Customer Reviews

Hit Single Anthology

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Troggs are almost considered a one-hit wonder for their famous "Wild Thing" [not to be confused with Tone-Loc's song of the same title]. Who else had a sound with a tasty metallic edge, and also managed to get all the way to #1 on the charts with a truly funny seduction song? (The Kinks "A Well Respected Man" and Dedicated Follower of Fashion" were more at social satire, and thus 'half-serious'; plus they didn't make it all the way to #1. But doesn't "A Well Respected Man" have an utterly astonishing sound to it!?!?)

In our new era of nearly indestructible media, it's conceivable that "Wild Thing" will live forever . . . any healthy 10-year old [or hormone-raging teenager] hearing it from now until eternity will instantly identify with, and cherish it.

What's not usually known about the Troggs is possibly the most titillating rock song of all time ["I Can't Control Myself"], and possibly the best slow love ballad of the psychedelic era ["Love is All Around"]. The lyrics and the playing/singing of "I Can't Control Myself" still get my chakras spinning pretty fast. Some well-crafted rhymed lines (there are plenty more good ones): "your slacks are low and your hips are showing"; "this kind of feeling can move a nation" - but it's also how they are sung, and how they jam out from their musical context. The song is a strong tonic. To hell with Viagra . . . just play this song a few times!

And "Love is All Around" still makes me melt. What are its nearest rivals for best radio rock ballad of the late 60's? Right off the bat I think of "Time of the Season" by the Zombies, which, however, is a little quick-paced to be considered a true ballad, as is Johnny Rivers' "Summer Rain". There's "Get Together" by the Youngbloods, truly a heavyweight contender. Tommy James and the Shondells had a brace of terrific slow tunes. The Rascals' offerings, however, are also a bit too quick-paced to qualify. What about "Something" by the Beatles?

"Something" (by the Beatles) is like a 60's upgrade (gorgeous as it is) of Bing Crosby (gorgeous as he sounded some twenty years before); it is good enough that it easily transcends the era from which it has sprung. For our purposes, the Troggs' ballad goes one better, serving as a steady conduit by which the sense of eternity which expressed itself in late-sixties music and culture can still be heard and felt (especially by many of those who lived it). It channels the energy of the late sixties like a true icon of the era, as much as "Something" overflows those half-dreamed boundaries. The greatness of the Beatles' multi-temporal eclecticism notwithstanding, my vote goes to "Love is All Around".

And let's not forget that the Troggs were one of the inventors of British punk . . . which as it were, was not really invented, but sort of 'sprang from the earth'. The Who, the Kinks and Them came before the Troggs; and we can't forget the Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Yardbirds [though these three had a more bluesy than a metallic edge]. Then there were literally dozens, possibly even scores of American bands (starting in '66 or even earlier) playing off the energy and sounds of these influential British oracles.

By the way, (if you have never listened to it) the song "Night of the Long Grass" is NOT to be missed!

The review title refers to what this CD consists of: This influential band's first 9 singles along with their flipsides chronologically ordered. I gave this CD five stars because even the flipsides are great (e.g., "I Want You", "As I Ride By"). Simple and raw mostly. Caveman rock (a precursor to the punk sound). Other influences? "Give It To Me" sounds like a pre-evolved Bay City Roller's "Saturday Night." Also: a Troggs session was recorded with the band bickering in the studio (available elsewhere as the Trogg Tapes), which supposedly became the inspiration for the movie "Spinal Tap." I mention this only because "Love is All Around" reminds me of Tap's "Flower People" and the rest of the CD sounds like 60's alternatives to "Big Bottom." Not necessarily the music, but the mind-set is pretty much in the same place. Much more than "Wild Thing," but more of the same, as well.

The success of Wet wet wet's cover of Love is all around, featured in the soundtrack of Four weddings and a funeral and which spent many weeks at number one in the UK charts, sparked interest in the original sixties version by the Troggs, whose style was raw rock'n'roll. Their lead singer, Reg Presley, had a distinctive, suggestive style.

The Troggs began their run of chart hits with Wild thing, a novelty song that reached number two in the UK but topped the charts for six weeks in America. By the time it peaked in America, the Troggs were on their second UK single - With a girl like you, which went all the way to number one. Thus, they occupied the number one positions in Britain and America simultaneously, but with different songs, but they never reached number one again in either country. Nevertheless, they had several other major UK hits including Love is all around, I can't control myself and Anyway that you want me, all of which made the UK top ten, together with the top twenty UK hits Give it to me and Night of the long grass.

This collection includes all the essentials. The Troggs were a somewhat odd sixties group but that's why they are worth listening to.

Who can't relate to being a teenage boy. You're at a dance, and there she is, the most otta sight girl. You never dreamed her up in any of your fantasies. Yet there she stands, and all you need to do is smile, be polite, and ask her for a dance. By the time you decide to do it, guess what, the music stops, and the lights come back on. All you can do is sigh, and hope she's there (alone) at the next one. Maybe you can do it then. That type of image of "love" was what The Troggs was all about.
Something so close, but yet so far away.

This disc is incredible. It starts off with the Troggs biggest hit (and one of the most recognizable garage/punk sounds of the 60's) and then it gets better from there. How these guys weren't way bigger is certainly a mystery. True, "I Want You" is similar to "Wild Thing" the way the Kinks' "All Day and All of the Night" resembled "You Really Got Me", but they're all good tunes. "Gonna Make You" brings back memories of the McCoys hit, "I Want Candy" only this one has more bite. "665-4321" has a hard driving beat that you can't resist. The rockers dominate this CD, but the softer songs such as, "With a Girl Like You', "Anyway That You Want Me", and "Love Is All Around" are top notch. No dogs on this one! If I could, I'd give it ten stars!

Great content but it is a shame that the recording is so overly bright and tinny that it makes it very hard to enjoy the music. I remember the originals when they were first released and was hoping to re-capture some of the flavour of that time.

One can't fault the song selection on this collection. The A and B-sides are presented in chronological order. There are many great "proto-punk" classics on this collection. Iggy Pop cited them as a major influence on the Stooges. However, the sound quality and liner notes leave something to be desired. I would love to hear this collection remastered from original source tapes. I would also like to see more information in the liner notes such as recording dates, release dates, personnel, etc. However, the song selection makes this worth having if you are a casual fan of the group.

A true anthology of a classic group.