The Foote Files: Annie Lennox & Walking On Broken Glass

(CBS11) - One of the most talented musical performers of the 80's and 90's of all time is definitely Annie Lennox.

Born Christmas Day in 1954 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Lennox began studying and playing music as a child, both piano and flute.

As a teenager, she won a scholarship at London's Royal Academy Of Music but dropped out before she took her finals. She worked a variety of day jobs and sang at night. Later she met guitarist Dave Stewart who asked her to join a band he was forming called The Tourists. They released several albums and did a remake of a Dusty Springfield song, "I Only Want To Be With You" with singer Al Green.

As time went on, Lennox and Stewart became lovers and then went out on their own to form The Eurythmics, a synth pop music style duo. From 1983-1989, they charted ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 with a #1 hit out of the gate, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" in 1983 and three top 10 hits overall. In 1990, Lennox decided to take a couple of years off to have a child and came back solo in 1992, and that year is the one whose song we feature here.

"Walking On Broken Glass" was the second song released off of her debut solo album "Diva." While it only reached #14 on the Billboard chart, it stayed on for 19 weeks, longer than any of her solo hits. It was a #1 hit in Canada and #8 in the UK. It was written by Lennox, produced by Stephen Lipson, and released on August 22, 1992 (my 38th birthday to be exact). Running 3:58 on the BMG and Arista labels, the lyrics go like this:

Walking on, walking on broken glass
Walking on, walking on broken glass

You were the sweetest thing that I ever knew
But I don't care for sugar, honey, if I can't have you
Since you've abandoned me
My whole life has crashed
Won't you pick the pieces up
'Cause it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass

You're going to love the video, too. What a rare and phenomenal talent. You can hear this song on SIRIUS XM 90's On 9.