Action (Sweet song)
1975 song by Sweet
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"Action" is a song by English glam rock band Sweet. It was recorded at Ian Gillan's Kingsway Studios in London and released in 1975. Slightly different versions appear on the albums Strung Up and Give Us a Wink.[citation needed]
| "Action" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Sweet | ||||
| from the album Strung Up and Give Us a Wink | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | July 1975 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | 1975 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock[1] | |||
| Length |
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| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Sweet | |||
| Sweet singles chronology | ||||
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The single reached No. 15 in the UK in July 1975, and went to the Top 40 in the US the following year.
Composition
The lyrics refer to Sweet's negative treatment as pop stars, particularly by the music press, and to the demands of the music industry. The track features a masked "backwards vocal" with the words "You kiss my arse".[citation needed]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Def Leppard version
| "Action" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Def Leppard | ||||
| from the album Retro Active | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 3 January 1994 (UK)[16] | |||
| Recorded | 1992–1993 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:41 | |||
| Label | Bludgeon Riffola | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Def Leppard | |||
| Def Leppard singles chronology | ||||
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In 1993, English rock band Def Leppard covered "Action" on their compilation album Retro Active (1993). "Andy [Scott] said that our version of 'Action' was the best cover of a Sweet song he'd ever heard," proclaimed singer Joe Elliott.[17] The original 1992 recording, before guitarist Vivian Campbell joined the band, was released as a B-side to "Make Love Like a Man"; the version featured on Retro Active and released as a single features a newly-recorded snare drum from drummer Rick Allen and additional backing vocals from Campbell and P.J. Smith. The single charted at number 14 on UK Singles Chart.
The accompanying music video was directed by Phil Tuckett from NFL entertainment. The approximate shooting date was between June and December 1993; in Sheffield, Ottawa, and Joe Elliott's home in Ireland. The band 'discovered' the masked backwards vocal on the original track and refer to it on the CD single cover.
Leppard's version reappeared on a special edition of their 2006 album Yeah!.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Action" | Andy Scott, Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Mick Tucker | 3:41 |
| 2. | "She's Too Tough" (Joe's demo) | Joe Elliot | 3:42 |
| 3. | "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Phil's demo) | Phil Collen | 5:55 |
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[18] | 14 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[19] | 18 |
Other cover versions
Scorpions (as 'The Hunters') released it in German translation as "Wenn es richtig losgeht" on the B-side of the single "Fuchs geh' voran" (a translation of "Fox on the Run", also by Sweet)
Burning Airlines recorded a cover during the sessions for their second album Identikit[20]