Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation was an eight-piece British soul group from Manchester, formed in 1971, best known for their 1974 UK No. 1 hit "Sad Sweet Dreamer."
The band gained early attention on the ITV talent show New Faces, leading to a deal with Pye Records under Tony Hatch's guidance. Their debut single "Snowfire" flopped, but follow-up "Sad Sweet Dreamer" topped the UK charts in October 1974 and hit No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Purely by Coincidence" reached No. 11 in the UK in 1975; both hits were penned by David Parton. Later singles like "Hide Away from the Sun" and "Mr Cool" failed to chart, and a 1977 Eurovision bid with "You're My Sweet Sensation" placed eighth.
Members:- Junior Daye (vocals, b. 1950 Jamaica); Roy Flowers (drums, b. 1951 Jamaica); Vincent James (vocals, b. 1951 Jamaica; d. 2019); Barry Johnson (bass, b. 1954 Jamaica); Marcel King (lead vocals, b. 1957 Manchester; d. 1995); St. Clair L. Palmer (vocals, b. 1954 St. Kitts); Gary Shaughnessy (guitar, b. 1953 Manchester); Leroy Smith (keyboards, b. 1952 Jamaica; d. 2009); Recardo "Rikki" Patrick briefly replaced King in 1975.
Dropped by Pye after poor sales, the group split around 1978 but influenced acts like The Real Thing.
Sad Sweet Dreamer
Written-By – D.E.S. Parton
4:33
A2 Eyes In The Back Of My Head
Written-By – Trent, Hatch
3:15
A3 Emptiness Filled With Love
Written-By – D.E.S. Parton
3:45
A4 That Same Old Feeling
Written-By – Trent, Hatch
3:29
A5 Sad Sweet Dreamer
Written-By – D.E.S. Parton
3:24
B1 Yes Miss, No Miss
Written-By – King, Shaughnesy
2:48
B2 Fancy Woman
Written-By – D.E.S. Parton
6:50
B3 Please Excuse Me
Written-By – Ron Kersey Smith
2:54
B4 Snow Fire
Written-By – D.E.S. Parton
3:26
B5 Purely By Coincidence
Written-By – D.E.S. Parton
2:54
Label: Pye Records – PYE 12110
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: R&B Soul, Pop
Style: Seventies Soul
Sweet Sensation’s 1974-1975 self-titled album, riding on the success of the UK No. 1 title track "Sad Sweet Dreamer," is a quintessential Philly-soul-influenced pop record featuring Marcel King’s distinctive falsetto.
While producing a top-tier soul ballad, the album and subsequent singles struggled to replicate that success in the UK, often regarded as pleasant but lacking lasting impact.
The album is characterized by "pillow" Philly-style orchestration, smooth vocals, and a polished, sometimes glossy, production sound. It aimed for a romantic, soulful vibe, with lead singer Marcel King providing a "butter-smooth" falsetto.
Key Tracks:- "Sad Sweet Dreamer": A UK No. 1 and US Top 20 hit that established their sound; "Purely by Coincidence": Followed the hit with a No. 11 spot in the UK; "Mr Cool" & "Mail Train": Further singles released in 1975–1976 that failed to match the debut's success.
The title track is noted for its high-quality, romantic, and "airy" feel, heavily influenced by The Stylistics. Some retrospective reviews suggest the production was overly polished, bordering on monotonous or "samey," which caused the album to make a limited lasting impression.
Despite being a "great lost hit" for the era in some circles, the album did not sustain the group’s popularity. While the single was a smash, the album had limited success, reaching only 163 in America, and the group disbanded by 1978.
The album is best remembered for its lead single—a shining example of 1970s British-soul-pop—rather than the depth of the overall album, which often failed to reach the same heights.
The album is noted for being the first UK #1 by a predominantly Black British group, though it struggled to find a major audience in America, peaking at #163 on the US Billboard charts.