Sweet: Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be

The early days of UK Glam trend setters The Sweet are a tale of false starts and overbearing management, and yet through all that the band became megastars who influenced countless acts and seduced countless teens. Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be was the band's first album and yet by this stage a single, "Slow Motion", had already flopped, before a further three efforts, "Lollipop Man", "All You'll Ever Get From Me" and a cover of The Archies "Get On The Line" also failed to make a dent. However teamed up with the song writing duo Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, The Sweet suddenly had a hit on their hands with "Funny Funny" - even if they weren't actually playing their instruments on this out and out Pop hit. What they did do though was sing, the harmonies of Brian Connelly (vocals), Mike Turner (drums), Andy Scott (guitar) and Steve Priest (bass) already a force that would build a career.

Under the tutelage of producer Phil Wainman the full debut album Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be appeared not long after, a mixture of session musicians (including Pip Williams, John Roberts and Wainman himself) and the band performing a confused, eclectic mix that veers from The Hollies and Monkees Pop of "Co-Co" and "Sunny Sleeps Late", to covers of The Supremes "Reflections" and Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream" via the more adventurous self penned "Honeysuckle Love", "Jeannie" and "Spotlight".

A strange, fun mix it makes and in fairness while this was the beginning of a legendary band, it is easy to hear why the album flopped to the lower reaches of the charts while the singles soared. Also included on this expanded edition, which features excellent rare 7" single artwork and liner notes (the quote from drummer Tucker regarding Funny... and a compilation album of their early singles which were released at the same time, of... "It must have been awful being a Sweet fan in the early days. Two albums to choose from and they're both shit.", raising a laugh; harsh though it may be!) is a selection of non-album singles and b sides which began to see the band shake off the management shackles. "Done Me Wrong Alright" veers into Hard Rock territory "Little Willy" is an early slap of what T-Rex were hitting the heights with, while the Chinn/Chapman "Wig Wam Bam" suddenly stumbled on the Glam stomp-a-romp that the band would go on to become household names with.

Add in a second disc containing the a and b sides from pre Co-Co and this reissue is perfect for anyone looking to investigate the early days of The Sweet. It may be a confusing journey, bit one where you'll sing along from start to finish!

Track Listing
DISC ONE
FUNNY HOW SWEET CO-CO CAN BE
1. CO CO
2. CHOP CHOP
3. REFLECTIONS
4. HONEYSUCKLE LOVE
5. SANTA MONICA SUNSHINE
6. DAYDREAM
7. FUNNY FUNNY
8. TOM TOM TURNAROUND
9. JEANIE
10. SUNNY SLEEPS LATE
11. SPOTLIGHT
BONUS TRACKS
12. DONE ME WRONG ALRIGHT
13. BE WITH YOU SOON
14. YOU'RE NOT WRONG FOR LOVIN' ME
15. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
16. POPPA JOE
17. LITTLE WILLY
18. MAN FROM MECCA
19. WIG WAM BAM
20. NEW YORK CONNECTION

DISC TWO
THE EARLY YEARS
1. SLOW MOTION
2. IT'S LONELY OUT THERE
3. LOLLIPOP MAN
4. TIME
5. ALL YOU'LL EVER GET FROM ME
6. THE JUICER
7. GET ON THE LINE
8. MR. MCGALLAGHER

Added: February 21st 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be at Cherry Red
Hits: 1552
Language: english

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