Sweet (referred to as The Sweet before 1974) are a popular 70s-era British … Read Full Bio ↴Sweet (referred to as The Sweet before 1974) are a popular 70s-era British rock band. Although largely known for their glam rock image and hit singles that dominated the charts, Sweet also released several acclaimed hard rock albums. The classic line-up consisted of Brian Connolly (vocals), Steve Priest (bass), Andy Scott (guitar) and Mick Tucker (drums).

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.

Hey mama
Sweet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey Mama I've been looking for you
I want to show you what my heart can do
Hey Mama if you think it's wrong
I don't now where you coming from

I want to woman who can take it every way
I need a girl who gonna shake it every day
Give me a lover who can make it when ever I say

You pretty baby it's you
You baby I need a lover like you

Oh won't you love me
Come on and love me
It's so hard I don't know what to do
So get ready, ready
You gotta be ready, ready
Can't you see what's coming over you

I want to taste of your loving cum
I hear that coke's gonna keep it up
I'll keep on going 'till I'm over the top
I never, never, never gonna stop

I want to woman who can take it every way
I need a girl who gonna shake it every day
Give me a lover who can make it when ever I say
You pretty baby it's you
You pretty baby I need you

Oh won't you love me
Yeah come on and love me
It's so hard I don't know what to do
So get ready, ready
You gotta be ready, ready
Can't you see what's coming over you

You got me shaking and I can't keep still
I want to do it 'till I get my bill
My body is sinking and I'm really the drop
I never, never, never gonna stop

I want to woman who can take it every way
I need a girl who gonna shake it every day
Give me a lover who can make it when ever I say
You pretty baby it's you
You pretty baby

I want to woman who can take it
A girl
Come on and shake it on my girl
Shake it, shake it, shake it
I need you to shake it on me girl
Can you shake it

Come on and shake it, shake it
Come on and shake it on my girl

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Sweet's song Hey Mama are quite explicit and self-explanatory, with the singer clearly expressing his desire for a woman who can fulfill his sexual needs. The chorus is catchy and repetitive, with the singer pleading to his potential lover to love him and get ready for what's to come. He wants a lover who can keep up with him, who he can make love to whenever he wants.

The verses provide more detail about what the singer wants from his lover. He wants a woman who can take it every way and shake it every day, indicating that he wants someone who is sexually adventurous and active. He mentions the use of drugs, specifically cocaine, as a means of enhancing his sexual performance, which adds an edgy and dangerous element to the song. The singer repeatedly asserts that he will never stop and that he needs his lover to keep up with him, indicating a lack of boundaries and a potentially unhealthy relationship.

Overall, the lyrics to Hey Mama are a reflection of the sexual liberation and experimentation that characterized the 1970s, with the singer expressing his desire for a sexually active and adventurous partner.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey Mama I've been looking for you
The singer is expressing that they have been searching for the perfect partner, addressing them as 'Mama'.

I want to show you what my heart can do
The singer intends to impress their partner with their love and affection.

Hey Mama if you think it's wrong
The singer acknowledges that their partner might not agree with them and is addressing any potential misunderstandings.

I don't know where you coming from
The singer expresses that they do not understand their partner's point of view and need clarification.

I want to woman who can take it every way
The singer desires a partner who can handle a variety of sexual maneuvers.

I need a girl who gonna shake it every day
The singer wants a partner who is lively and energetic in their sexual performance.

Give me a lover who can make it when ever I say
The singer desires a partner who is willing and able to have sex whenever they ask for it.

You pretty baby it's you
The singer singles out their partner as the ideal person fulfilling their desires.

Oh won't you love me
The singer seeks love and affection from their partner.

Come on and love me
The singer urges their partner to express their love openly and enthusiastically.

It's so hard I don't know what to do
The singer is expressing that they are struggling with their sexual desires, and it is impacting their life.

So get ready, ready
The singer urges their partner to prepare for sex.

You gotta be ready, ready
The singer is emphasizing the importance of their partner being ready and willing for sex, highlighting that they cannot wait any longer.

Can't you see what's coming over you
The singer is suggesting that their partner should anticipate and embrace sexual pleasure.

I want to taste of your loving cum
The singer wants to experience their partner's orgasmic juice through oral sex.

I hear that coke's gonna keep it up
The singer is referencing cocaine's ability to maintain an erection for longer periods.

I'll keep on going 'till I'm over the top
The singer intends to keep having sex until they reach orgasm.

I never, never, never gonna stop
The singer expresses that they want to keep having sex, without ever wanting to stop.

You got me shaking and I can't keep still
The singer expresses their sexual excitement, stating it's causing them to shake uncontrollably.

I want to do it 'till I get my bill
The singer wants to continue having sex, no matter how long it takes, until they are satisfied.

My body is sinking and I'm really the drop
The singer is experiencing an intense physical sensation due to sex, feeling like they are sinking and falling apart.

I want to woman who can take it
The singer repeats their desire for a partner who can handle any sexual demand.

A girl
The singer prefers a partner who is young and carefree.

Come on and shake it on my girl
The singer wants their partner to dance and move their body sensually during sex.

Shake it, shake it, shake it
The singer is urging their partner to move their body more vigorously.

I need you to shake it on me girl
The singer emphasizes their desire for their partner to move their body in a way that gives them sexual pleasure.

Can you shake it
The singer wants their partner to show their ability to move their body sexually.

Come on and shake it, shake it
The singer is urging their partner to move their body with more sensuality and force.

Come on and shake it on my girl
The singer again emphasizes their desire for their partner to move their body during sex for their pleasure.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW SCOTT, MICHAEL TUCKER, STEPHEN PRIEST

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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