Sweet Dreams (1970s band)

Lore & Background

In 1974, Polly Brown recorded a cover of ABBA's "Honey Honey," produced by Ron Roker and Gerry Shury, with Roker also providing male vocals. Tony Jackson, born in Barbados on 17 March 1944, was recruited to perform live with Brown; he had previously been a member of the Skatalites and fronted Gulliver's People at Tiffany's nightclub. Jackson and Brown appeared on Top of the Pops performing the song and later recorded tracks for the album We'll Be Your Music.

To support live performances, Roker and Shury recruited the house band Love Lane, including Robert Young, Stuart Armstrong, Stephen Parkes, and the duo Kim and Kerry. The group used Mellotron and Moog synthesizers to replicate their studio sound. Sweet Dreams made their live debut opening for the Three Degrees at the Southport Theatre.

Brown and Jackson released six singles as Sweet Dreams, but only "Honey Honey" charted. In 1976, they competed in A Song for Europe with "Love Kiss and Run," placing fourth. Jackson later sang the theme for the film The Cassandra Crossing and worked as a session vocalist on hits by Amii Stewart, Paul Young, and Terence Trent D'Arby.

Reader's Guide

Sweet Dreams are primarily remembered for their 1974 cover of ABBA's "Honey Honey," which gave them a brief moment of international chart success. The group's version reached No. 10 in the UK, No. 14 in Ireland, and charted in Germany and the US, though ABBA's original was more successful in those markets. Their significance lies in being part of the early wave of ABBA covers, as well as showcasing the session and live music infrastructure of mid-1970s Britain. The group's later attempt to represent the UK at Eurovision in 1976 with "Love Kiss and Run" placed fourth, highlighting their continued but diminishing profile. Tony Jackson's subsequent session work on major hits extended the group's indirect influence. The name "Sweet Dreams" was later used by a different group that represented the UK at Eurovision in 1983, a coincidence given that Ron Roker co-wrote that entry as well. Overall, Sweet Dreams remain a footnote in pop history, notable for a single cover that briefly competed with one of ABBA's early international hits.

Did You Know?

• Polly Brown's solo hit "Up in a Puff of Smoke" was recorded in the same session as Sweet Dreams' "Honey Honey."
• Tony Jackson was a member of the Skatalites, who had a No. 36 UK hit with "Guns of Navarone" in 1967.
• Sweet Dreams' live debut was opening for the Three Degrees at the Southport Theatre.
• A different group also named Sweet Dreams represented the UK at Eurovision 1983 with "I'm Never Giving Up," co-written by Ron Roker.