Ballroom Blitz

Infobox Single
Name = Ballroom Blitz


Caption =
Artist = Sweet
A-side =
B-side = "Rock and Roll Disgrace"
Released = September 1973 (UK), August 1975 (US)
Format = 7" vinyl
Recorded =
Genre = Hard rock, glam rock
Length = 4:06
Label = RCA
Writer = Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
Producer =
Certification =
Last single = "Block Buster!"
(1973)
This single = "Ballroom Blitz"
(1973)
Next single = "Teenage Rampage"
(1974)
Misc =

"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, where it reached number 1 in Australia and entered at number 2 in the UK singles chart but failed to go to number one. The song reached number 5 in the States and was one of that country's biggest hits of 1975. "Ballroom Blitz" appeared on the U.S. version of The Sweet's 1974 album "Desolation Boulevard". "Ballroom Blitz" remains one of The Sweet's best-known songs and has been covered by a variety of artists. The song itself was written about the Grand Hall of the Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock, Scotland, after the band was forced off stage by a barrage of bottles. [ [http://www.futuremuseum.co.uk/Default.aspx?Id=418&mode=object&item=2043 "The Ball Room Blitz" by The Sweet - Future Museum South West Scotland ] ]

Cover versions

The first 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 Ark (live)
*Batmobile (live)
*Calibretto 13 on "Enter the Danger Brigade" (2000)
*The Damned on "Machine Gun Etiquette" (1979)
*Krokus on "The Blitz" (1984)
*Les Wampas {in French} on "Tutti Frutti" (1986)
*Moderatto (in Spanish) on "El Detector de Metal" (2004)
* Natural Blonde (live)
*Nina Hagen (live)
*Nuclear Assault on "Out of Order" (1991)
*The Offspring (as "Manic Subsidal") (live)
*The Rezillos on "Mission Accomplished...But the Beat Goes On" (1979)
*Surf Punks on "Oh No, Not Them Again" (1988)
*Testify as "Ballroom Blitz 2001"
*Vanilla Ninja on "Vanilla Ninja" (2003)
*Tia Carrere on the soundtrack to "Wayne's World" (1992)
* Bella bestia Album ´´Listo para matar´´ Fox on the run
*(the Bay City Rollers)
*The Les Humphries Singers
*Blue Öyster Cult

In popular culture

"Ballroom Blitz" was used in the 1992 film "Wayne's World", where it was performed by Tia Carrere. Sweet's version of the song was used in "Bordello of Blood" (1996), "Daddy Day Care" (2003), "Romanzo Criminale" (2006) and "" (2007). Sweet's version was also used in the first series of "Life on Mars". The Surf Punks cover version is used in the 1989 surfer movie, "Under The Boardwalk."

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."
*The Buzzcocks have been known to play this song live. They have also released a version as a single, which was not well received by the public.
*"Ballroom Blitz" was sampled by the Beastie Boys in their 1989 single "Hey Ladies" (the vocal line "she thinks she's the passionate one"). See the following link: [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beastieboys/heyladies.html] .Fact|date=December 2007
*The song has appeared in a Mitsubishi commercial
*"Ballroom Blitz" was used by Director Stephen Chow for promotional use for the film "Kung Fu Hustle" (2004)
*A 2007 commercial for "Ghost Rider" uses this song.
*This song's tune was also used for the intro on Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody"
*The song appeared in a commercial for Norsk Tipping Lottery in 2001 and got Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival award. [http://veryfunnyads.com/ads/25486.html]
*A cover of Krokus' version of the song appears as a playable track in the music video game "", produced by the video game company Harmonix. The song was once again featured in their latest producement, "Rock Band", but this time as a cover of the original Sweet version
*The song appeared in Quentin Tarantino's short film "My Best Friend's Birthday"
*The song was used on the Fox musical game show "Don't Forget the Lyrics"
*The song also appeared in a commercial for the British show Life on Mars. [http://blog.durdle.com/archives/2007/02/18/the-almost-complete-life-on-mars-soundtrack-series-1/]
*The song was briefly sung by Ryan Stiles as the host before a game of Party Quirks in Episode 15 of Series 3 of Whose Line is it Anyway.
*"Ballroom Blintz" is a consumable item in the web browser game Kingdom of Loathing, with its description and use message comprising references to the song.
*In the show Yin Yang Yo!, during the episode The Gig is Up, as Yin looks out into the brainwashed audience about to storm the stage, she says "It's... It's... a ballroom blitz!"
*The song has been used for advertisements of the ABC show Dancing with the Stars.

Personnel

weet

*Brian Connolly – vocals
*Steve Priest – bass guitar
*Andy Scott – guitar
*Mick Tucker – drums

References