The group's initial years were characterized by bubblegum songs that they were only allowed to sing on, with heavier self-penned rock songs as the b-sides. They achieved their first hit in 1970 with the release of Funny Funny. In the following months, Sweet released "Co-Co" and Poppa Joe, both achieving huge success in the charts. In 1971 they released the album "Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be", which consisted mostly of songs written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman.
Sweet's success continued with more glam rock and power pop oriented tunes, such as "Little Willy", "Wig Wam Bam", Hellraiser and Ballroom Blitz. By this time Sweet had a world-wide following, clocking up no less than 18 top 20 hit singles, and the guys were most notably popular in Germany and the U.K.
The group's members are perhaps best remembered for their very 'glam' outfits, featuring a lot of glitter, platform boots, chain mail shirts, and plenty of makeup. The group practically defining the camp extreme of the glam rock look, Steve Priest would later say it was very short-lived and only happened by accident, as some sort of ongoing rivalry between them and artists such as David Bowie and T. Rex. Everyone tried to outdo each other’s ridiculousness on Top Of The Pops. Sweet’s glam rock era lasted from 1972 to 1973.
In 1974, Sweet released Teenage Rampage, The Six Teens and Turn It Down, showing their desire to take a more hard rock direction. By this time tensions between the band and the songwriters and producer started to grow. The guys also pushed for more songwriting control, which increased tensions between them, the songwriters and producer.
In 1975, Sweet wrote, recorded and produced the smash hit Fox on the Run on their own, essentially severing ties with Chinn and Chapman. Following the song’s success, they released the acclaimed track Action. Their momentum went on, the band embarking their first U.S. tour.
After their recent success, Sweet released the “Give Us A Wink” album in 1976, which was notably heavy. It contained the single The Lies In Your Eyes, which achieved moderate success. A year later, in 1977, they released the album “Off The Record”, but singles such as Fever Of Love and Lost Angels failed to gain traction, partly due to bad marketing from their label. Despite this, the band continued to distance themselves from their earlier commercial ventures.
Sweet’s career was revitalized with the release of Love Is Like Oxygen in 1978. By this time Connolly had developed a drinking problem and started to be increasingly unreliable during recording sessions. Following a disastrous U.S. tour, he left the band officially in early 1979. The band continued on as a three piece band for three more years, releasing “Cut Above The Rest”, “Waters Edge”, and “Identity Crisis”. Priest took over most of the lead vocals until Sweet’s disbandment in 1981.
In 1985, Andy Scott and Mick Tucker re-formed Sweet with various new vocalists and bass players, the most notable being a 1986 reunion featuring Paul Mario Day (the first singer of Iron Maiden), keyboardist Phil Lanzon, and bass player Malcolm McNulty (who is now lead singer for fellow glam rock band Slade). Steve Priest was asked to join Tucker and Scott for the 1985 Australian tour, but declined at the last moment. Vocalist and bass player Jeff Brown joined in 1988. In 1991, Mick Tucker departed due to ill health, leaving Andy Scott as the only original member. He was replaced by German Bodo Schopf, and subsequently, Bruce Bisland. After Tucker's departure, Andy Scott changed the band's name to 'Andy Scott's Sweet'.
During this time, Brian Connolly, now in bad health, also performed with his version of Sweet. In 1981, he suffered multiple cardiac arrests, which permanently affected his health. He died on 9 February 1997, aged 51. He was cremated after a ceremony at Most Holy Name Roman Catholic Church at Old Mill Lane, Denham, Buckinghamshire and his ashes were scattered over the water by his adult daughters Nicola and Michelle. He also left an ex-wife, Marilyn, and a two-year-old son called Brian Junior (BJ) by his girlfriend Jean.
Michael Thomas (Mick) Tucker died 14 February 2002 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire from leukemia, aged 54; his funeral took place 25 February 2002. He is buried in an unnamed grave in Chorleywood House cemetery. It is marked by a sleeping angel. A wooden bench with a brass plaque funded by fans as a dedication to Mick is also positioned in the grave's vicinity.[2] He left behind a widow, Jan, and a daughter Ayston from his first marriage to Pauline (†1979). According to Steve Priest: "He was the most underrated drummer that ever came out of England. He was the powerhouse of the band. He was technically marvellous. His timing was impeccable, but he had a lot of soul as well and he really felt what he was playing."
In 1994, Steve Priest published his autobiography “Are You Ready Steve?”, which was a raw expose of his time with Sweet and pre-Sweet. In 2006 he released Priest's Precious Poems, a CD of tracks largely consisting of his more recent material. In 2008, he came out of retirement to form his own version of Sweet, based in the US. A year later this band released a live CD called Live In America. In March 2020, he was admitted to a hospital in L.A. After battling pneumonia for a few months, he died on June 4th 2020 at the age of 72.
Andy Scott currently continues to tour with Sweet. In 2002, Sweet released a new album called Sweetlife. February 2006 saw the release of a new Suzi Quatro album, Back To The Drive, which was produced by Scott. In March 2012, Scott released a covers album called New York Connection. Scott teamed up with Suzi Quatro and Don Powell to release a CD called Quatro, Scott and Powell in 2017. Scott has continued to produce for bands throughout the years, currently being the producer for Novatines.
