View source for Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

{{Short description|1985 single by Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
| cover      = Eurythmics SADIFT.jpg
| alt        =
| caption    = Standard artwork
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Eurythmics]] and [[Aretha Franklin]]
| album      = [[Be Yourself Tonight]] {{noitalic|and}} [[Who's Zoomin' Who?]]
| B-side     = I Love You Like a Ball and Chain
| released   = 21 October 1985
| recorded   =
| studio     = [[United Sound Systems]] (Detroit, Michigan)<ref name="unitedsoundsystemsrecordingstudios">{{cite web|url=http://unitedsoundsystemsrecordingstudios.com/museum/|publisher=unitedsoundsystemsrecordingstudios.com|title=United Sound Systems » ''Museum'' » Detroit's Musical History |date=6 May 2014|access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="soulfuldetroit">{{cite web|url=http://soulfuldetroit.com/web01-soulfuldetroit/united-sound.htm|publisher=soulfuldetroit.com|title= SoulfulDetroit - ''United Sound Systems'' - Great Soul Music Recording Studios of Detroit |access-date=9 November 2016}}</ref>
| genre      = 
* [[Soul music|Soul]]<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic |class=album |id= mw0000676312
|title= Eurythmics - ''Greatest  Hits'' (1991) Review |last= Erlewine|first= Stephen Thomas|access-date= February 4, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]<ref name="Molanphy 2024">{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2024/11/how-aretha-franklin-brought-gospel-and-soul-to-pop|title=Say a Little Prayer Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=November 15, 2024|access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref>
* [[Electro (music)|electro]]<ref name="Molanphy 2024"/>
<!-- Do not add unsourced genres -->
| length     = {{ubl|5:52 (album version)|4:29 (single version)}}
| label      = [[RCA Records|RCA]]
| writer     = {{hlist|[[Annie Lennox]]|[[David A. Stewart]]}}
| 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
| misc       = {{Extra chronology
 | artist     = [[Aretha Franklin]]
 | type       = single
 | prev_title = [[Who's Zoomin' Who]]
 | prev_year  = 1985
 | title      = Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
 | year       = 1985
 | next_title = Another Night
 | next_year  = 1986
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|drGx7JkFSp4|"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by Eurythmics}}}}
}}
"'''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 [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers|Heartbreakers]]: [[Stan Lynch]] on drums, [[Benmont Tench]] on organ, and [[Mike Campbell (musician)|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|''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".<ref name=cb>{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-10-19.pdf|date=October 19, 1985|accessdate=2022-08-02|page=9}}</ref>  ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' said it has "two varieties of charisma plus a furious funk [[production (music)|production]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=October 19, 1985|accessdate=2022-08-02|page=89|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NiQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Reviews}}</ref> ''[[Spin (magazine)|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."<ref>{{cite magazine| magazine= [[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] | title=Spins|author=Elliott Murphy| date=July 1985|issue=3|page=30}}</ref>

==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 (film)|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 (musician)|Mike Campbell]] – lead guitar
* [[Benmont Tench]] – organ
* [[Aretha Franklin]] – guest vocals
* The Charles Williams Singers – [[gospel music|gospel choir]]

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"
! scope="col"| Chart (1985–1986)
! scope="col"| Peak<br>position
|-
! scope="row"| Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |page=105 |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
| 15
|-
{{single chart|Flanders|28|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves|rowheader=true|access-date=31 August 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|33|chartid=0611|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
|-
! scope="row"| Europe ([[European Hot 100 Singles]])<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/80s/85/M&M-1985-12-02-OCR-Page-0004.pdf |title=European Hot 100 Singles |magazine=[[Music & Media|Eurotipsheet]] |volume=2 |issue=48 |date=2 December 1985 |page=12 |oclc=29800226 |via=World Radio History}}</ref>
| 9
|-
! scope="row"| Finland ([[The Official Finnish Charts|Suomen virallinen lista]])<ref>{{cite book |last=Pennanen |first=Timo |title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 |language=fi |edition=1st |location=Helsinki |publisher=[[Otava (publisher)|Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-951-1-21053-5}}</ref>
| 9
|-
{{single chart|Ireland2|5|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves|rowheader=true|access-date=31 August 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch40|20|artist=Eurythmics|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch100|17|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves|rowheader=true|access-date=31 August 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|New Zealand|6|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves|rowheader=true|access-date=31 August 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|Switzerland|20|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves|rowheader=true|access-date=31 August 2018}}
|-
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|9|artist=Eurythmics|artistid=27723|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|18|artist=Eurythmics|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|10|artist=Eurythmics|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboarddancesales|21|artist=Eurythmics|rowheader=true|access-date=3 June 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|66|artist=Eurythmics|rowheader=true|access-date=3 June 2020}}
|-
! scope="row"| US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100 Singles<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19851207.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 7, 1985 |work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]] |access-date=30 May 2020}}</ref>
| 22
|-
! scope="row"| US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles (''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'')<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cashboxmagazine.com/archives-r/80s_files/19851228R.html |title=The Cash Box Top 100 Black Contemporary – Week ending December 28, 1985 |work=Cash Box |access-date=23 June 2022}}</ref>
| 57
|-
{{single chart|West Germany|22|songid=1363|artist=Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin|song=Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves|rowheader=true|access-date=30 May 2020}}
|}

==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|Patty and Selma Bouvier]] as well as [[Ann Wilson]] and [[Nancy Wilson (rock musician)|Nancy Wilson]] of [[Heart (band)|Heart]] on ''[[The Yellow Album]]'' released in 1998.
* In 2005, [[The Pointer Sisters]] recorded a cover version of the song with [[Belgians|Belgian]] singer [[Natalia Druyts|Natalia]]. The single was released only in Belgium in October 2005 and reached number two on the Belgian singles chart.
* The television show ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess]]'' featured a cover of the song by actress [[Lucy Lawless]] and [[Gillian White (actress)|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]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/kylie-and-dannii-sisters-are-doin-it-themselves|title= Kylie and Dannii: Sisters are Doin' It for Themselves|website=[[National Film and Sound Archive|National Film and Sound Archive of Australia]]|access-date=9 October 2023}}</ref>
* On October 21st, 1991, the gothic rock band [[Rosetta Stone (band)|Rosetta Stone]] performed a live cover version of the song at the Leeds Warehouse. In 1992, a bootleg recording of the concert has been released as "Under the rose".
* 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]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0EDX07Kgj0 Music video - YouTube]
* [https://genius.com/Eurythmics-sisters-are-doin-it-for-themselves-lyrics Lyrics of the song]

{{Aretha Franklin}}
{{Eurythmics}}
{{The Pointer Sisters}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves}}
[[Category:1985 songs]]
[[Category:1985 singles]]
[[Category:Eurythmics songs]]
[[Category:Aretha Franklin songs]]
[[Category:Songs with feminist themes]]
[[Category:RCA Records singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Annie Lennox]]
[[Category:Songs written by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)]]
[[Category:Female vocal duets]]
[[Category:British soul songs]]
[[Category:Feminist anthems]]