I said last week that I would be playing more for my sweet theme, and just like that, here are five more. I’ve decided to do three posts for this and then finish off with a set of candy tunes, to keep my American friends happy (!).

All of today’s tunes are by well-known names, so I expect that many of you will know these. Let’s get started with a hit from my teenage years, by one of my all time favourite bands. There are several action videos for this one but they are showing their age a bit, so I’m going with an audio only clip:

Jethro Tull released Sweet Dream as a non-album single in October 1969, and it reached #7 in the UK, #11 in Ireland and #14 in Germany. Although it wasn’t on a studio album it has appeared on many compilations by the band, and it was included as a bonus track on a remastered version of the Stand Up album in 2001. That was initially released in July 1969, but this track wasn’t recorded until a month later – so we had to pay for both the single and the album. The single wasn’t released in the US until it appeared on a record label compilation album in 1972, so this may be unfamiliar to American readers. I still love it, though.

This next one is of similar vintage, but I’ve managed to find a clip with some pictures for you, although I haven’t a clue how they might relate to the lyrics:

Sweet Lady Mary was a track on Faces’ second album, Long Player, which was released in February 1971 and peaked at #31 in the UK, #29 in the US and #34 in Canada, though it did best in Australia, where it got to #18. The song was co-written by Rod Stewart and the two Ronnies – Lane and Wood. I can find very little about it, but I’ve always liked it and that’s why I’m playing it.

Moving forward the best part of twenty years means a live action video for this one:

Sweet Little ‘66 was a track on Steve Earle’s second album, Exit O, which came out in May 1987 and made #36 in Canada, #90 in the US, and #15 on the US Country Albums chart. It was the third single taken from the album, in October 1987, and peaked at #19 in the Canadian Country chart, and at #37 in the US. Again, I can find next to no information about the song, but it is another I’ve always liked, from an album I played to bits at the time.

This is the oldest one in today’s set, but video exists! A classic rock and roll song:

Chuck Berry, of course, with Sweet Little Sixteen. This was released as a single in January 1958, peaking at #2 in the US and #16 in the UK. It then featured on Chuck’s second album, A Dozen Berrys, which came out that March but doesn’t appear to have charted anywhere. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #272 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004.

I’m closing today with one that I couldn’t really leave out:

Somehow it feels a little strange hearing that without a crowd chanting “so good, so good” at the chorus! That was a very young-looking Neil Diamond performing Sweet Caroline on the Ed Sullivan Show on 30th November 1969. The song was released as a single in May 1969 and got to #4 in the US, #3 in both Canada and Australia, and #8 in the UK, though it didn’t get there until May 1971. It was a late developer here but that hasn’t stopped it: it has gone 4x Platinum for sales of 2.4m (since 2004), Platinum in the US for a million, and has more than 2.4m downloads in the US. It had first featured in April 1969 on Neil’s fourth album, Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show, which reached #82 in the US but hasn’t charted anywhere else. It was also included on the UK release of his next album, Touching You, Touching Me, in November 1969. That album made #30 in the US but despite the additional track wasn’t a hit here.

I mentioned that the song has a more familiar ring to it, due to its connection with sports crowds. It has long been a favourite in the US and Australia, and has been adopted as an unofficial anthem for both the England men’s and women’s football teams. Here’s just one of many examples:

That’s all the music for today. As always I leave you with details of where I’ll be sharing this piece, at Esme’s Senior Salon Pit Stop and Cathy’s Monday’s Music Moves Me, and I hope you visit them both. I’ll see you again in a couple of days, and until then I wish you well. Take care 🤗