annie Lennox
David A. Stewart

Producer(s)

David A. Stewart

Eurythmics singles chronology

"Who's That Girl?"
(1983)

"Right by Your Side"
(1983)

"Here Comes the Rain Again"
(1984)

Music video

"Right by Your Side" on YouTube

"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."^[4]

"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

Weekly chart performance for "Right by Your Side"
Chart (1983–1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[5]	15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[6]	31
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[7]	39
Ireland (IRMA)^[8]	15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[9]	20
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[10]	31
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[11]	9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[12]	13
UK Singles (OCC)^[13]	10
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	29
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[15]	39
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[16]	32
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles^[17]	30
West Germany (Official German Charts)^[18]	61

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Right by Your Side"
Chart (1984)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[19]	93

References

^ Phares, Heather. "Original Soundtrack – Edge of 17". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
^ Petridis, Alexis (21 April 2022). "Annie Lennox's 30 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
^ ^a ^b Evans, Richard (6 August 2024). "1983.2". Listening to the Music the Machines Make: Inventing Electronic Pop 1978-1983. Omnibus Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-1-915841-45-2.
^ "Singles Reviews". Billboard. 21 July 1984. p. 57. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 105. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Eurythmics – Right by Your Side" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8529." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Right by Your Side". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eurythmics" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics – Right by Your Side" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics – Right by Your Side". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics – Right by Your Side". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Eurythmics Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending September 15, 1984". Cash Box. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Eurythmics – Right by Your Side" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. No. 548. 31 December 1984 – via Imgur.