Talk:The Ballroom Blitz

Automobile advertisement

Didn't this song appear on some car commercial a few years back? I remember that there were people tossing stuff out of the back of two trucks at two cars to see if the drivers could dodge them, and I think this song was playing in the background. If anyone else knows any more about this, we could put that commercial on the list.

In fact, Mitsubishi Motors USA used an edit of this Song for a television advertisement, "Accident Avoidance Test: Mitsubishi Galant GTS V6 vs. Toyota Camry XLE V6," which was archived January 16 2007 on YouTube by surge151@youtube.com, under the URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5uB5pp3UI0 - B. C. Schmerker (talk) 09:46, 3 February 2008 (UTC)

No cover by The Misfits

The line

The Misfits are commonly known to have recorded a cover of the song, but contrary to popular belief, they did not.

should surely read something like

The Misfits are commonly thought to have recorded a cover of the song, but contrary to popular belief, they did not.

If they didn't record it, they can't be known to have recorded it.

Pedrocelli 06:22, 10 May 2007 (UTC)

Year of Song

Wiki entry for song reads that it reached No. 5 in USA in 1977; however, Wiki entry for the album "Desolation Boulevard" reads that "Blitz" reached No. 5 in USA in 1973. I remember hearing the song on the radio when I was in Germany, 1973-4. Can the year of the song be changed? —BubbleDine (talk) 16:12, 20 December 2007 (UTC)

Could we get a sample of the song.

It would be nice to have a sample of the song.

Are you referring to the original, by the Sweet? Or either of the "rumoured" covers by the Misfits or the Blue Oyster Cult? I have heard an mp3 of Ballroom Blitz supposedly by the Blue Oyster Cult (I did not download it but someone I know did), and when I listened to it it was definitely the original version by The Sweet. So if that is the sole source of the rumour about the Blue Oyster Cult playing this song, then you can consider that rumour to be dead in the water. I can probably cut a sample from and and post it somewhere as proof - can I post it to Wiki somehow or would the copyright issue prevent that?
Pedrocelli 02:24, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

I've uploaded a 38 second sample of the original version by Sweet.
--A3oertENG, 8 October 2008, 18:34 (CET)

Fair use rationale for Image:Ballroom blitz.jpg

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The barrowlands, I think not!

The version I heard from my mum (and other friends of the right age) is that the song was written after them being bottled off stage at the Grand Hall in Kilmarnock. Pretty much every person from Kilmarnock of a certain claims to have been to the gig and a quick google confirms this version of events. I've linked to the most encyclopædic and updated the page. OoberMick 23:02, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

Chase Elaine?

An unsigned band called Chase Elaine is mentioned in this article. I think this mention is just self-promotion and should be removed.--Fantastic fred (talk) 19:03, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

I agree. I ran the band (or singer's) name through a couple of search engines and nothing came up. According to Wikipedia rules, content "should be resolved through consensus-based discussion." Rules also clearly state that Wikipedia is not a place for self-promotion. As we both agree on the matter, the unheard of band/singer was removed. -Sweet Pinkette (talk) 11:24, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Removals from the Article

–I removed unsigned bands from this article. If it is not a successful band, particularly if the majority of people have never heard of the band to begin with, then why add it? Bear in mind that hundreds of unheard of/unsigned bands have probably covered this song over the years. Also, in reference to Wikipidia's "What Wikipedia Is Not", articles should not be used to generate interest in your band or used for self-promotion purposes.

–I took AC/DC off of the Cover version list in the main article simply because they have never covered this song. -Sweet Pinkette (talk) 11:37, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

-Someone has put The Misfits back into the list of cover versions. I thought that was cleared up late last year - neither the Misfits nor Blue Oyster Cult covered this song. Unless someone can provide convincing proof otherwise, this entry should go (again). Pedrocelli (talk) 02:05, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

-The Misfits and Blue Oyster Cult have been removed again from the list of bands who have covered this. Please provide proof before placing either of these bands back on this list - don't just blindly put them back on because you downloaded Ballroom Blitz and it was marked as by one of these bands: this is the internet and there's the odd bit of bullsh*t floating around out there. This was discussed last year, and absolutely no proof at all has been provided since then. On checking the official websites for both bands, there is no reference to a cover of this song by either band. That should be resonably definitive proof that neither band covered it. Pedrocelli (talk) 01:39, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

The song is called THE Ballroom Blitz

→ Discussion moved from Talk:Sweet (band)#The song is called THE Ballroom Blitz to here where it logically belongs. – IbLeo (talk) 11:30, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

Again if we're being accurate here the correct title of one of The Sweet's biggest hits is actually 'The Ballroom Blitz' not 'Ballroom Blitz'. Please note the subtle but significant difference and if you do not believe me check any one of the sites showing the British sheet music to support this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.56.179.17 (talk • contribs)

Thanks for discussing this. We do want to be accurate, and you might be right or you might not. If you are, there is an article about the song itself, Ballroom Blitz, and that would have to be moved before changing a wikilink to it as you did, thereby breaking the link. So I will revert your edit to repair it. Then, please be more specific about the sources you indicate, and we can look at it again, let other people comment, and do the changes if consensus is reached. – IbLeo (talk) 21:02, 21 September 2008 (UTC)

I have looked a little more into this, and I am afraid that both variations of the song title is used inconsistently on the various records where it occurs.

• It is called "The Ballroom Blitz" on the original cover of the single and on The Golden Greats album (of which I own a copy).
• It is called "Ballroom Blitz" on the US version of Desolation Boulevard and the Strung Up album, as well as this reissue of the single.

