The 20th of February 1973
Official U.K. Singles Chart results from Sunday the 18th to Saturday the 24th of February 1973
Cut-off for sales figures was up to the end of Saturday the 17th of February
Results counted from Sunday the 18th,
announced on Tuesday the 20th,
and broadcast on B.B.C. Radio 1 on Sunday the 25th of February 1973.
The Sweet
Blockbuster !
At No.1, on the “The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart” on my 1st Birthday, is The Sweet with “Blockbuster !“.
The Sweet were back in a big way…
…since visiting the chart the year before on the day I’d been born.
This time they’d found the sweet spot (pun intended) and rode the wave all the way to the top of the charts.
From my memories, there’s not much to say about it from my perspective I’m afraid. I don’t remember it at the time, nobody had the single. I only know it from all the old Top of the Pops clips which were shown from the 80’s onwards.
Although reading up about the band (which I initially thought of as just one of the Glam Rock outfits), they were more than just that, harder edged and wanted to go for a heavier vibe.
Now, this track (I have heard mentioned, and can see, or hear, where they’re coming from with it) was allegedly ripped off from another track previously mentioned in this very chart run-down.
The story I’ve heard is that David Bowie bumped into one of the two writers, Nicky Chinn, sat down in front of him, looked at him completely with no expression, called out the writer as if he was ‘seeing him the next Tuesday’ (if you know what I mean), got back up, gave him a hug and beamed “Congratulations!”, but I can definitely hear the similarity between the two, and David may also have been smarting from the fact that he was denied the coveted top spot by Little Jimmy Osmond, and it was The Sweet who finally knocked the little tyke off his perch.
When this song was released,..
…they were still known as The Sweet ( having shortened their name down from The Sweetshop), it wouldn’t be until the other end of 1973 when The Sweet would become…well….Sweet.
The Single leapt into the U.K. Chart at No.16 on the 7th of January and busted into the Top 10 by it’s second week and landed at No.2.
With an entrance like that, it was inevitable where it was heading, and it wasn’t so much a question of “if” but “when”.
They didn’t have to wait long.
The single hit No.1 on the 21st of January and set up camp for the next four weeks thereafter, this featured week being its last.
As March fast approaches, it will see the single slip down the Top 10, mid-March will see it fall out of it.
The 18th of March will see it drop to No.21, the week after to No.31, and the beginning of April to No.41.
It’ll hang around for a short while longer but after the 21st of April they’ll have blockbustered out.
I’ve never really paid much attention to this band…
…but they maybe one which I’ll intend to discover some more of their history.
They definitely strived to come away from the glam image and they definitely had the promise to achieve it.
The incident of the fight which damaged Brian Connolly’s throat (which happened in Staines, not far from where I used to live) put paid to that, although they did have some other successes, just by trying new things, which is something I like. And, considering I had them down as just a glam band from 1973, they kept going with the classic line-up well into the ‘80’s.
Over the years since then there have been other different forms of the band featuring an original member or two.
Now, there’s only one of them left. Andy Scott and (at the time of writing – in 2023) he’s still going strong.
After over 50 years, Sweet still live on today.
And I never knew what the song was about…
…until recently looking at the lyrics.
I always thought it had something to do with a big event (ie it’s a Blockbuster).
Obviously it wasn’t about trying to locate a video rental store
(“does anyone know the way to Blockbuster”?
“Yeah mate, turn left onto the High Street and it’s near the top, can’t miss it, big blue and yellow building”)
it’s too early for that.
It’s actually about a guy called Buster who keeps stealing other guys ladies from under their noses, and everyone’s getting so mad they’re going all out to try and block Buster from doing it again. Even going so far as to call the cops on him.
If they’d have released it today, this new generation would probably equate the blocking of Buster as merely unfriending him on Facebook.
Well there you go, you learn something new everyday.
The “A” Side
The “B” Side
The Sweet – Blockbuster ! (Video Promo)
The Sweet – Blockbuster ! (“Top Of The Pops” TV Appearance)
The Sweet – Blockbuster ! (Christmas Top of the Pops TV Appearance – December 1973)
Many thanks go to the following YouTube Channels for providing the chance to hear this music, and watch the footage once again.
Please show your appreciation by visiting their channels:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the week of my 1st Birthday:
The Top 50 U.K. Singles Chart Playlist for the day I was born:
Grab Your Binoculars, Come Follow Me…
What is it…?
Why am I…?
How do I…?
When am I…?
