# How Sniff ‘N’ The Tears Disbanded, Reunited (Sort Of), and Then Enjoyed Their Biggest Hit in 1979

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/how-sniff-n-the-tears-disbanded-reunited-sort-of-and-then-enjoyed-their-biggest-hit-in-1979/
- Published: 2026-07-28T15:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-28T16:52:05+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/how-sniff-n-the-tears-disbanded-reunited-sort-of-and-then-enjoyed-their-biggest-hit-in-1979/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- "Driver's Seat" became Sniff 'n' The Tears' sole big hit in 1979.
- Paul Roberts wrote it in 1973, but the band split before playing it live.
- It reached No. 15 in the US after a 1977 record deal revival.

## Summary

Sniff 'n' The Tears, a British band fronted by Paul Roberts, is remembered as a one-hit wonder for their 1979 song "Driver's Seat", which reached No. 15 on the US charts. The track's success is notable because it was written years earlier, in 1973, and the band broke up before ever performing it live, meaning the song had to survive a long and uncertain path before finding an audience.

Roberts wrote "Driver's Seat" after being woken one night by a mouse and a noisy fridge, later shaping the lyrics around someone regaining control after a break-up. Early demos recorded in France went nowhere, prompting Roberts to abandon music temporarily to work as a painter in London. A 1977 approach from former drummer Luigi Salvoni led to a deal with Chiswick Records, and Roberts reformed the band to re-record the song for the 1979 album "Fickle Heart", blending pub rock and disco to create the band's biggest and lasting hit.

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