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.
Yesterday's Rain
Sweet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Layin' down my money for love
She's the kind of lady
Wouldn't take a maybe from me
She saw the need on my face
Sitting outside of my place
I did all the talking
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
You're fooling nobody
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
Don't tell me you're sorry
You're fooling nobody
I'll set a score but no higher
Single return on no mire
If you keep on accusing
Then you're gonna be abusing yourself
You've got to make your mind up
Or God only knows where I'll wind up
You know I earned my ginger
So baby, lay your fingers on me
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
She gave me love on her fire
Up to my balls inside her
She's a kind of lady
Who won't been sayin' maybe to me
You truck it, baby
You'll find another sucker, baby
She's a kind of lady
Who's gonna take a maybe from me
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
I didn't come down with (down with)
Yesterday's rain (down with)
(Yesterday's rain)
I didn't foolin'
I didn't foolin'
The song "Yesterday's Rain" by Sweet is a bold and assertive statement about not being fooled by someone's words and actions. The lyrics convey the story of a man who is not easily swayed by a woman's charm and is aware of her manipulative tactics. The first few lines talk about the man laying down his money for love and being in the mood, only to realize that the woman in question is not interested in him beyond the money.
The chorus 'I didn't come down with yesterday's rain, you're fooling nobody' emphasizes that despite the woman's attempt at playing innocent and manipulating the man, he is not fooled. The middle part of the song talks about how the man is willing to compromise but not at the cost of his self-respect. He sets boundaries and doesn't allow anyone to abuse him emotionally.
The lyrics end on a sexual note, with the man stating that he has earned his 'ginger' and the woman cannot play hard to get anymore. Overall, the song is a powerful statement about being aware of other people's intentions and refusing to be taken for a ride.
Line by Line Meaning
Who was in the mood way above
Someone was feeling really good
Layin' down my money for love
Spending a lot of money to impress someone
She's the kind of lady
She is a specific type of woman
Wouldn't take a maybe from me
She wasn't willing to settle for uncertainty from me
She saw the need on my face
She noticed that I needed something without me saying anything
Sitting outside of my place
She was waiting outside my house
I did all the talking
I did most of the talking
She did all the walking from me
She walked away from me
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
I haven't been fooled or deceived
You're fooling nobody
No one is being deceived
Don't tell me you're sorry
I don't want to hear an apology
I'll set a score but no higher
I'll get revenge, but only to a certain extent
Single return on no mire
I won't settle for anything less
If you keep on accusing
If you continue to blame me
Then you're gonna be abusing yourself
You'll only hurt yourself
You've got to make your mind up
You need to make a decision
Or God only knows where I'll wind up
If you don't decide, anything could happen
You know I earned my ginger
You know I have worked hard for what I have
So baby, lay your fingers on me
Touch me, baby
She gave me love on her fire
She showed me her passion and love
Up to my balls inside her
I was very intimate with her
You truck it, baby
You can leave, baby
You'll find another sucker, baby
You'll find someone else to fool
Who's gonna take a maybe from me
Who is willing to accept uncertainty from me
I didn't come down with (down with)
I haven't been affected by
Yesterday's rain (down with)
Deception or betrayal
(Yesterday's rain)
Deception or betrayal
I didn't foolin'
I haven't been fooled or deceived
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW SCOTT, BRIAN CONNOLLY, MICHAEL TUCKER, STEPHEN PRIEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Who was in the mood way above
Layin' down my money for love
She's the kind of lady
Wouldn't take a maybe from me
She saw the need on my face
Sitting outside of my place
I did all the talking
She did all the walking from me
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
You're fooling nobody
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
Don't tell me you're sorry
You're fooling nobody
I'll set a score but no higher
Single return on no mire
If you keep on accusing
Then you're gonna be abusing yourself
You've got to make your mind up
Or God only knows where I'll wind up
You know I earned my ginger
So baby, lay your fingers on me
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
She gave me love on her fire
Up to my balls inside her
She's a kind of lady
Who won't been sayin' maybe to me
You truck it, baby
You'll find another sucker, baby
She's a kind of lady
Who's gonna take a maybe from me
I didn't come down with yesterday's rain
I didn't come down with (down with)
Yesterday's rain (down with)
(Yesterday's rain)
I didn't foolin'
I didn't foolin'
@paistecat
Their best album!!
@matereo
Id say Fanny Adams is
@joeg5361
I agree Give Us Wink they became a great hard rockin band for sure
@halseyknox
Absolutely....their best album, everything prior to Give Us a Wink was a build up to this hard rocking masterpiece everything after was a let down, for me anyway. Got my driver's license when Fox On The Run was playing the radio airwaves. Went out and bought Desolation Blvd. and really got into this band. The thing about that album was side one as good as it was was written by Chinn and Chapman but side two was the bands child and it showed who and what the real Sweet was. Really got into getting a lot of their import albums including the live album Strung Up. When Give Us a Wink came out I played it constantly in my 289 four speed 65 falcon ranchero with my buds. When their next album came out Off The Record I was disappointed as the hard rock influence seemed to have slipped away and the following albums solidified that to where they lost me. But that is about the the same my time I discovered the long haired Freddie Queen and rode that train up until News Of The World. Always thought how both bands vocal harmonizing had that same sound.
@butters395
i was the same as u said...but i liked off the record....it was level headed where they lost me 😪....oh well... nothing lasts for ever... give us a wink was definitely their heaviest album for sure 👍
@jglencarr5390
Why at 60 yrs old can I remember every word and bass lick listening to this album for the first time in 45 years, but I can't remember what I went after when I get to the grocery store? 🤷🤪
@MsTstang
These Guys were so awesome ..RIP golden Angels you are so missed ...Brian Steve Mick ...THis is just as good as any of that Music they play today ....
@thomasford4235
Better!
@eternaldarkness2044
sweet was so underrated, but the best band in the 70s.
@user-ru4xc4th4v
Who would dare to say a single word against it?