Desolation Boulevard

Desolation Boulevard
Original UK Cover
Studio album by Sweet
Released	November 1974
Recorded	1974
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal, glam rock
Length	43:10
Label	RCA Records
Producer	Mike Chapman in association with Nicky Chinn
Sweet chronology
Sweet Fanny Adams (1974) Desolation Boulevard (1974) Give Us a Wink (1976)
Alternative Cover
US Cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	(B−)[1]
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Desolation Boulevard, released in 1974, is the second album by Sweet that year. It contains an original variant of one of the band's best known songs, "Fox on the Run". (The U.S. version also includes the smash "The Ballroom Blitz".)

All songs from the US version except "I Wanna Be Committed" have been covered many times by different bands. For instance "AC DC" has lately been covered by Joan Jett (2006 single) and Vince Neil (2010 album track).

Album art

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's the site of The Viper Room, where actor River Phoenix died from a drug overdose on October 31, 1993.

Track listing

European version

1. "The Six Teens" (Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn) - 4:02
2. "Solid Gold Brass" (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 5:28
3. "Turn It Down" (Chapman, Chinn) - 3:27
4. "Medussa" (Scott) - 4:44
5. "Lady Starlight" (Scott) - 3:09
6. "The Man With the Golden Arm" (Elmer Bernstein, Sylvia Fine) - 8:33
7. "Fox on the Run" (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 4:49
8. "Breakdown" (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:03
9. "My Generation" (Pete Townshend) - 3:54

Bonus tracks on Remastered CD Edition (2005)

10. "Teenage Rampage" (single A-side) (Chapman, Chinn) - 3:32
11. "Own up, Take a Look at Yourself" (single B-side) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:58
12. "Burn on the Flame" (single B-side) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:37
13. "Someone Else Will" (single B-side) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:25
14. "Medussa" (home demo) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 5:51
15. "Burn on the Flame" (home demo) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:57
16. "I Wanna Be Committed" (Chapman, Chinn) - 3:10
17. "Fox on the Run" (single A-side) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:24
18. "Miss Demeanor" (single B-side) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) - 3:17

US version

1. "The Ballroom Blitz" (Chapman, Chinn) – 4:06
2. "The Six Teens" (Chapman, Chinn) – 4:05
3. "No You Don't" (Chapman, Chinn) – 4:36
4. "AC DC" (Chapman, Chinn) – 3:28
5. "I Wanna Be Committed" (Chapman, Chinn) – 3:13 (original length 4:04)
6. "Sweet F.A." (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) – 6:15
7. "Fox on the Run (7" version) (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) – 3:27
8. "Set Me Free" (Scott) – 3:59
9. "Into the Night" (Scott) – 4:25
10. "Solid Gold Brass" (Scott, Tucker, Connolly, Priest) – 5:35 (with guitar overdub)

Personnel

• Brian Connolly – Lead vocals on all tracks except as noted
• Steve Priest – Bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Miss Demeanour", "My Generation" and "No You Don't"
• Andy Scott – Guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Lady Starlight", "Into the Night" and "The Man With the Golden Arm".
• 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 - #4 DE, #10 FI, #41 GB
• 1975 Fox On The Run – #1 DE+AU, #2 GB+NL, #3 CH, #5 US, #10 FI

References

1. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Sweet". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1552. 

External links

• The Sweet: Desolation Boulevard at Discogs (list of releases)