When Bubblegum Pop Met Glam Rock: The Infectious Beginning of The Sweet
A joyous declaration of new love that makes everything else seem blissfully insignificant.
For those of us who recall the early 1970s, the song “Funny Funny” by The Sweet isn’t just a track; it’s a shimmering, almost giddy time capsule. It represents the moment a somewhat struggling English rock band, still known then as The Sweet, found their first true footing and, in doing so, helped lay the groundwork for the spectacle that would become Glam Rock. Released on January 29, 1971, this single was the first major step from their debut album, Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be.
The song’s initial reception in their home country was a moderate success that signaled much bigger things to come. “Funny Funny” peaked at Number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and spent a respectable 14 weeks on the chart. However, its true power was felt across continental Europe, where the infectious, bubblegum-meets-pop-rock sound absolutely exploded. It rocketed to Number 1 in both the Flanders region of Belgium and the Netherlands, and topped the charts in countries like Sweden and South Africa, reaching the Top 5 in Germany, Norway, and Finland. This was the commercial triumph that introduced the classic Sweet lineup—vocalist Brian Connolly, bassist Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker—to the world.
The story behind the song is a classic example of a band finding their sound and direction thanks to a new creative partnership. Before this, The Sweet had been working primarily in the heavier psych-pop vein. Their fortunes changed dramatically when they teamed up with the now-legendary songwriting and production team of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, affectionately known as ‘Chinnichap,’ and producer Phil Wainman. The collaboration was initially built around commercial viability, with Chinnichap writing the highly catchy, radio-friendly songs that would define The Sweet’s early singles. “Funny Funny” was one of their very first creations for the band, a simple, exuberant slice of bubblegum pop rock designed for maximum sing-along appeal.
Lyrically, the song is a straightforward, heart-on-sleeve expression of the delightful, almost absurd feeling of falling completely, unequivocally in love. The central refrain—”And it’s so funny funny / What you do, honey, honey / What you do, what you mean to me”—suggests a lover so smitten that the depth of their emotion seems silly or even a bit ridiculous, yet they know that person truly means “all the world” to them. It’s the kind of uncomplicated, joyful message that perfectly suited the early 70s desire for carefree, bright pop music before the harder, heavier themes of their later work took over.
What makes “Funny Funny” so memorable is how it bridges two worlds. It retains the clean, bright harmonies and upbeat simplicity of late-60s bubblegum, while the tight rhythm section and guitar licks hint at the harder rock they’d soon embrace, especially in the context of the heavier B-side, “You’re Not Wrong for Loving Me.” This pop foundation, built by Chinnichap, was what bought The Sweet the time and fame to gradually transition to writing their own harder material, eventually leading to their signature sound with hits like Blockbuster and Ballroom Blitz.
For those of us who came of age during that vibrant time, this song is the sound of innocence and discovery. We might have worn out our tiny transistor radio batteries trying to catch this track between the news and the weather, or danced to its infectious beat at a Saturday night youth club. It was the soundtrack to that first blush of young love, where every glance and every smile felt like a major, world-altering event, so profound it was almost—yes—funny. It reminds us that even bands who would later define the grit and glamour of a whole genre have to start somewhere, often with something as light and irresistible as a crush set to a perfect three-chord progression. It’s a beautifully simple song that echoes an era of optimism and a band’s ambitious first step toward immortality.