Given this inconsistent naming, I am reluctant to change the name without the support of other contributors. – IbLeo (talk) 12:06, 22 September 2008 (UTC)

Given the single was issued in mid-1973 in the band's home territory of the United Kingsom as 'The Ballroom Blitz' (many copies available on ebay.co.uk for visual confirmation) and the US version didn't appear until some two years later I'm of the view that the UK version ought be given precedence in this instance. Regards. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.56.179.17 (talk) 13:02, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

Well, the Strung Up LP was never released in the US, and the song is nevertheless listed as "Ballroom Blitz". So for the moment I am undecided on this issue, and I launched a Request for Comment here. Hopefully other editors will react. Cheers. – IbLeo (talk) 13:35, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

The song is certainly listed as "The Ballroom Blitz" in the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums.

The publication is widely quoted as the music industry's 'bible', and is a regularly cited source in many Wikipedia pop music articles. I do also agree with the comments made earlier regarding published sheet music, and the earliest UK release of the single taking precedence.

Derek R Bullamore (talk) 19:08, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Thanks a lot Derek for looking it up! This fact convinces me that the article should be renamed to "The Ballroom Blitz", you are probably right, we could not get a better source. I will move the article one of the coming days. There are quite a few links in other articles to update so it will take some time. – IbLeo (talk) 16:27, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

Cheers Derek and Leo for your attention to this. Hongkongmick (talk) 11:58, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

 Done. I just performed the renaming, and updated around 40 articles accordingly. Note that I kept the title "Ballroom Blitz" on certain albums where the song has been covered by another artist under that name (notably Wayne's World (soundtrack) and The Blitz (album)). – IbLeo (talk) 12:05, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

Note that in a YouTube video (at 7min.30) into the interview, Andy Scott, guitarist/performer of the track specifically refers to the song as The Ballroom Blitz. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBa88gm4se4 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.1.164.208 (talk) 05:16, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

Concert(s) that inspired the lyrics

BTW, in looking at the article on TBB I note it states the song was written after a concert in Scotland. This probably erroneous. I interviewed Andy Scott for my forthcoming Sweet biography and he states it was written by Mike Chapman witnessed chaos and havoc during some German concerts the band performed.Hongkongmick (talk) 11:58, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

I have no reason to believe that you are not telling the truth - but no proof that you are. While we have a reliable third part source about Scotland here, your statement must qualify as original research and Wikipedia is not a place to publish original research. So until your biography is released and we can use it as a source I think it would be hard to justify a change (and the people of Kilmarnock would probably be upset :-). PS. What do you mean by "TBB"? – IbLeo (talk) 07:03, 19 October 2008 (UTC)

Andy Scott is telling the story in an interview. See Youtube-Interview. Therefore the lyrics say "the man in the back" and "the girl in the corner". --Weltenburg (talk) 08:07, 4 February 2024 (UTC)

Personnell changes

Not sure why you removed the additional musicians, HongKongMick, but without them there is no point in having a subheading for the regular members of the band. Especially when someone changed it to a frivolous heading - "Fellas". So I removed it.
Pedrocelli (talk) 05:20, 5 December 2008 (UTC)

Misattributions

Could it be mentioned that this song is frequenty misattributed to Blue Oyster Cult? (Albert Mond (talk) 01:25, 23 August 2009 (UTC))

Cleaned up the link referencing the #1 status in Canada

Added a title to the reference supporting the song's #1 status in Canada. I'm not really sure why the reference is necessary, but the raw URL being displayed was both ugly and uninformative as to what a reader was clicking on. Slickriptide (talk) 16:41, 29 June 2011 (UTC)

May 2015

I used to Dj around the time this was released and having owned the single it was definitely recorded by The Sweet and was called Ballroom Blitz — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.16.119.105 (talk • contribs) 03:51, 11 March 2015 (UTC)

Remove pop metal in genres

I suggest the removal of pop metal from the genres. The Sweet had a major influence on the genre, yes, but they were not part of the movement, that they preceded by a whole decade. The claim is sourced, which is why I didn't remove it, but I find this misleading. Te og kaker (talk) 13:07, 25 June 2016 (UTC)

Cover Version from Motion Device

A factual notation of a cover by a Canadian Band called Motion Device has been cited. Looking at the band they have 2 albums on Apple ITunes and they have been on Canadian Television at least twice. They have about 12 million You Tube hits and more than 50,000 subscribers. Thus I think the mention should remain as it conforms to the rules. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.79.252.182 (talk) 21:50, 30 July 2016 (UTC)

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Popular culture and covers

One thing I can't believe hasn't been mentioned is the fact that the theme song from "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" borrows heavily from the song. At the same time there was a lesser know cover by an obscure punk rock band (wish I could remember who it was) that ended their performance by shouting "Lady Di is a fucking slut!!!" Is anyone familiar with that last one? ---------User:DanTD (talk) 13:57, 30 October 2019 (UTC)

Don't forget Nina Hagen's version — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.4.39.251 (talk) 02:48, 8 June 2020 (UTC)

Novelty song

Can this be considered a novelty song? Wolf O'Donnel (talk) 06:58, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

Only if a reliable source says it is. The original version by the Sweet was never considered to be a novelty song at all, it was simply typical of the glam rock music in the UK charts in 1973 – I can't speak for any subsequent cover versions. Richard3120 (talk) 19:38, 22 March 2021 (UTC)