1986 · Behind the Songs
A poison-pen letter set to one of the catchiest choruses of 1986.
A kiss-off in major key
“Thorn in My Side” was the lead single from Revenge (1986), and it is one of pop’s great poison-pen letters: a farewell to a lover who caused nothing but trouble, delivered with a smile. Lennox sings the bitter lyric over one of the catchiest choruses the duo ever wrote — the musical equivalent of waving goodbye without looking back.
Charts and legacy
The single reached No. 5 in the UK in the autumn of 1986, continuing the duo’s remarkable run of British hits. Revenge went on to become one of their best-selling albums, and “Thorn in My Side” remains a fan favorite — the sound of Eurythmics turning heartbreak into a sing-along.
What to listen for
The tension between the lyric and the music: every line is a complaint, every chorus is a celebration. Listen for the driving beat and the way Lennox’s vocal stays defiant rather than wounded — this is a kiss-off, not a lament.