Ballroom blitz
Fox on the run
Lies in your eyes
Little Willy
Lost Angels
Stairway to the stars
The Sixteens
Formed in 1968 by drummer Mick Tucker and vocalist Brian Connolly, former members of pop group WAINWRIGHT'S GENTLEMAN, they were augmented by Stevie Priest on bass and Frank Torpey on lead guitar, the group became known as SWEETSHOP who did no more than club gigs up and down the country. Two guitarists later saw the entry of Andy Scott (ex Elastic Band and Mayfields Mule) and a name shortening to SWEET. This renamed new line-up recorded four singles between 1968 and 1970 fo the Fontana and Parlophone labels which received neither crititcal acclaim or any important measure of sates.
1970 became the most important year in the band's career, with their learning-up with producer Phil Wainman, manager/songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and a new record deal with RCA. By the end of 1971 the band achieved three top 40 singles - "Funny Funny", "Co-co" and "Alexander Graham Bell", these were followed by three more hits in 1972 with "Poppa Joe" reaching number 11 and "Little Willy" and "Wig Wam Bam" both reaching number 4. The latter being a perfect example of their crossover to a heavier 'glam rock' sound and image. Their next single the glam rock classic "Blockbuster" hit the number one spot in January 1973 and confirmed The Sweet were no one hit wonder as hit followed hit.
Their harder, rockier side showed through on the self penned 'B' sides which were more in tune to their live performances which in 1974, because of their overt sexual stage show saw the group banned from the Mecca organisation of dance halls. This was also a year the group released their first 'proper' rock album, "Sweet Fanny Adams", amazingly their only album to chart....
The band recorded three more albums "Give Us A wink", "Off the Record" and "Cut Above the Rest" before Brian Connely left after their third US tour in 1979.
...This later period was to be their most influential and was to herald the band as a rock institution. So much so that some 15 years after being dismissed as "instantly disposable bubblegum pop" their influence upon today's rock scene is more evident than ever with a whole new generation of rock bands borrowing from Sweets sound and image earning the success and respect that The Sweet were so sadly denied.
Mark Brennan, Laurie Pryor, 'Beat of the Street' Magazine.
Are you ready, Steve? Aha.
Andy? Yeah! Mick? OK.
Alright, fellas, let's go!
Oh it's been getting so hard
Livin' with the things you do to me, aha
Oh my dreams are getting so strange
I'd like to tell you everything I see
Oh, I see a man at the back
As a matter of fact his eyes are red as the sun
And a girl in the corner let no one ignore her
'Cause she thinks she's the passionate one
Oh, yeah, it was like lightning, everybody was frightening
And the music was soothing, and they all started grooving
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
And the man at the back said
Everyone attack and it turned into a ballroom blitz
And the girl in the corner said
Boy, I wanna warn ya, it'll turn into a ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz, ballroom blitz, ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
I'm reaching out for something
Touching nothing's all I ever do
Oh, I softly call you over
When you appear there's nothing left of you, aha
Now the man in the back
Is ready to crack as he raises his hands to the sky
And the girl in the corner is ev'ryone's mourner
She could kill you with a wink of her eye
Oh yeah, it was electric, so frightfully hectic
And the band started leaving, 'cause they all stopped breathing
Refrain
Oh yeah, it was like lightning, everybody was frightening
And the music was soothing, and they all started grooving
Refrain
It's it's a ballroom blitz, it's it's a ballroom blitz
It's it's a ballroom blitz, yeah, it's a ballroom blitz
I - don't wanna know your name
'Cause you don't look the same
The way you did before
O.K. - you think you got a pretty face
But the rest of you is out of place
You looked allright before
Fox on the run
You scream and everybody comes a running
Take a run and hide yourself away
Foxy is on the run
F - foxy
Fox on the run
And hide away
You - you talk about just every band
But the names you drop are second hand
I've heard it all before
I - don't wanna know your name
'Cause you don't look the same
The way you did before
Fox on the run
You scream and everybody comes a running
Take a run and hide yourself away
Foxy is on the run
F - foxy
Fox on the run
And hide away
F - foxy
Fox on the run
You scream and everybody comes a running
Take a run and hide yourself away
Foxy is on the run
F - foxy
Fox on the run
And hide away
Fox on the run
Fox on the run
Fox on the run
Fox on the run...
Ain't nobody gonna take my place
Whips and chains don't leave no trace
Solid gold brass got a plastic face, ah
Break me up every time you try
To cool me off with a wink in your eye
And I don't eat from a pie in the sky no more
I can see you ain't foolin' me
I ain't blind
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
The tears that you cry, I'm not blind
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
But the lies in your eyes
You've got a big fat mouth, watch what you say
'Cause sooner (later) you're gonna pay
Gone tomorrow here today
There ain't nobody gonna take my place
Sticks and stones don't leave no trace
I don't need your second face
I can see you ain't foolin' me
I ain't blind
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
The tears that you cry, I'm not blind
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
But the lies in your eyes
I can see, I can see...
