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.
Shot Down in Flames
Sweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It tears me apart
I hunger for love
How can I tell this is real
I feel so lonely
Oh so lonely, I hunger for love
Another woman in my arms again
Lookin' over my shoulder
Chorus
Shot me down in flames
You could've given me a heart attack
Shot me down in flames
I'm burning up but there's no turning back
Shot me down in flames
Thoughts, they fill my mind
But they're unkind
A mirror of you
Lies that I can see in your eyes
Tell me you're longing
Tell me you're longing, to touch my heart
I've been a fool and now I'm on my own
I never meant to hurt you
Still hear the sound of your crying
Chorus
Another woman in my arms again
To help me tame the fire
And you're still crying
Chorus
You could've given me a heart attack
Shot me down in flames
In the song “Shot Down in Flames” by Sweet, the lyrics describe the artist’s feelings of loneliness and heartbreak, as he reflects on a lost love. The opening lines suggest that the writer is hurting, and needs love to fill the void in his heart. He expresses his desperation for love, wondering if it's even real. The artist then talks about the presence of another woman in his life, who helps him deal with the pain he feels.
As the chorus hits, it brings a sense of urgency to the song. The artist feels like his heart has been shot down in flames, and it’s almost as if the pain is too much to handle. He is burning up, and there's no turning back. There is a sense of finality that comes with the lyrics, which suggest that the artist knows the situation is irreparable.
The second verse talks about how the writer is haunted by thoughts of the past. He sees himself in the mirror of his lost love, and he knows that the lies he sees in her eyes are a reflection of his own. The lyrics suggest that he realizes that he never meant to hurt her, and he is filled with regret for causing her pain.
Overall, the song is a powerful reflection on love and heartbreak, with lyrics that tug at the heartstrings. It explores the depths of pain and loneliness that can come from a lost love, and the realization that sometimes, there is no way to turn back the clock.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold, cold in my heart
I feel emotionally numb and disconnected.
It tears me apart
This feeling of loneliness is causing me immense pain.
I hunger for love
I have a strong desire to connect with someone on a deep level.
How can I tell this is real
I am unsure if the feelings I have are genuine or just a fleeting moment.
I feel so lonely
I am consumed by an overwhelming sense of isolation and disconnection.
Oh so lonely, I hunger for love
My loneliness is only intensified by my longing for meaningful connection with someone else.
Another woman in my arms again, to help me tame the fire
I am seeking temporary relief from my loneliness by engaging with another woman, even though I know it is not a solution to my underlying issue.
Lookin' over my shoulder
I am constantly worried that my actions will catch up with me and ultimately hurt me more than help me.
Thoughts, they fill my mind
My mind is racing with various thoughts and emotions.
But they're unkind
These thoughts are mostly negative and self-destructive.
A mirror of you
The thoughts and emotions I am experiencing are reflecting the pain and hurt caused by my past relationship with you.
Lies that I can see in your eyes
I know that you are not being truthful with me despite what you may be saying.
Tell me you're longing
I need you to express your desire for me to help alleviate the pain I am feeling.
Tell me you're longing, to touch my heart
I crave genuine emotional connection with you, and want you to express that to me.
I've been a fool and now I'm on my own
I realize that my actions have led me to this lonely place and that I must now face the consequences of my decisions.
I never meant to hurt you
Although I was unfaithful, I did not intend to cause you pain.
Still hear the sound of your crying
I am still haunted by the pain I caused you and the sadness that resulted from it.
Shot me down in flames
My actions led to the ultimate destruction of our relationship.
You could've given me a heart attack
The pain of losing you was so intense, it felt as though I was experiencing a physical attack on my heart.
I'm burning up but there's no turning back
My emotions are getting the best of me and I feel as though I am losing control.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RONALD BELFORD SCOTT, ANGUS YOUNG, MALCOLM YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind