Sweetheart by Franke & the Knockouts

Album: Franke & The Knockouts (1981)

Charted: 10

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

Franke & The Knockouts were led by Franke Previte, and a later lineup of the band included John DeNicola on bass. While the group had some pop success in the '80s, including minor hits with "You're My Girl" and "Without You," Previte and DeNicola had their biggest success writing "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" and "Hungry Eyes," which were part of the massively successful Dirty Dancing soundtrack.

It was their good fortune that Jimmy Ienner, who was in charge of Franke & The Knockouts' record label, went on to produce the soundtrack for Dirty Dancing and asked them for songs. Regarding their biggest hit "Sweetheart," Previte told Songfacts: "The song 'Sweetheart' almost didn't make the record. Jimmy thought it was a hit but a little to cute for a rock band. He was right."
This song owes some of its success to modest airplay on MTV, which launched in 1981. "Sweetheart" had a video with a boxing concept (Franke & The Knockouts - get it?), and MTV didn't have many videos by American bands that weren't simply performance footage.
He didn't appear on this song, but Tico Torres, who went on to join Bon Jovi, was the drummer in Franke & Knockouts for a short time.

Comments: 7

Donna from BostonFranke Previte also wrote Hungry Eyes for Eric Carmen. This song appeared in the movie Dirty Dancing.
Matt from MissouriThanks for the song. Brings back good memories. Thanks for performance and posting Franke and K
AnonymousI love this song sweetheart. Awesome.
Markantney from BiloxeMay 18,

This song is one of the most underrated from the 80s.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyLeader Frankie Previte and John DeNicola won the 1987 Academy Award for 'Best Song' with "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from the movie 'Dirty Dancing'.
John from Ames, IaSo glad "Sweetheart" made the album, or the world may have never known about it. It is a great, great cut that deserved the attention it got for those months. Still love it today.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 16th 1981, Franke and the Knockouts performed "Sweetheart" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
At the time the song was at #13 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; fifteen days later on May 31st, 1981 it would peak at #10 {for 2 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 19 weeks...
It reached #18 on the Canadian RPM Singles chart...
The New Jersey quintet had two other Top 100 records; "You're My Girl" {#27} and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)" {#24}.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

I Write The SongsBarry Manilow

Barry Manilow didn't write his #1 hit "I Write The Songs." Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys wrote it.

(Walking) In the RainThe Ronettes

Ronnie Spector nailed the vocal for The Ronettes song "(Walking) In the Rain" on the first take -- unheard of in the perfectionist producer Phil Spector's world.