Introduction
When “Wig-Wam Bam” first hit the airwaves in September 1972, it arrived as the third single from Sweet’s debut album, self-titled “The Sweet.” Unlike earlier singles where producer Phil Wainman and session musicians handled the backing tracks, this was the first Chinn-Chapman composition on which Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott, and Mick Tucker all played their own instruments. Drawing loosely on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Song of Hiawatha,” the lyrics celebrate a playful, stylized take on Native American imagery, tapping into a broader trend of cheeky, fantasy-infused storytelling in ’70s pop-rock. That distinctive shift toward a grittier guitar riff and driving drumbeat foreshadowed Sweet’s full embrace of glam-rock flair—complete with glitter, makeup, and flamboyant stage outfits.
There’s something inherently infectious about the chorus’s chant—“Wig-Wam Bam, gonna make you feel alright”—that invites listeners to cast off their inhibitions, even decades later. Charting at No. 4 in the UK gave Sweet the confidence to lean harder into a bold visual style, influencing countless glam and bubblegum acts that followed. More than just a foot-tapper, “Wig-Wam Bam” marked the moment Sweet began writing and performing on their own terms, laying the groundwork for later hits like “Block Buster!” and “Hell Raiser”. For fans who lived through it, the song still evokes memories of mirrored stage lights and cheering crowds; for newer listeners, it’s a vibrant snapshot of a time when rock dared to be theatrical.
In 2009, only Andy Scott remained from Sweet’s classic lineup, touring under “Andy Scott’s Sweet” with Paul Manzi on vocals, Lee Small on bass, Tom Cory on drums, and Adam Booth on keyboards . Their appearance on ZDF’s Kult am Sonntag on October 11, 2009, was more than a nostalgia trip—it was proof that the song still crackles live. Scott’s shimmering guitar tone and the band’s tight rhythm section rekindled that early glam-rock heat, inviting German audiences into a communal celebration of rock’s audacious spirit. Watching Scott lead the charge, it’s impossible not to feel the same rush that catapulted Sweet to fame in 1972.
Watching the 2009 performance, I couldn’t help flashing back to first hearing “Wig-Wam Bam” on cassette, head bopping in my bedroom as the chorus exploded. There’s a timeless joy in watching a band rediscover their youth onstage, especially when they perform a song that feels like an anthem of carefree rebellion. It makes me wonder: what modern track will still make us dance fifty years from now?