The Sweet

Certain Songs #2596: The Sweet – “Fox on the Run”

April 21, 2023 by Jim Connelly

Album: Desolation Boulevard (U.S.)
Year: 1975

. . .

Alright, so lets start with this: “Fox on the Run” isn’t just my favorite Sweet song, it’s been one of my favorite songs by anybody quite literally from the moment 13-year-old Jim heard it on KYNO-AM in late 1975. I know all of the objections: the superfluous synth squiggles, the simplistic song structure, the stoopid & slightly sexist lyrics. And I just don’t give a fuck; I love this song beyond all reason, and because of most of that stuff, as well.

Certain Songs #2595: The Sweet – “The Ballroom Blitz”

April 20, 2023 by Jim Connelly

Album: Desolation Boulevard (U.S.)
Year: 1973

. . .

The song that put the Sweet back on AM radio in the U.S. has one of the most iconic — and parodied — openings of any song ever recorded. Over a almost-rockabilly drumbeat from Mick Tucker, lead singer Brian Connolly campily checks in with the rest of his band, none of whom seemed to be too thrilled to be there, judging by their affectedly fey answers. It’s also the first hook in a song that is a veritable tackle box.

Certain Songs #2594: The Sweet – “Block Buster!”

April 19, 2023 by Jim Connelly

Album: The Sweet
Year: 1973

Emboldened by the success of the “Little Willy” single, The Sweet’s U.S. record company decided to cobble together a debut album which from what I can tell, consisted of only two songs that were on their U.K. debut, 1971’s Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be, and instead, consisted mostly of singles and b-sides that had been released in the U.K. in 1972 & 1973. And hilariously, they just called it The Sweet.

Certain Songs #2593: The Sweet – “Little Willy”

April 18, 2023 by Jim Connelly

Album: The Sweet
Year: 1972

. . .

Even though it was half-century ago, I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard “Little Willy.” It was at my friend Keith’s house, as he had the 45. It was right around the time I turned 10 years old, and while I don’t specifically remember playing it over and over and over and over, I have to assume that he did.

My parents had albums — though the most contemporary record they owned was Peter Paul & Mary’s Ten Years Together — but I don’t think they had 45s, and so the fact that I could own a song and play it whenever I wanted to instead of waiting for the radio to play it seemed like a revelation. And soon, I was buying my own singles — Elton John’s “Daniel,” War’s “Cisco Kid,” Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” etc — to listen to over and over again.

18 Musical Moments to Die For

April 20, 2009 by Jim Connelly

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done one of these, but I’m back!! In black. (Which is a terrible choice, because it’s, like, 150 degrees today.)

This time, on Musical Moments to Die For, we have two of the greatest cover versions of two of the greatest songs ever recorded; druggy people writing songs about their drug problems, and casual rockstar sexism.

We also have the usual 80’s indie obscurity, and run the gamut from catchy artsy sophistication to catchy dumb-ass stomping crapola.

This is the eighth in a series: The first one had 25, the second one had 24, the third one had 23, the fourth one had 22, the fifth one had 21, and the sixth had 20, and the seventh had 19.