The Sounds of America: 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'

Every year, 25 audio recordings are added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. Each has been chosen because of its historical, cultural, or aesthetic importance to our nation’s audio heritage.

The registry contains recordings of all types, from music and radio broadcasts to dramatic performances and speeches. This does not mean they necessarily originated in America or that they were created by Americans. But all have had some significant impact on American culture or history. Our series, “The Sounds of America” takes a closer look at some of these selections.

This edition profiles the British pop duo Eurythmics, best known for their 1983 hit “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”

Eurythmics members Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart take us inside the story of the song, the part played by a U.S. disc jockey, being dirt poor, and the role of a cow.