Ballroom Blitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Ballroom Blitz" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Sweet | ||
| from the album Desolation Boulevard | ||
| Released | August 1973 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Genre | Hard Rock Glam Rock |
|
| Length | 04:06 | |
| Label | RCA | |
| Writer(s) | Nicky Chinn/Mike Chapman | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Sweet singles chronology | ||
| Block Buster (1973) |
Ballroom Blitz (1973) |
Teenage Rampage (1974) |
"Ballroom Blitz" is a song written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and originally recorded by the glam rock band Sweet. It was released as a single in 1973 and appeared on the U.S. version of Sweet's 1974 album Desolation Boulevard. "Ballroom Blitz" remains one of Sweet's best-known songs and has been covered by a variety of artists.
[edit] Track listing
- "Ballroom Blitz"
- "Rock and Roll Disgrace"
[edit] Cover versions
The first (and probably best-known) cover of "Ballroom Blitz" was recorded by The Damned in 1979 with Lemmy of Motörhead guesting on bass. It was originally released as the B-side of "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" and was later added to the CD release of Machine Gun Etiquette in addition to appearing on several live albums.
A number of other artists have also covered the song:
- The Rezillos on Mission Accomplished...But the Beat Goes On (1979)
- Krokus on The Blitz (1984)
- Nuclear Assault on Out of Order (1991)
- Calibretto 13 on Enter the Danger Brigade (2000)
- Moderatto (in Spanish) on El Detector de Metal (2004)
- Testify as "Ballroom Bliz 2001"
- The Misfits
[edit] In popular culture
"Ballroom Blitz" has been used in several movies, most notably the 1992 film Wayne's World, where it was performed by Tia Carrere. Sweet's version of the song was also used in Bordello of Blood (1996) and Daddy Day Care (2003).
The song's opening, in which Brian Connolly asks the other band members in turn if they are ready to play, has been parodied by other artists including The The in "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" and the Dead Milkmen in "The Pit."
"Ballroom Blitz" was also sampled by the Beastie Boys in their 1989 single "Hey Ladies."
The song has also appeared in a Mitsubishi commercial.
Used by Director Stephen Chow for promotional use for the film Kung-Fu Hustle
The song itself was written about a place in Glasgow, Scotland, called the Barrowlands. This was referred to as the Barrowlands Ballroom, it was a ballroom. These days, it is used as a venue for music artists to perform.
