You only need one album by The Sweet, and this is it. But there’s a problem — there are two significantly different versions of it. Different songs, different versions of songs, different track sequence, slightly different artwork and even different spellings.
Both are worth owning. The original U.K. version of 1974’s Desolation Boulevard on RCA Records is an icon of British glam, but it doesn’t contain the band’s masterpiece Ballroom Blitz. In fact, none of their original studio albums do. The track was released as a single in 1973, though most North Americans probably think it is from Desolation Boulevard. That’s because the U.S. and Canadian versions on Capitol Records — released in 1975 — have Ballroom Blitz as the album opener, even though the song was already two years old! They also have one of two later versions of the hit Fox On The Run, unlike the U.K. version, which has the original recording. You can tell them apart because the original doesn’t have synth:
As compared to the one you probably have heard more often…
The North American version also has a bunch of songs from the previous album — Sweet Fanny Adams — rather than the slightly controversial single Turn It Down. Truthfully, the Capitol pressing — released the year after the U.K. RCA original — is more Sweet Fanny Adams than Desolation Boulevard. Compare:
RCA Version (1974)
Side 1
The Six Teens
Solid Gold Brass
Turn It Down (not on Capitol version)
Medusa (not on Capitol version)
Lady Starlight (not on Capitol version)
Side 2
Man With The Golden Arm (not on Capitol version)
Fox On The Run (original non-single version)
Breakdown (not on Capitol version)
My Generation (Who cover, not on Capitol version)
Capitol Version (1975)
Side 1
Ballroom Blitz (non-album single)
The 6-Teens (from Desolation Boulevard, but different spelling)
No You Don’t (from Sweet Fanny Adams)
A.C.D.C. (from Sweet Fanny Adams)
I Wanna Be Committed (from Sweet Fanny Adams)
Side 2
Sweet F.A. (from Sweet Fanny Adams)
Fox On The Run (single version)
Set Me Free (from Sweet Fanny Adams)
Into The Night (from Sweet Fanny Adams)
Solid Gold Brass (from Desolation Boulevard)
Weird, isn’t it? Totally different records. My version would drop all the Sweet Fanny Adams songs, but find a way to include Ballroom Blitz. Incidentally — we all know that famous Blitz intro? “Are you ready Steve? Andy? Mick? Alright fellas — let’s go!” It’s sung by Brian Connolly. Steve is Steve Priest the bass player. Andy is Andy Scott, who plays guitar and synth, and Mick Tucker is the drummer. Only Scott survives, and yes — he does perform as Sweet. In fact, they (he) did a show at Cooper Park in Elgin, Scotland on April 30. Two of the eight songs in the set were from Desolation Boulevard. Anyway, let’s go through it.
The Six Teens, which is on both versions, is a solid, very Ziggy-era Bowie-esque cut. By this I mean heavy-strummed acoustic guitar with electric guitar and thunderous drums overtop. It’s a pretty anthemic tune. Sweet were trying to write specifically for their fans, even using random, common proper names. This song is also where the album title comes from. Loads of the signature Sweet/glammy high-pitched backing vocals here and throughout. Not as lovely as Queen or ELO, but pretty great.
Solid Gold Brass is next, and the only other song which you can hear on both the U.K. and North American versions. This song is also great, apart from the sorta lame chorus. It has a brilliant face-melter guitar solo in it. Quite an excellent mix, I should point out. The album was produced by Michael Donald “Mike” Chapman and Nicholas Barry “Nicky” Chinn — known as Chinn & Chapman. Mostly they were a songwriting duo, but they also produced several acts including Suzi Quatro and Mud. They wrote two of the songs on the U.K. version of Desolation Boulevard: The Six Teens and Turn It Down. The latter just happens to be the next song up, the first of seven not on the Capitol version.
I mentioned earlier that this one created some minor controversy and was actually banned for including the lyrics “I can’t take no more of that God-awful sound, so for God’s sake turn it down.” Broadcasters took issue with the lord’s name and not the poor grammar. This is a decent but simple little glam banger aimed at teens whose parents don’t get their music and why it has to be played so loud. Low-hanging fruit. I much prefer Cheap Trick’s narrative where the parents “got my KISS records out.” Besides, Sweet aren’t great at writing choruses. This is the second one in a row that’s weak.
Then it’s Medusa, which starts with appropriately “spooky” synth, giving way to a cool bassline and a whole lot of affected, soaring guitar chords. The kind where the lead singer should have his arms stretched out wide, summoning the spirits of rock like some sort of showboat mountain bird soaring on thermals. It’s dumb, but I love it. This is a great song. It’s like a drink made from Boston and Slade. Bostade.
The last track on the first side is the super-’70s-titled Lady Starlight. Oh, songs with “lady” in the title. JFC, do they ever say “lady” A LOT in this number. Thirteen times. When I looked that up I noticed Scorpions also have a song called Lady Starlight. Hahahahaha. This song is awful. This is the one I’d drop for Ballroom Blitz.
Side 2 starts and ends with cover songs. The first is a bedazzling version of Elmer Bernstein‘s instrumental theme from 1956’s The Man With The Golden Arm. Sweet, of course, add lyrics — the title, anyway. This is a weird thing. Well over eight minutes long and dominated by a five-minute drum solo. I dunno, guys. This kinda stuff works live but I wouldn’t put it on a studio album.
Whew, with that over let’s move on to the original Fox On The Run. Honestly, I like both the U.K. and Capitol versions. As usual, the verses are way better than the chorus but classic nonetheless. Next is Breakdown. As deep cuts go, this one’s a banger! Heavy and cool. Except for the chorus, of course. I don’t get why Sweet can’t chorus.
The record, or at least the U.K. one, wraps with a Who cover: My Generation. It’s good, but curious. They don’t sound like Sweet. Priest is no Entwistle and Tucker is more like the kind of drummer The Who probably wished Keith Moon was, rather than what he actually brought to the table by 1974. Mooney was explosive, but his erratic style robbed the band of some punch.
Sweet do a fine job with My Generation, but it’s just too obvious for my taste. The two covers and the awful Lady ballad take away from an otherwise top-shelf glam record. I can see why those were all left off the Capitol version. This makes the North American release a better album, but it’s not real. The original U.K. album is 3/5
• • •
Area Resident is an Ottawa-based journalist, recording artist, music collector and re-seller. Hear (and buy) his music on Bandcamp, email him HERE, follow him on Instagram and check him out on Discogs.
