Desolation Boulevard

Desolation Boulevard
Original UK Cover
Studio album by Sweet
Released	November 1974
Recorded	1974
Genre	Hard rock, glam rock
Length	41:09
Label	RCA
Producer	Mike Chapman in association with Nicky Chinn
Sweet chronology
Sweet Fanny Adams (1974) Desolation Boulevard (1974) The Sweet Singles Album (1975)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	B−[1]

Desolation Boulevard is the third album by Sweet, and their second released in 1974. It contains the original version of the song "Fox on the Run". The album's American version, released in November 1975, includes the 1973 smash "The Ballroom Blitz".

Cover artwork

The album cover photo was shot near the entrance of a rock 'n' roll club called The Central, located at 8852 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Today it is the site of The Viper Room, where actor River Phoenix died from a drug overdose on 31 October 1993. The back cover photo is a shot of the Las Vegas Boulevard "The Strip", Las Vegas, Nevada, in the early 1970s.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott, and Mick Tucker except where noted.

European release

1. "The Six Teens" (Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn) - 4:02
2. "Solid Gold Brass" - 5:33
3. "Turn It Down" (Chapman, Chinn) - 3:30
4. "Medusa"^[2][3] ("Medussa", on remastered CD editions 1999 and 2005^[4]) (Scott) - 4:45
5. "Lady Starlight" (Andy Scott) - 3:12
6. "The Man with the Golden Arm" (Elmer Bernstein, Sylvia Fine) - 8:27
7. "Fox on the Run" - 4:47
8. "Breakdown" - 3:06
9. "My Generation" (Pete Townshend) - 3:59

Bonus tracks on 1997 reissue

10. "Burning" - 4:07
11. "Rock & Roll Disgrace" - 3:50

Bonus tracks on 1999 reissue

10. "I Wanna Be Committed" - 3:10
11. "Teenage Rampage" (single A-side) - 3:32

Bonus tracks on 2005 reissue

10. "Teenage Rampage" (Chapman, Chinn) - 3:52
11. "Own Up, Take a Look at Yourself" (B-side of "Teenage Rampage") - 3:58
12. "Burn on the Flame" (B-side of "The Six Teens") - 3:37
13. "Someone Else Will" (B-side of "Turn It Down") - 3:25
14. "Medussa" (home demo - previously unreleased) - 5:51
15. "Burn on the Flame" (home demo - previously unreleased) - 3:57
16. "I Wanna Be Committed" (Chapman, Chinn) - 3:10
17. "Fox on the Run" (7" version) - 3:24
18. "Miss Demeanor" (B-side of "Fox On The Run") - 3:17

US and Canadian release

Desolation Boulevard
US Cover
Studio album by Sweet
Released	July 1975
Recorded	Recorded in England 1973, 1974, 1975
Genre	Glam rock, hard rock
Length	43:10
Language	English
Label	Capitol
Producer	Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn, Sweet

The U.S. and Canadian version of Desolation Boulevard was released in July 1975. It was different from the U.K. version and included several songs from their previous album Sweet Fanny Adams in addition to the "Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox on the Run" singles.

1. "Ballroom Blitz" (Chapman, Chinn) – 4:07
2. "The 6-Teens" (Chapman, Chinn) – 4:06
3. "No You Don't" (Chapman, Chinn) – 4:36
4. "A.C.D.C." (Chapman, Chinn) – 3:28
5. "I Wanna Be Committed" (Chapman, Chinn) – 3:14
6. "Sweet F.A." (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) – 6:16
7. "Fox on the Run" (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) (7" version) – 3:28
8. "Set Me Free" (Scott) – 3:59
9. "Into the Night" (Scott) – 4:25
10. "Solid Gold Brass" (Brian Connolly; Steve Priest; Mick Tucker; Andy Scott) (with guitar overdub) – 5:35

Bonus tracks on 1988 reissue

1. "Action" – 3:44

Personnel

• Brian Connolly – lead vocals (except as noted)
• Steve Priest – bass, lead vocals (UK tracks 9, 18; US track 3), backing vocals
• Andy Scott – guitars, lead vocals (UK tracks 5, 6; US track 9), backing vocals
• Mick Tucker – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Chart positions

• 1973 The Ballroom Blitz – #1 DE+AU, #2 GB+BE, #3 CH, #4 NL, #5 US, #10 FI
• 1974 The Sixteens – #4 DE, #6 CH+BE, #7 NL, #8 FI, #9 GB, #48 AU
• 1974 Turn It Down - #2 DE, #10 FI, #41 GB
• 1975 Fox On The Run – #1 DE+AU, #2 GB+NL, #3 CH, #5 US, #10 FI

References