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// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Poppa Joe a morning person? Joe-kely.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Poppa Joe"
German release picture sleeve
Single by the Sweet
B-side"Jeannie"
Released28 January 1972[1]
RecordedNovember 1971
StudioIsland, London
Genre
Length3:07
LabelRCA
Songwriters
ProducerPhil Wainman
The Sweet singles chronology
"Alexander Graham Bell"
(1972)		 "Poppa Joe"
(1972)		 "Little Willy"
(1972)

"Poppa Joe" is a 1972 song recorded by the Sweet. Written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn,[2] it went to number eleven in the UK. It was released in the United Kingdom by RCA Records on 28 January 1972.[1] The single combines the band's early bubblegum sound with calypso, particularly in the use of a steelpan throughout the song.[3] It was featured as a bonus track on a 2005 re-release of the band's debut studio album, Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be.

Background

[edit]

The Sweet had initially found success in 1971 with the bubblegum songs "Funny, Funny" and "Co-Co", both of which were top-ten hits in Europe. Their next single, "Alexander Graham Bell" was a departure from the bubblegum style and failed to achieve the same success, only reaching the top 40 in the UK and top 30 in Germany. Following this, the band's main songwriters Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn returned to the successful bubblegum formula with "Poppa Joe".[4]

Bass guitarist Steve Priest noted that the song "reverted to the Caribbean style of 'Co-Co'", attributing this to the fact it was recorded at Island Studios.[4] As with the band's previous singles, they did not perform the instrumentation on the song, only providing the vocals. The instrumentation was instead by session musicians Phil Wainman, and Pip Williams, though the band did perform on their self-penned B-side "Jeannie".[4]

Release and reception

[edit]

"Poppa Joe" was released as a single on 28 January 1972 in the UK by RCA Records.[1] Reviewing for New Musical Express, Derek Johnson wrote that the song "exudes a wonderfully happy feel – bright and bubbling, with bongoes and oil-drum percussion infusing a sparkling and captivating West Indian flavour. The lyrics are simple and easy to sing along with in the constantly-repeated hook, and the tune is instantly catchy".[5]

The single performed much better the band's previous single, peaking at number 11 in the UK, number 70 in Australia, and was a top-three hits in a number of European countries, including Germany, Denmark and Sweden, peaking at number one in the Netherlands and Belgium.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Personnel

[edit]

The Sweet

Additional personnel

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1971–1972) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 70
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11]1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13]4
Denmark (IFPI)[8] 2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[15]16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16]1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10]1
New Zealand (Listener)[17] 14
Norway (VG-lista)[18]2
Rhodesia (Lyons Maid)[19] 5
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[20] 12
Spain (Promusicae)[21] 21
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[9] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22]2
UK Singles (Official Charts)[6]11
West Germany (GfK)[7]3

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "Rex's new single set & NEWSBEATS, MINK, SWEET" (PDF). NME. 15 January 1972. p. 4. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Poppa Joe by The Sweet". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  3. ↑ Pohl, Ronald (7 August 2024). "Als vor 50 Jahren der Glamrock die Kids in Ekstase versetzte". Der Standard (in Austrian German). Retrieved 18 April 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Johnson, Darren (22 October 2024). The Sweet in the 1970s. Sonicbond Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-78952-092-7.
  5. ↑ "Singles" (PDF). NME. 22 January 1972. p. 12. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Sweet Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  7. 1 2 "Offizielle Deutsche Charts (West Germany)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Hitlisten". Ekstra Bladet. 24 February 1972. p. 26.
  9. 1 2 "Sweet - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  10. 1 2 "The Sweet – Poppa Joe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. 1 2 "The Sweet – Poppa Joe" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. ↑ "The Sweet – Poppa Joe" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  14. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  15. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Poppa Joe". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1972" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "NZ Listener chart summary: Sweet". flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  18. ↑ "The Sweet – Poppa Joe". VG-lista. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  19. ↑ Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  20. ↑ "SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts S". South African Rock Lists. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  21. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: Año a año, 1959–2002. Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-639-2.
  22. ↑ "The Sweet – Poppa Joe". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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