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.
Identity Crisis
Sweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes no difference who you are
It's a good game when you're winning
They don't see you in the rain
When you're crisis are pain
Do I find a new beginning
No time to loose
Identity Crisis,
Identity Crisis,
I'm going through my Identity Crisis
You loved the fame and all it brings
But it's just roundabouts in swings
You never know which way you're going
You can always fall from grace
Even though you're hot
The race is never won until it's over
Out in the cold
Identity Crisis,
I'm going through my Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis,
I'm going through my Identity Crisis
My Identity Crisis
My Identity Crisis
There are bridges to be crossed
Got no time to count the cost
When the interest's getting higher
Money helps to pass the time
But it won't buy peace of mind
so much more to light the fire
Burning inside
Identity Crisis,
I'm going through my Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis,
I'm going through my Identity Crisis
No Identity Crisis
The song Identity Crisis by Sweet revolves around the theme of fame and the struggles that come with it. The lyrics depict how people only love the successful and the famous, but fail to see the struggles and pain that they go through. The singer expresses his feelings of being lost and not having a clear sense of who he is. He is going through an identity crisis where he questions his own existence and purpose. The song suggests that fame and fortune are not everything and that one must find their true identity and purpose to achieve satisfaction in life.
The lyrics "Everybody loves a star, Makes no difference who you are" suggest that fame is something that people crave and desire. However, the line "They don't see you in the rain, when your crisis are pain" highlights the fact that fame comes with its own set of challenges and difficulties that are often hidden from public view. The line "But it's just roundabouts in swings, You never know which way you're going" suggests that the life of the famous is unpredictable and filled with ups and downs.
The chorus of the song, "Identity Crisis, I'm going through my Identity Crisis" emphasizes the singer's struggle to find his true self amidst all the chaos and pressure of the outside world. The lyrics "Money helps to pass the time, but it won't buy peace of mind" suggest that material possessions cannot bring true happiness or help one find their identity.
Overall, Identity Crisis by Sweet is a song that touches on the universal theme of identity and the struggles that come with fame and success. It emphasizes the importance of finding one's true self and purpose in life to achieve fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody loves a star
Being famous is attractive to everyone
Makes no difference who you are
Regardless of your background
It's a good game when you're winning
Fame is enjoyable when things are going well
They don't see you in the rain
Your struggles are ignored by others
When you're crisis are pain
When you are experiencing hardships
Do I find a new beginning
Can I start anew?
No time to lose
There is a sense of urgency
Identity Crisis, I'm going through my Identity Crisis
The struggles of finding oneself, a personal crisis
You loved the fame and all it brings
You enjoyed the perks of being famous
But it's just roundabouts in swings
It's a never-ending cycle
You never know which way you're going
Uncertainty in life
You can always fall from grace
Failure is always a possibility
Even though you're hot
Despite your success
The race is never won until it's over
Success is not guaranteed until the end
Out in the cold
Alone and unsupported
My Identity Crisis
The personal struggle of discovering oneself
There are bridges to be crossed
Challenges to overcome
Got no time to count the cost
With limited time
When the interest's getting higher
When the stakes are getting higher
Money helps to pass the time
Material possessions offer temporary comfort
But it won't buy peace of mind
Money cannot solve everything
So much more to light the fire
Other things can ignite passion and purpose
Burning inside
A strong desire to find oneself
No Identity Crisis
A sense of self-awareness and discovery
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW SCOTT, MICHAEL TUCKER, STEPHEN PRIEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anja Schmied
Stevie so great on lead vocals !! ❤ 👌 🎤
Anja Schmied
A legend is gone .....but not forgotten !! R.I.P Stevie 🎸🎤❤
mario cardenas
rock que dejo huella en mi vida hoy en mi cumpleaños 66 sigo recordando esta banda saludos desde mexico a todos los rockeros del muno dios los bendiga por siempre patito
JC
The whole album is a lost classic
Teresio Garavaglia
Ottimo album, praticamente sconosciuto al grande pubblico, bellissima canzone travolgente e 🤘 rock 🤘 veramente allucinante 🔝 🎶 🎼 🎸 rock 🤘
Gurgis Jones
The rhythm is a lot like "Live For Today", so going back to basics for the band. Certainly rocking and kicking ass. I like it. Sounds good loud!
Don Tommaso
Yes, I always thought it sounded like the songs from "Off The Record". Great song and Steve's voice is as soulful as ever!
King Diamond 666
Das ist ja wohl der Hammer sehr starker Titel von Sweet kann mann mit nichts vergleichen die hatten ihren eigenen stil,das hört man bei jeden Titel.Der klang der gitarren und der Stimmen ist einzigartig,ich weis das zu schätzen ich bin ein absoluter Fan von sweet die produktionen bis 1982
F R
Questo in LP è uno degli album più rari di sempre. L'originale naturalmente.
Jesus BRICEÑO
Wow this is so heavy metal!!!