In recent years, Sweet's popularity has surged again. The song Ballroom Blitz was featured in 2016's Suicide Squad, while Fox on the Run was featured in the trailer for 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
Action
Sweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To satisfy your intellectual need
Do you want, do you want
Action, action, action, action
Gonna bring you down
'Cause you've been pushing me
You've got to recognize my superiority
You know you believed it
Higher, higher, higher, higher
'Cause I'm the main man
And that's why
Everybody wants a piece of the action
Everybody needs a main attraction
I've got what everybody needs
Satisfaction guarantees
That everybody wants a piece of the action
Oh, I was suicidal 'cause you was my idol
Baby, baby, baby, bring it to your knees
Oh, there was a time I would have walked the line
But you bled me dry with your insatiable greed
Liar, liar, liar, liar
You know you believed it
Higher, higher, higher, higher
'Cause I'm the main man
And that's why
Everybody wants a piece of the action
Everybody needs a main attraction
I've got what everybody needs
Satisfaction guarantees
That everybody wants a piece of the action
Do you want, do you want action?
Everybody wants, everybody needs
Everybody wants, everybody needs
Everybody wants a piece of the action
Everybody needs a main attraction
I've got what everybody needs
Satisfaction guarantees
That everybody wants a piece of the action
The lyrics to Sweet’s hit song “Action” are about someone who is being pushed and taken advantage of by another person. The singer warns the listener that they can’t keep taking from him – he is going to “bring you down” because he wants them to recognize his superiority. Through repetition of the phrase “Liar, liar, liar” the singer is assuring that the other person is not telling the truth in their interactions. The chorus of the song explains that “Everybody wants a piece of the action, Everybody needs a main attraction.” The singer claims that he has what everyone needs, and that satisfaction is guaranteed. The lyrics end with the question, “Do you want, do you want action?” emphasizing the power and control that the singer has in the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
So you think you'll take another piece of me
You believe that you have the power to take advantage of me or use me again for your own intellectual benefits, but you are mistaken.
To satisfy your intellectual need
You intend to use me to fulfill your intellectual desires.
Do you want, do you want
Action, action, action, action
Are you asking for a confrontation or a physical fight?
Gonna bring you down
I will defeat you and make you experience failure.
'Cause you've been pushing me
You have been constantly provoking, challenging, and frustrating me to the point where I cannot stand it anymore.
You've got to recognize my superiority
You need to acknowledge and accept the fact that I am better, stronger, and more capable than you are.
Liar, liar, liar, liar
You are constantly lying and deceiving me and others around you.
You know you believed it
You are aware of the lies you spread and have convinced yourself and others around you that they are true.
Higher, higher, higher, higher
You have a self-inflated ego, thinking that you are at a higher level than others.
'Cause I'm the main man
I am the most important person in this situation or context.
And that's why
Everybody wants a piece of the action
Because I am the main attraction, everyone wants to be associated with me or receive some benefit from me.
Everybody needs a main attraction
People require something or someone that is interesting, captivating, and exciting to be a part of.
I've got what everybody needs
I possess the qualities, skills, or resources that everyone requires or desires.
Satisfaction guarantees
I can guarantee that you will be satisfied if you are associated with me in some way.
Oh, I was suicidal 'cause you was my idol
Baby, baby, baby, bring it to your knees
I used to idolize and adore you so much that I was willing to harm myself, but now I want you to experience the same distress.
Oh, there was a time I would have walked the line
I used to obey and follow your commands, but not anymore.
But you bled me dry with your insatiable greed
Your constant desire for more caused me to lose everything I had, making me feel drained, exhausted, and depleted.
Do you want, do you want action?
Are you asking for a confrontation or a physical fight again?
Everybody wants, everybody needs
All people have desires and needs that they hope to fulfill.
That everybody wants a piece of the action
Everyone desires to be associated with and receive some benefit from the most captivating and exciting thing or person.
Everybody needs a main attraction
Everyone requires something or someone that is interesting, captivating, and exciting to be a part of.
I've got what everybody needs
I possess the qualities, skills, or resources that everyone requires or desires.
Satisfaction guarantees
I can guarantee that you will be satisfied if you are associated with me in some way.
That everybody wants a piece of the action
Everyone desires to be associated with and receive some benefit from the most captivating and exciting thing or person.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Eddie Nappi, Jason Slater, Kelli Scott, Troy Dean Van Leeuwen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pleun315
Awesome version ☝️
@revengerabbit2058
Not sure I'd call this an "alternate" version as much as "the version that's on the album, but with some overdubs missing"... because that's what it is. It's the same old version, just without some of the guitar and vocal and sound effect overdubs. I'm sure this was never intended to be released as some sort of other version.
@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.
the backwards vocal says "kiss my ass"
@Slammerworm1
Excellent find! It was always their punkiest-sounding single, and in this stripped-down form even more so. The music in the chorus sounds startlingly like the Ramones.
@DarthVader2057
Wow! Where did you find it???
@christophermoltisanti4776
They ruined many Sweet songs in the final mix. They would have been superstars with the right producer.