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"Precious"
"Precious"
Single by Annie Lennox
from the album Diva
B-side	"Step by Step"
Released	25 May 1992
Length	5:08 (album version); 3:47 (radio edit);
Label	Arista; BMG;
Songwriter(s)	Annie Lennox
Producer(s)	Stephen Lipson
Annie Lennox singles chronology
Music video
	"Precious" on YouTube

"Precious" is a song by Scottish singer and songwriter Annie Lennox, released on 25 May 1992 as the second single from her debut solo album, Diva (1992). It peaked at number 23 in the UK and was a top 10 hit in Italy. The B-side, "Step by Step", was later covered by Whitney Houston for the soundtrack of her 1996 film, The Preacher's Wife, and became a top 10 hit. "Precious" is unrelated to the B-side track of the same name on the single "Revival" by Eurythmics.

Critical reception

Robbert Tilli from Music & Media described "Precious" as a "Stevie Wonderesque funk-edged song".^[2] Alan Jones from Music Week named it Pick of the Week, commenting, "Not as immediate as "Why", but a stylish little offering with few pretentions. Peppy uptempo pop/rock, and highly engaging, this is certain to keep demand for Lennox's Diva album at a high level."^[3] A reviewer from People Magazine noted the "passion" the singer does on the song.^[4] Pop Rescue complimented its "wonderfully thick plodding bass line", adding that Lennox' vocals "are rich here, and she has the space to give some higher notes too."^[5]

Harry Dean from Smash Hits declared it as "pleasantly melodic". Craig S. Semon from Telegram & Gazette wrote, "On "Precious", Lennox's tarnished Eurythmics' mystique and her newly found solo freedom finally fall into place. With intense vocals, she romances an angel (obviously a song to her 18-month-old daughter, Lola), while a funky program and a jazzy horn solo keep the song grooving. She effectively conveys the love she feels for her little bundle of joy, explaining how it has changed her life and replaced all her bitterness." He added, "The song is one of the album's better numbers and it has all the passion and intensity of a successful Lisa Stansfield outing".^[6]

Track listing

CD single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Precious" (Radio Edit)	3:51
2.	"Step by Step"	4:46
3.	"Precious" (Album version)	5:07
4.	"Why"	4:53

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[7]	83
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	27
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[9]	37
Europe (European Dance Radio)^[10]	13
Germany (GfK)^[11]	49
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[12]	7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[13]	30
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[14]	39
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[15]	28
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[16]	37
UK Singles (OCC)^[17]	23

Similar songs

The Tony Cetinski's song "Onaj ko te ljubi sretan je" (2005) and the SevdahBABY's song "Najbolja pesma" (2010) (featuring Anette & Djixx) contain the sample of the chorus melody of the Annie Lennox' song "Precious".

References

^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 23 May 1992. p. 19.
^ Tilli, Robbert (4 April 1992). "Who's That Diva? RCA/BMG Gear Up For Lennox Debut" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 6. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
^ Jones, Alan (23 May 1992). "Mainstream: Singles - Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^ "Picks and Pans Review: Diva". People. 15 June 1992. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
^ "Review: "Diva" by Annie Lennox (CD, 1992)". Pop Rescue. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
^ Semon, Craig S. (7 June 1992). "Annie Lennox strikes up the bland with 'Diva'". Telegram & Gazette.
^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 164.
^ "Annie Lennox – Precious" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 25. 20 June 1992. p. 17.
^ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 38. 19 September 1992. p. 24. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
^ "Annie Lennox – Precious" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 6 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Annie Lennox".
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 25, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Annie Lennox – Precious" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Annie Lennox – Precious". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Annie Lennox – Precious". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Annie Lennox: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 September 2022.