Don't you know
I can see you ain't foolin' me
I ain't blind
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
The tears that you cry, I'm not blind
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
The lies in your eyes don't disguise
But the lies in your eyes
North side , east side
Little Willy, Willy wears the crown, he's the king around town
Dancing, glancing
Willy drives them silly with his star shoe shimmy shuffle down
Way past one, and feeling allright
'Cos with little Willy round they can last all night
Hey down, stay down, stay down down
'Cos little Willy, Willy won't go home
But you can't push Willy round
Willy won't go, try tellin' everybody but, oh no
Little Willy, Willy won't go home
Up town, down town
Little Willy, Willy drives them wild with his run-around style
Inside, outside
Willy sends them silly with his star-shine shimmy shuffle smile
Mama done chase Willy down through the hall
But laugh, Willy laugh, he don't care at all
Hey down, stay down, stay down, down
'Cos little Willy, Willy won't go home
But you can't push Willy round
Willy won't go, try tellin' everybody but, oh no
Little Willy, Willy won't go home
Little Willy, Willy won't
Willy won't, Willy won't
Little Willy, Willy won't
Willy won't, Willy won't
Little Willy, Willy won't
Willy won't, Willy won't
Little Willy, Willy won't
Willy won't, Willy won't
Little Willy, Willy won't go home
But you can't push Willy round
Willy won't go, try tellin' everybody but, oh no
Little Willy, Willy won't go home
Little Willy, Willy won't go home
But you can't push Willy round
Willy won't go, try tellin' everybody but, oh no
Little Willy, Willy won't go home
Infinity
Like time without a friend who'll sing the song
If melodie should end you're dead my friend
Lost angels come and take control
Lost angels gotta keep on hold on
Hold on, hold on
Gotta get on back to the life in the street
Gotta get down 'cause I'm dead on my feet
Gotta get back to the love in the street
We're lost angels
Gotta choose the way to rock' n' roll
Insanity
I can feel the knives inside my brain
I stand alone at the threshold of my pain
Lost angels come and take control
Lost angels gotta keep on hold on
Hold on, hold on
Gotta get on back to the life in the street
Gotta get down 'cause I'm dead on my feet
Gotta get back to the love in the street
We're lost angels
Gotta choose the way
I see it now
All my friends inside my life appeared before my eyes
And returning to space to see myself dissapear
Lost angels come and take control
Lost angels gotta keep on hold on
Hold on, hold on
Gotta get on back to the life in the street
Gotta get down 'cause I'm dead on my feet
Gotta get back to the love in the street
We're lost angels
Gotta choose the way
Gotta get on back to the life in the street
Gotta get down 'cause I'm dead on my feet
Gotta get back to the love in the street
We're lost angels...
The heroine's a hero
Uprating me to zero
I couldn't hold a candle to you
The hardest part is leaving
This web of love you weaving
You've shattered my illusions
I've come to the conclusion
You' re gonna do a number on me
I'll never get to heaven with you
There's a stairway to the stars
Yeah, but it's a freeway into your arms
There's a stairway to the stars
Yeah, but it's a freeway
Stairway to the stars
Girls in your condition
They ain't in no position
To do the things you're doing to me
You opened like a flower
You filled my head with power
Boys get avaricious
Feeling pretty vicious
So don't you paint your fingers for me
No, no, you'll never get to heaven with me (no way)
There's a stairway to the stars
Yeah, but it's a freeway into your arms
There's a stairway to the stars
Yeah, but it's a freeway
Stairway to the stars
Take the stairway to my heaven
Take your stairway to my heaven
Take your stairway to my heaven
Take your stairway to my heaven
There's a stairway to the stars
Yeah, but it's a freeway into your arms
There's a stairway to the stars
Yeah, but it's a freeway
Stairway to the stars
Stairway to the stars
Stairway to the stars
Stairway to the stars
Where were you in sixty-eight
In sixty-eight Julie was Johnnie's date
Two kids growin' together
Livin' each day as if time was slippin' away
Oh, they were just sixteen
And their love a teenage dream
They passed the time, they crossed the line
The line that ran between
Julie and Johnnie now you've made it
But life goes on, you know it ain't easy
You've just gotta be strong
If you're one of the sixteens
And life goes on, you know, you know it ain't easy
You know you'll never go wrong
'Cause you're all part of the sixteens
Suzie and Davey got to make the big time
Maybe they can put it all together
In a show that lasts forever
Oh they would walk the strip at nights
And dream they saw their name in lights
On Desolation boulevard
They'll light the faded light
Suzie and Davey you can make it
But life goes on, you know it ain't easy
You've just gotta be strong
If you're one of the sixteens
And life goes on, you know, you know it ain't easy
You know you'll never go wrong
'Cause you're all part of the sixteens
So where were you in sixty-eight
When Bobby and Billy thought
That sixty eight was out of date
They took the flowers from their hair
And tried to make us all aware
Too bad, too late
So they lived from day to day
And tried to do it all their way
But sixty-eight was sixty-eight
No matter what they say
Bobby and Billy maybe you'll make it one day...
But life goes on, you know it ain't easy
You've just gotta be strong
If you're one of the sixteens
And life goes on, you know, you know it ain't easy
You know you'll never go wrong
'Cause you're all...
And life goes on, you know, you know it ain't easy
You know you'll never go wrong
'Cause you're all part of the sixteens