A high-octane celebration of American Independence, reflecting the band’s shift from glitz to genuine hard rock ambition.
When you think of Sweet—or The Sweet, as they were known in their shimmering, platform-booted heyday—the mind usually conjures up images of glitter, huge harmonies, and the undeniable hooks of glam rock masterpieces like “Ballroom Blitz” and “Fox on the Run.” Their early ’70s material, often penned by the powerhouse songwriting duo of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, dominated the charts and defined the era’s sound. But for those of us who followed the band beyond the teen-idol phase, who appreciated the raw, muscular power that always lay beneath the surface sheen, tracks like “4th Of July” represent the glorious moment when Sweet seized the steering wheel and drove headlong into a harder rock sound, entirely on their own terms.
The song “4th Of July” is a deep-cut delight from a pivotal era in the band’s career. It was featured on their 1976 album, Give Us a Wink, a record that officially saw the classic lineup of Brian Connolly (vocals), Andy Scott (guitar), Steve Priest (bass), and Mick Tucker (drums) take over full writing and production duties. Released as a single only in certain territories, most notably Australia, it didn’t achieve the global chart dominance of their Chinnichap-era hits, but it resonated deeply with fans who valued their musicianship. While it didn’t register on the primary US Billboard Hot 100 or the UK Singles Chart (where the much bigger “Action” and “The Lies in Your Eyes” singles launched the album), its energy and self-penned grit made it a standout track. For fans down under, the single release was a mark of respect for the band’s growing stature as an album-oriented hard rock act.
The meaning behind the song is a powerful, thumping metaphor for pure, explosive energy and freedom. Far from being a traditional patriotic anthem, “4th Of July” captures the exhilarating chaos of the American Independence Day celebration and channels it into a sonic experience. It’s about flashes, noise, and sheer power. The lyrics paint a scene drenched in adrenaline—the fire, the sound, the sense of an event that’s almost overwhelming but utterly vital. This perfectly mirrored the band’s own transition: they were exploding out of the confines of pure pop and declaring their independence as writers and musicians. The song served as a loud, proud statement: We are The Sweet, and this is our rock and roll now.
I remember spinning the Give Us a Wink album on the turntable back in ’76. The moment “4th Of July” blasted out, you could feel the shift in the room. Gone were some of the highly polished, layered vocals of their past; in came a riff-driven, relentless pulse. Andy Scott’s guitar work is ferocious here, and the rhythm section of Steve Priest and the late, great Mick Tucker is nothing short of a powerhouse, delivering the kind of solid-as-a-brick foundation that true rock songs are built upon. This track belongs to a lineage of great rock anthems that capture a moment of reckless abandon and noise, making it a favorite for those who understood that Sweet was never just about the glam image; they were a truly phenomenal band capable of holding their own against any of the era’s hard rock heavyweights. It’s a snapshot of a band finding their true identity, using the explosive energy of a holiday as a canvas for their own musical declaration. It is, simply put, a masterclass in the kind of thunderous, joyous rock that the mid-seventies did best.