About The Song
“There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)” is a song by the British musical duo Eurythmics, released as the second single from their fifth studio album, Be Yourself Tonight (1985). It features a harmonica solo by American musician Stevie Wonder. The song became a worldwide success; most notably in Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom, where it remains the duo’s only chart-topper.
Upon its release, “There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)” became Eurythmics’ first (and to date only) number-one single in the United Kingdom, reaching number one on 27 July 1985 and staying there for one week, whilst also topping the charts in Finland, Ireland and Norway. The song also reached the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden, while peaking at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Cash Box said that the “Annie Lennox harmonies, slick Dave Stewart production work and Stevie Wonder’s incredible harmonica” were highlights of the song. Billboard similarly praised Wonder’s harmonica bridge and Lennox’s “absolutely happy” lead vocals.
Spin wrote it was, “in the tradition of the best MOR pop, reminiscent of Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick. It’s sweet but not syrupy, the background voices so otherworldly I can only guess if they are human or synthesized.”
The music video for “There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)”, directed by Eddie Arno and Mark Innocenti, was shot at New Wimbledon Theatre in London in June 1985. It portrays the times of Louis XIV of France (David A. Stewart) being entertained while watching a theatre performance of singing angels (one of which is played by Steven O’Donnell).
Video
Lyrics
La-la-li, la-la-la-la-la
La-la, da-da
La-la, la-la-la-la
La-la, la-la, yeah
No one on earth could feel like this
I’m thrown and overflown with bliss
There must be an angel
Playing with my heart, yeah
I walk into an empty room
And suddenly my heart goes boom
It’s an orchestra of angels
And they’re playing with my heart, yeah
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
No one on earth could feel like this
I’m thrown and overflown with bliss
There must be an angel
Playing with my heart, yeah
And when I think that I’m alone
It seems there’s more of us at home
It’s a multitude of angels
And they’re playing with my heart, yeah
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
Must be talking to an angel
I must be hallucinating
Watching angels celebrating
Could this be reactivating
All my senses dislocating?
This must be a strange deception
By celestial intervention
Leavin’ me the recollection
Of your heavenly connection
I walk into an empty room
Suddenly my heart goes boom
It’s an orchestra of angels
They’re playing with my heart, yeah
Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da, yeah