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.
Sweet F.A.
Sweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I need a fight
And if she don't spread
I'm gonna bust her head
The guy's gone mad
'Cause his chicks been had
But what can we do
When there's four of you
Sweet F.A., never gonna make it
Sweet F.A., people think we fake it
Sweet F.A., now we're gonna take it
Sweet F.A.
Try to pull me out
Like a roustabout
Gonna spend my bread
Then I'll kick your head
You're just my size
But if you're so wise
See the chick in black
Maybe she'll come back
Sweet F.A., never gonna make it
Sweet F.A., people think we fake it
Sweet F.A., now we're gonna take it
Sweet F.A.
Yeah, the hurstle's now
Really nice somehow
See the street car scene
From the black limousine
Shout it out
Let it all hang out
But you won't get rough
'Cause it's all a bluff
Sweet F.A., never gonna make it
Sweet F.A., people think we fake it
Sweet F.A., now we're gonna take it
Sweet F.A.
The lyrics to "Sweet F.A." by the band Sweet are a reflection of the party-hard, tough-guy attitude that pervaded the rock scene during the 1970s. The song opens with the singer describing their desire for a fight on a Friday night; they threaten violence against a woman who doesn't give in to their advances. The second verse details the singer's intention to spend their money on partying and fighting; they promise to kick someone's head in. The chorus proclaims that they'll never make it, that people believe they're fake, but that they're going to take it anyway. The final verse describes a stylish car and a decadent lifestyle, complete with shout-outs and bluffs.
The song seems to be a commentary on the emptiness of a life spent seeking constant stimulation and pleasure, and the way that such a lifestyle is inevitably violent and unsatisfying. The lyrics are full of bravado and aggression, but they're also filled with a sense of sadness and desperation. The singer seems to be seeking something more than just empty experiences and temporary highs, but they don't know how to find it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's Friday night
It's the end of the workweek and the singer is ready to have a good time.
And I need a fight
The singer is looking for some excitement, possibly through a physical altercation.
And if she don't spread
The woman the singer is interested in needs to make it clear she is willing to be intimate.
I'm gonna bust her head
If the woman doesn't cooperate, the singer will resort to violence.
The guy's gone mad
Another man is upset and angry.
'Cause his chicks been had
The man is upset because the woman he was with has been unfaithful.
But what can we do
The situation is out of their control and they feel powerless.
When there's four of you
There is strength in numbers, but still not enough to change what has happened.
Sweet F.A., never gonna make it
Their chances of success are very low, despite their efforts.
Sweet F.A., people think we fake it
Others believe that they are not genuine and are just pretending.
Sweet F.A., now we're gonna take it
Despite the obstacles, they are determined to succeed.
Try to pull me out
Someone is attempting to provoke the singer.
Like a roustabout
This person is like a troublemaker or a carnival worker.
Gonna spend my bread
The singer is going to spend their money.
Then I'll kick your head
If the person continues to annoy the singer, violence may occur.
You're just my size
The person bothering the singer is about the same physical size as them.
But if you're so wise
The singer questions their intelligence and reason for provoking them.
See the chick in black
The singer notices an attractive woman wearing black clothing nearby.
Maybe she'll come back
The singer hopes the woman will want to be with them.
Yeah, the hurstle's now
Things are getting busy and overwhelming.
Really nice somehow
Despite the chaos, the excitement is enjoyable for the singer.
See the street car scene
The singer observes a scene involving streetcars.
From the black limousine
They are watching from the inside of a fancy car.
Shout it out
The singer is feeling expressive and wants to make themselves heard.
Let it all hang out
They want to be free and open with their emotions.
But you won't get rough
Although they are expressing themselves, they don't want to start any trouble.
'Cause it's all a bluff
The singer is not actually as tough as they may appear.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW SCOTT, BRIAN CONNOLLY, MICHAEL TUCKER, STEPHEN PRIEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@atlasking6110
This is VICIOUS! For 1974, are you kidding me? Sweet were so far ahead of their time.
@mikeivey8169
Could not agree more!
@BruceWall-gv4up
They already in the. 80,s
@michaelbaker3598
The bass
@kasperkjrsgaard1447
About four years later than Deep Purple.
@user-qz3yc3gx7h
Гений.
@MsAllimack
It boggles my mind how talented each of these guys were. Really mind blowing. So incredibly hard to believe that they are not in the rock hall of fame. You can hear how they actually influenced other bands that came along later.
@aquatarkus2022
If they had debuted in '81 they'd be huge. The world wasn't ready for Sweet.
@MarkGelderland
They were huge! They sold over 35 million albums worldwide
@mattdylan664
they were absolutely massive in their own time but i do agree they could have dominated the 80s as well had they stayed harder instead of going the softer route they did later