Sweet: "Wig-Wam Bam" Single (1972)

The Sweet’s "Wig-Wam Bam" backed with "New York Connection", was released as a 7-inch vinyl single in the UK by RCA Victor (catalog number RCA 2260) on September 1, 1972. In Italy and Japan, the B-side was "Little Willy" instead. A 1977 German reissue was part of the “Oldies-But-Goldies” series, and a 1988 UK reissue paired "Wig-Wam Bam" with "Co-Co" (originally a 1971 single).

Chart Performance:

UK: Reached number 4, spending 5 weeks in the Top 10 and 13 weeks in the charts.

Germany: Hit number 1, holding the top spot for 8 weeks, with 17 weeks in the Top 10 and 24 weeks overall.

Switzerland: Peaked at number 2, behind Hawkwind’s “Silver Machine” and Les Humphries Singers’ “Mexico,” with 14 weeks in the charts.

Austria: Reached number 5, with 2 months in the Top 10 and 3 months in the charts.

Also achieved Top 10 positions in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and South Africa.

Album Context:

“Wig-Wam Bam” was the fourth and final single from The Sweet’s first best-of album, The Sweet’s Biggest Hits (December 1972). It was later included on reissues of their debut album, Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be (1971).

A-Side:

Wig-Wam Bam

Songwriters: Written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, the songwriting duo behind many of The Sweet’s 1970s hits, known for crafting catchy glam rock anthems.

Lyrical Content:

The lyrics draw inspiration from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1855 poem The Song of Hiawatha, referencing Hiawatha and Minnehaha (meaning “waterfall” or “Laughing Waters” in Dakota). The second verse nods to “Running Bear” and “Little White Dove” from the 1959 song “Running Bear” by Jiles Perry Richardson (The Big Bopper). The chorus (“Wig-wam bam, gonna make you my man / Wam bam bam, gonna get you if I can”) is playfully suggestive, aligning with the glam rock era’s flirtation with sexual ambiguity, possibly influenced by David Bowie’s “Suffragette City.”

Band Contribution:

This was the first Sweet single where the band members—Brian Connolly (lead vocals), Steve Priest (bass, backing vocals), Andy Scott (guitar, backing vocals), and Mick Tucker (drums, backing vocals)—played their own instruments, unlike earlier singles that used session musicians like John Roberts (bass) and Pip Williams (guitar). Steve Priest also sang parts of the lead vocal in the chorus (“try a little touch, try a little too much”), a technique that became a signature of their later hits.

Cultural Significance:

The song marked The Sweet’s full embrace of the glam rock aesthetic, with band members adopting glitter, makeup, and extravagant outfits, including Steve Priest’s Native American feathered headdress during BBC’s Top of the Pops performances on September 14, September 21, and October 5, 1972.

Described as a “monument to ultracommercial rock & roll triviality” by Bomp magazine, it was their sixth consecutive UK hit and a key moment in their transition from bubblegum to glam rock.