Ballroom Blitz: Live in Berlin 1976 by SWEET by : Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

About the Song

Released in 1973, “The Ballroom Blitz” by Sweet became a defining moment in glam rock, catapulting the band to international stardom. This high-energy track, with its infectious melody and driving beat, remains a beloved classic of the genre.

The song’s lyrics, while somewhat nonsensical, perfectly capture the chaotic and exuberant spirit of glam rock. The rapid-fire delivery and playful wordplay create a sense of energy and excitement that is infectious. The iconic opening line, “Bang bang, I shot you down, babe,” immediately grabs the listener’s attention and sets the stage for a wild ride.

“The Ballroom Blitz” is not just about the lyrics; it’s a sonic assault that showcases Sweet’s musical prowess. The driving guitar riff, the pounding drums, and the soaring vocals create a wall of sound that is both exhilarating and exhilarating. The song’s production, with its emphasis on crisp, powerful instrumentation, perfectly captures the raw energy of the band’s live performances.

“The Ballroom Blitz” remains a staple of classic rock radio and continues to be a fan favorite to this day. It’s a testament to the enduring power of glam rock and a reminder of the importance of embracing the spirit of fun and rebellion.Sweet Ballroom Blitz: Live In Berlin 1976 Vinyl Record

Video 

Lyrics: The Ballroom Blitz 

Are you ready, Steve? Uh-ha!
Andy? Yeah!
Mick? Okay.
All right, fellows, let’s go!

Oh, it’s been getting so hard
Livin’ with the things you do to me, ah-ha
My dreams are getting so strange
I’d like to tell you everything I see, mm

Oh, I see a man at the back as a matter of fact
His eyes are red as the sun
And a girl in the corner, let no one ignore her
‘Cause she thinks she’s the passionate one

Oh yeah, it was like lightning
Everybody was frightening
And the music was soothing
And they all started grooving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And the man at the back said: “Everyone attack”
And it turned into a ballroom blitz
And the girl in the corner said: “Boy, I wanna warn ya”
It’ll turn into a ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz

Oh, I’m reaching out for something
Touching nothing’s all I ever do
Oh, I softly call you over
When you appear, there’s nothing left of you, ah-ha

Now the man at the back is ready to crack
As he raises his hands to the sky
And the girl in the corner is everyone’s mourner
She could kill you with a wink of her eye

Oh yeah, it was electric
So frantically hectic
And the band started leaving
‘Cause they all stopped breathing
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And the man at the back said: “Everyone attack”
And it turned into a ballroom blitz
And the girl in the corner said: “Boy, I wanna warn ya”
It’ll turn into a ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz

Oh yeah, it was like lightning
Everybody was frightening
And the music was soothing
‘Cause they all started grooving
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And the man at the back said: “Everyone attack”
And it turned into a ballroom blitz
And the girl in the corner said: “Boy, I wanna warn ya”
It’ll turn into a ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz
Ballroom blitz

It’s, it’s a ballroom blitz
It’s, it’s a ballroom blitz
It’s, it’s a ballroom blitz
Yeah, it’s a ballroom blitz

You Missed

For Vince Gill, the memory of singing with Dolly Parton came down to their final note together at the 1995 CMA Awards. Thirty-one years later, on the day she died, he shared that performance again. “We are all crushed here at our house,” he wrote. He called the closing note of their duet one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard. Their recording of “I Will Always Love You” began with Dolly’s album *Something Special*. That summer, she revisited three of her classics, including the farewell she had written for Porter Wagoner in 1973. It had already topped the country chart twice in her own voice, and Whitney Houston’s 1992 recording had brought it to listeners worldwide. For this version, Dolly invited Vince to join her. They performed it on the Grand Ole Opry on August 26, 1995, during a TNN broadcast. Radio programmers began playing the duet before Columbia officially issued it as a single. That unsolicited airplay carried it onto Billboard’s country chart at No. 53. On October 4, they sang it again at the CMA Awards. Vince, then 38, was hosting the broadcast at the Grand Ole Opry House. He stepped away from those duties to sing beside the woman who had written the song when he was sixteen. As the performance ended, their voices met on one sustained note. Decades later, that was the moment he singled out. Released as a single that November, the duet reached No. 15, received a Grammy nomination and won the 1996 CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year. But Vince’s remembrance centered on what he had heard standing beside her. Dolly died in Nashville on August 25, 2026, at 80, after a brief battle with cancer. Two days later, Vince appeared at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City. He told the audience how deeply his family was hurting, then began “I Will Always Love You.” This time, he sang it alone. Fan footage captured him struggling with his emotions throughout the performance. When he stepped back to compose himself, people in the audience carried the words. Musicians behind him wiped their eyes. He reached the closing note without Dolly’s voice beside his. After finishing, he moved away from the microphone, placed a hand over his chest and lowered his head.