# What is "this" in "Sweet dreams are made of this" By the Eurythmics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508 "2016-10-02T18:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![doctor\_uro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@doctor\_uro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctor_uro)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/1 "2016-10-02T18:17:57Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/2 "2016-10-02T18:28:44Z")
I have no answer to your question, but I found it a bit odd that in the title the word was “this” but Annie Lennox sang “these.” ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/3 "2016-10-02T18:47:23Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I have no answer to your question, but I found it a bit odd that in the title the word was “this” but Annie Lennox sang “these.” That was my first thought as well. She clearly sang “these” so we are looking for multiple somethings, not just one. It is pretty strange that the song title and lyrics do not match. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/4 "2016-10-02T18:47:50Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I have no answer to your question, but I found it a bit odd that in the title the word was “this” but Annie Lennox sang “these.” In the lyrics, it’s “this”. Which is odd, because when you hear her sing it, she’s clearly saying “these”. Anyway, the “this” is about the users and those who want to be used. Or… Gratification. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/5 "2016-10-02T18:50:05Z")
[From a genius.com contributor who claims to be quoting Lennox’s memoir:](http://genius.com/10082069) > [@](#): > > The song “Sweet Dreams” is a personal statement about people’s motivations, in their loves, their own dreams. I replaced the word “motivations” with the word “dreams.” I’m saying these are motivations as human beings, and there’s no way, whether I disagree, that I want to change anything about that. And everywhere I look (“I travelled the world, and the seven seas”), all I see is that every person on the earth is looking for that kind of fulfillment. So you have the extremes from the people who want to use and be used, the whole spectrum. It’s not the easiest answer to parse, but I think it’s clear that “this” is something different for each person. So Lennox looks at someone whose dreams are made of abuse or gold toilets or whatever and doesn’t want to be dismissive their personal choices. PS: > [@](#): > > I have no answer to your question, but I found it a bit odd that in the title the word was “this” but Annie Lennox sang “these.” I had the same impression as a youngster! But it is pretty clearly “thee-isss.” The ABBC rhyme scheme does not help. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/6 "2016-10-02T18:51:51Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/7 "2016-10-02T18:54:32Z")
Sweet dreams are made of cheese. Who am I to diss a brie? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/8 "2016-10-02T19:18:05Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Sweet dreams are made of cheese. > Who am I to diss a brie? A cheddar is hurled By the [Prairie Breeze](http://www.miltoncreamery.com/cheese/prairie-breeze.html), Everybody’s looking for stilton ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/9 "2016-10-02T19:20:21Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > PS: I had the same impression as a youngster! But it is pretty clearly “thee-isss.” The ABBC rhyme scheme does not help. I dunno about “pretty clearly.” To me, she pretty clearly said “these.” Not only is the first syllable an “ee” sound, but the “s,” at least to me, sounds like it’s voiced (in other words, a “z” sound), just like in “these” as opposed to unvoiced, as in “this.” But hard to tell, I guess. In other words, not clear at all. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/10 "2016-10-02T19:25:36Z")
Brie is really overrated as a cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/11 "2016-10-02T19:53:09Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Brie is really overrated as a cheese. But for a wall spackle, it’s quite tasty. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/12 "2016-10-02T22:14:55Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > [URL=“[http://genius.com/10082069](http://genius.com/10082069)”]… gold toilets … Isn’t that where Trump tweets from at 3 a.m.? ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/13 "2016-10-02T23:39:17Z")
“This” is probably [The Maltese Falcon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8_hGlwau3A). ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/14 "2016-10-03T00:04:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > In other words, not clear at all. Really? I guess we’ll have to … _disagree_. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/15 "2016-10-03T00:23:58Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > Really? I guess we’ll have to … _disagree_. Well played! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/16 "2016-10-03T03:45:56Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I have no answer to your question, but I found it a bit odd that in the title the word was “this” but Annie Lennox sang “these.” In her defense, “these” worked as a better rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/17 "2016-10-03T04:48:59Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I dunno about “pretty clearly.” To me, she pretty clearly said “these.” Not only is the first syllable an “ee” sound, but the “s,” at least to me, sounds like it’s voiced (in other words, a “z” sound), just like in “these” as opposed to unvoiced, as in “this.” But hard to tell, I guess. In other words, not clear at all. It’s just how Annie Lennox idiosyncratically pronounces the “iss” sound. Listen to “There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart).” It sounds like she sings “No one on earth could feel like these/I’m thrown and overblown with blese.” ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/18 "2016-10-03T05:23:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > In her defense, “these” worked as a better rhyme. Yeah, if the lyrics say it’s “this” then so be it, but that doesn’t rhyme (even with the usual broad definition of ‘rhymes’ applied to lyrics) with “seas” or “disagree”. _Sweet dreams are made of this Who am I to argue with it? I traveled the world and seven water-filled pits Everybody’s lookin’ for lyrics…_ ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/19 "2016-10-03T06:57:43Z")
Actually, she’s saying “Theus,” as in former NBA guard Reggie Theus. She clearly admired the shooting stroke that enabled the former UNLV star to average more than 18 points a game for well over a decade in the pros. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508/20 "2016-10-03T12:13:09Z")
It’s made of jarring music and unpleasant, flat, talk-singing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-in-sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this-by-the-eurythmics/767508.md?page=2)