How Popular Is The Eurythmics' Song "Sweet Dreams"?

The Eurythmics’ song, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), now stands as a piece of pop culture history thanks to various contributing factors. Talent, timing, production, and its release window all lined up perfectly for the song to make a statement. And while the 1983 track didn’t receive the pop or attention it deserved upon its initial debut, it somehow struck a chord with multiple generations over the years.

Since the song’s inception, Sweet Dreams has become popular with score composers in every genre because of the song’s versatility. Having been covered by fringe musicians such as Marilyn Manson, there’s no denying that most artists are willing to take the song on. The hard-rock musician isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, although his version of the song acquired equal notoriety. One may even argue that Manson’s take on Sweet Dreams does the song better than the original by the Eurythmics.

Pasts aside, the 80s pop song remains relevant because of its use in current media. Most recently, Sweet Dreams was featured in the trailer for Netflix’s In Your Dreams. It’s no secret why the producers chose to use the track, considering the shared theme of dreams in both the oldies song and the recent animated film. Besides, what score composer is going to miss out on an opportunity to incorporate one of the most globally recognized tracks into their movie?

Bear in mind that before the Netflix movie, Sweet Dreams was used worldwide. From award ceremonies to live artists covering the song on tours, fans can’t seem to get enough of the song—regardless of who’s singing it.

Sweet Dreams Over The years

What’s apropos at this time is recapping the song’s evolution over the years, starting with the first covers that made the UK-based song a hit in nearly every country. Macedonian-based band, Mizar, and Sharon C. from Croatia were some of the first, only coming in second to Marilyn Manson’s cover of the track.

The metal version of Sweet Dreams initially released in 1995 on Smells Like Children—well before the mainstream media took a shine to the Eurythmics’ song. However, it wasn’t until the grittier cover of Sweet Dreams played in 1999's House on Haunted Hill that the song attracted the attention of general audiences. A common response among fans who watched the film in theaters was to ask which artist covered Sweet Dreams because the version captured all the important components of the original while simultaneously putting a unique spin on it.

Funnily enough, Sweet Dreams probably put Manson on the map. Had it not been for his reaching mainstream entertainment, Manson’s fame would’ve been relegated to the same heights that other 80s/90s rock musicians met. Without taking shots at anyone in particular, the a-ha comes to mind. Their song, Take On Me, is recognizable by its introductory riff alone, and yet you don’t hear people talking about them. The same would be true of Manson had he never gotten his song to play in House on Haunted Hill.

Other instances of Sweet Dreams receiving mainstream exposure include spots on The Simpsons, Sucker Punch, and House of Gucci. Let’s summarize.

The Simpsons’ use of Sweet Dreams came in “Half-Decent Proposal,” wherein Martie Ziff (Jon Lovitz) sings the track creepily as he insinuates that he’s watching Marge and Homer sleeping. He ends his rendition with “I am watching you through a ca-me-ra,” making the scene a little more awkward than it already was. Marge or Homer probably scoped out the device beforehand, but the notion of Ziff watching them sleep is both creepy and weirdly innocent.

In the 2008 film Sucker Punch, Sweet Dreams is heard during a sequence centering around Emily Browning’s character. In it, she’s taken away to a mental institution, and on the way, the song begins to play. Browning also performs a slow-form rendition on the movie soundtrack.

Back before every film had a score composer, productions used to simply repurpose existing music in what are called movie soundtracks. In doing so, cult movies like Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Spawn both gave lesser-known artists an opportunity on a much larger platform than they were used to. Not every artist made it big, but the prospect was there. Coincidentally, movie soundtracks are how eccentric artists such as Manson went from the fringe of society to the mainstream. His song, Long Hard Road Out of Hell, became just as recognizable as Sweet Dreams, after its debut in the opening of Spawn (1999).

Nowadays, scores are mostly compilations of instrumentals—no longer a collection of songs by various artists. Blockbuster films are still incorporating music tracks during the credits roll and occasional action build-ups, but they’re not as frequent as they used to be. That being said, instrumentals that blend into scenes place the focus on plot over accompanying audio.

For House of Gucci, the base track wasn’t technically used in the movie starring Lady Gaga. It was in the film’s second trailer, setting the mood for a low-energy, high-stakes story. The song is apt since there’s very little action in House of Gucci, while a palpable tension between rival characters remains present. They may not be ready to eviscerate each other but robbing each other blind is another story.

For now, not many working titles in development that would use Sweet Dreams come to mind. Perhaps Spider-Man: Brand New Day will, considering how much of the movie centers around Peter Parker’s metamorphosis into a new type of hero. And during the cocoon stage, a song about nice dreams might play in the background. What fan can’t picture Sweet Dreams playing as Peter mindlessly webs himself up into a cocoon? The trailer released not long ago, even includes a shot of Spider-Man waking up in an organic web.

Where would you like to see Sweet Dreams played next?