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From the Vault...
02/01/2009
#1136 |
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info
Sweet
"The Best Of Sweet"
© EMI Records
Year of Release: 1992
Rating:
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track listing
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Little Willy
Wig-Wam Bam
Blockuster
Ballroom Blitz
Teenage Rampage
The 6-Teens
Fox On The Run
Action
The Lies In Your Eyes
Lost Angels
Fever Of Love
Stairway To The Stars
Like Oxygen
California Nights
Mother Earn
Sixties Man
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Sweet related sites:
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Sweet
"The Best Of Sweet"
Growing up in the 1970s, I was in grammar school when I first learned of the UK band,
The Sweet. "Little Willy" had always been in my head, but their better songs came
later, as "Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox On The Run" rocked the world as part of
the 1970s decade as "songs you know when you hear them, but may not remember the name of
the artist or band." "Ballroom Blitz" would be great for bands as the first song in
their set, as they introduce each member of the band -- "Are you ready, (name 1)?" "Uh huh."
"(name2) ?" "yeah" "(name3)" "ok" (and down the line..) "All right, fellas... Let's
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" (I was in a band in the mid 1980s as an opening act for the band called
Sleeper, and "Ballroom Blitz" would be their opening song on most of their performances.
More recently, this song was performed in the movie Wayne's World.
Best described as a glam rock/hard rock band, The Sweet's music incorporates the
glitter-glam antics of those before, during, and after their music were or did inspire.
The glam rock songs are evident here -- "Blockbuster," could easily relate to
T. Rex, a definite harder rock style is set on "Action," and the typical glam on
"Stairway To The Stars" and "California Nights."
As for other comparisons to similar glam rock artists/bands, the early years of
David Bowie comes to mind on "Fever Of Love," and a more experimental sound,
and comparing to the likes of Paul McCartney & Wings is "Mother Earth."
Glam and comparing to a later band, XTC, is heard on "Sixties Man."
Theatrical glam, and songs that have a Rocky Horror Picture Show atmosphere
sets the stage on such songs as "The Six Teens" and "Lost Angels."
And songs that have a similar sound and style to those that would become big hits
for the band are the "LIttle Willy"-ish "Wig-Wam Bam," the "Ballroom
Blitz"-y "Teenage Rampage," and "Fox On The Run"-ish "The Lies
In Your Eyes." "Love Is Like An Oxygen" is one of those songs that anyone
would vaugely remember, when it was popular at the time.
Glam Rock has The Sweet in its type category in Rock music. For those who
remember, "Little Willy," "Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox On The Run" are
the standouts here. It's interesting to hear more of their music, in its Glam-Rock
fashion. By the end of the 1970s, Sweet would focus on a more harder and less glam
approach, yet their popularity quite didn't follow. As most rock artists, members of
Sweet would encounter problems with drugs and alcohol. But from 1985 and on, members
of the band would reform, and like most reunions, the band would feature some of the
original members and the rest were replacements.
But for those who did remember their most classic hits, they would definitely want
to listen to these songs again, as The Best Of Sweet captures their best material
from their peak years as one of the most remembered glam-rock bands in Rock history.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
EMI Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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