Sweet had a very convoluted (and not all that interesting) beginning before finally coming together in their most successful incarnation as a foursome in the early 70's (give or take). They originally started out as bubble gum pop before they decided to rock the casbah like their musical heroes The Who (nnnnnoooottttt quite...). They released their first album in 1971 and had some success in their native UK, but by the time their second album was released they were ready to move on from the top of the pops into glam rock. They would have a fine run of success through the mid-1970's including fifteen top forty singles in the UK and four top ten singles here in the states. Unfortunately for the band, their albums never sold quite as well as their singles and they were also unable to draw crowds when they headlined their tours (though they had some success as an opening act) and by the early eighties they were done releasing new material. Over the course of their career Sweet released nine albums, and had a gold record here in the States and a gold and a silver in the U.K. Sadly, lead singer Brian Connolly succumbed to the ravages of alcoholism (probably played a part in the band's lack of success after the 70's) in 1997 at the age of 51, and drummer Mick Tucker died of leukemia in 2002 at the age of 54. The band still tours--guitarist Andy Scott performs with his version of the band in the U.K., while bassist Steve Priest has a version here in the U.S.A. Not a bad gig if you can get it...
"Ballroom Blitz" was originally released as a single in the U.K. in 1973 where it reached #17 on the charts. It was released here in America on their album Desolation Boulevard in 1975 and re-released in England and it went on to reach #2 there, #5 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 in Canada (so many cool kids north of the border!).
Not So Fun Fact: The album cover for Desolation Boulevard was photographed near the entrance of a Sunset Boulevard music club called The Central. It would eventually become The Viper Room--which is where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on Halloween in 1993.
In one of the more interesting origins for a song here on FNJ. Sweet wrote "Ballroom Blitz" about being driven off stage from a show in Scotland by a slew of bottles being thrown at them (there seems to be some question as to whether this was because the band had changed its musical persona or because it was four men on stage with long hair and eye-liner). The song is quintessential 1970's rock--lots of electric guitar and prominent drumming with a smidge of bass line thrown in the obligatory instrumental break. Connolly delivers vocals that convey the band's plight--note the beginning when he asks each band member if they'e ready to rock--and Steve Priest throws in some haunting spoken vocals that further enrich the story. The song plays as an adrenaline rush of rock and roll gone out of control--and is a nice reminder that there were a hell of a lot of good tunes that came out of the 70's. Or else that I was a lot younger then and had a lot more time to appreciate music...either way, it's cool.
Lyric Sheet: "Are you ready, Steve? Uh-huh/Andy? Yeah/Mick? Okay/Alright fellas, let's go..."
Enjoy (and note that these guys had to be an inspiration for eighties hair metal bands...):
Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee
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