The world of rock and roll was a turbulent sea of sound and fury in the summer of 1975, but nothing could prepare it for the sonic tidal wave unleashed by the British glam rock titans, Sweet. In July of that year, they dropped a single so explosive, so relentlessly energetic, that it became an anthem for a generation crying out for something more. That song was “Action,” and its shockwaves are still being felt today.
This was not just another rock song; it was a blistering, unapologetic manifesto. A raw, high-octane call to arms that clawed its way up the charts, hitting number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 in America and seizing the coveted number one spot in Canada. For the four men behind the music—Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott, and Mick Tucker—it was a moment of global conquest, a testament to their evolution from a bubblegum pop act into undeniable hard rock gods. The track was a cornerstone of their album “Cut Above the Rest” (known as “Sweet Fanny Adams” outside North America), an album that cemented their new, heavier identity.
To witness Sweet perform “Action” live was to witness a spectacle of pure, unadulterated energy. “You have to understand, the air itself crackled when they took the stage,” recalls a roadie from their 1975 tour, who asked to remain anonymous. “When that iconic guitar riff started, the entire arena would just explode. And Brian… Brian Connolly… he wasn’t just singing a song. He was channeling something primal. He’d stare out into the crowd with this intense, almost desperate look in his eyes, screaming for ‘Action.’ It felt real. It felt like he was demanding it from life itself, and we were all caught in the storm. It was both thrilling and, looking back, deeply poignant.”
The song’s power was born from the collective genius of the band, a songwriting powerhouse that understood how to forge a track that was both a brutal sonic assault and an irresistibly catchy anthem. The thunderous drumming of Mick Tucker and the driving, slightly sneering vocals of Connolly created an atmosphere of restless rebellion. It was the sound of breaking free from the mundane, of demanding excitement, engagement, and a life lived at full volume. For a band that had to fight to be taken seriously, “Action” was their definitive statement, a powerful roar that proved their musical prowess and their rock and roll heart.
For those who lived through that era, the opening chords of “Action” are a key that unlocks a flood of powerful memories. It transports us back to a time of roaring guitars, flashing lights, and a feeling that anything was possible. It’s a nostalgic jolt of pure rock and roll adrenaline, a shared memory of Brian Connolly’s commanding voice leading a charge against boredom. The song remains a timeless, electrifying cry from the heart of the 70s, a powerful echo from the past with a single, enduring demand.
