"The Ballroom Blitz" (on some releases "Ballroom Blitz") is a song written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and originally recorded by the British rock band Sweet(then known as The Sweet).
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[hide] *1 Background
Background[edit][]
The song appeared on the U.S./Canadian version of Desolation Boulevard in North America and the 2005 European reissue of the 1974 album Sweet Fanny Adams.
This song was inspired by an incident in 1973 when the band was performing at the Grand Hall in Kilmarnock, UK and were driven offstage by a barrage of bottles.[1]
The initial guitar and drum riff of the song has some similarity to a 1960 song by Bobby Comstock called, "Let's Stomp."[2]
Personnel[edit][]
- Brian Connolly – vocals
- Steve Priest – bass guitar, vocals
- Andy Scott – guitar, backing vocals
- Mick Tucker – drums, vocals
Chart positions[edit][]
| Chart (1973) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| Australian singles chart | 1 |
| Austrian singles chart | 5 |
| Canadian singles chart | 1 |
| Finnish singles chart | 10 |
| German singles chart | 1 |
| Irish singles chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Single Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian singles chart | 2 |
| Swedish singles chart | 3 |
| Swiss singles chart | 3 |
| UK singles chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
Cover versions[edit][]
The first known cover of "The Ballroom Blitz" was by The Les Humphries Singers in 1975. In 1979 the song was covered by two bands, The Rezillos and The Damned. In 1984, Swiss heavy metal band Krokuscovered the song for their album The Blitz. In 1989 the song was sampled by the Beastie Boys for the song "Hey Ladies" appearing on the album Paul's Boutique. In 2000 the song was performed in conjunction with the song "Dancing Queen" (originally by ABBA) by the group The Black Sweden. A cover of this song is featured on the main set list for the game Rock Band, while the Krokus cover was listed for the gameGuitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s. The songs "The Pit" by The Dead Milkmen, "Muskola Belulino" by La Mondanoj, "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" by The The, and "Vampire Money" by My Chemical Romance mimic the "soundoff" introduction to the song.
Other artists who have covered the song include:
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Appearances[edit][]
| This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (October 2012) |
- In 1992, the song was covered by Tia Carrere in the film Wayne's World. Carrere's cover was released on the Wayne's World soundtrack album.
- In 1997, the song was used prominently in the film Bordello of Blood, starring Dennis Miller and Corey Feldman.
- In 2003, the song was used in Daddy Day Care, starring Eddie Murphy.
- In 2004, the song was used in Kung Fu Hustle trailer
- In 2006, the song was used in Love is the Drug (also known as Addicted to Her Love), starring Lizzy Caplan and John Patrick Amedori.
- In 2006, the song was used in the opening of Series 1 Episode 3 of the 1970s setting police series Life on Mars
- In 2007, the song was used in the Sandlot: Heading Home.
- In 2010, the song was used in the Czech film Občanský průkaz.
- In 2011, the song was used in the German film 'Tatort - Das Dorf' with Ulrich Tukur.
- In 2012, the song was in the Australian film A Few Best Men, starring Xavier Samuel and Olivia Newton-John.
- In 2013, the song was used in season 4 episode 10 of Regular Show entitled "T.G.I. Tuesday."
- The song was used in the musical Disco Inferno.
- The opening drums were sampled in Avicii's "Shame On Me".[3]
- Heavy Metal/Prog rocker Rob Gravelle released a cover as a single in 2010.