The bittersweet farewell of a pop prince, a song that captures the spirit of resilience in the face of immense adversity.
In the hallowed halls of 1970s glam rock, few voices were as potent, as electrifying, and as instantly recognizable as that of Brian Connolly. As the frontman of the legendary band The Sweet, he was a vision of golden-haired exuberance and unbridled charisma. But as the glitter faded and the music industry’s relentless machine took its toll, the story of Brian Connolly became a poignant, cautionary tale. It is this very story that imbues his solo single, “Everyday,” with a depth of meaning that transcends its seemingly simple pop-rock melody.
Released in 1980, after his acrimonious departure from The Sweet, “Everyday” was more than just a song; it was a desperate plea for a second chance, a raw, emotional testament to a man who had lost his way but was determined to find his footing again. The track did not achieve the commercial success of his earlier hits with The Sweet, failing to chart in the UK. This lack of chart success, however, only serves to amplify its tragic beauty. It was a song out of time, a relic of a bygone era delivered by a man who was already a ghost of his former self.
The story behind “Everyday” is one of struggle and heartbreak. After a brutal assault in 1974, which left him with permanent damage to his voice, Connolly‘s relationship with his bandmates soured. His battles with alcoholism and personal demons became public, a painful descent from the heights of pop stardom. By the time he left The Sweet in 1979, the once-unshakeable foundations of his life had crumbled. “Everyday” was his first step, a fragile, trembling attempt at a comeback. The song’s lyrics, “Everyday, I’m gonna be a better man,” are a direct window into his soul at that moment. It’s a promise to himself, a public declaration that despite the setbacks and the personal wreckage, he was fighting to reclaim his life.
For those of us who remember the vibrant, chaotic heyday of The Sweet, listening to “Everyday” today is an experience tinged with profound nostalgia and sadness. We recall a time when their music was the soundtrack to our youth, a world of platform shoes, glitter makeup, and anthems like “Block Buster!” and “Ballroom Blitz“. This song, however, offers a glimpse behind the curtain, showing us the quiet, painful reality that often follows the spotlight’s glare. It’s a somber counterpoint to the bombast of their glam-rock hits, a raw, stripped-down ballad that lays bare the vulnerability of a man who once seemed invincible.
This solo single captures the very essence of Brian Connolly‘s post-Sweet career: a valiant, often heartbreaking, struggle for redemption. It’s a song that speaks to the universal human experience of trying to put one’s life back together after it has fallen apart. It may not have been a chart-topper, but for those who know his story, “Everyday” remains one of his most powerful and moving musical statements. It’s a final, poignant footnote to a career that was as glorious and spectacular as it was tragically short-lived.