April 22, 2021

20,000 vinyl LPs 286: The Troggs ~ Wild Thing

 ~       
vinyl LP front cover 
Artwork – Don Brautigam 
photo by Styrous® 


On April 22, 1966, The Troggs released their single, Wild Thing and it landed like a lead balloon! Sometimes things need a little getting used to.    
 
But it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1966. Their version of the song was ranked at number 257 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.   


vinyl LP back cover 
Artwork – Don Brautigam 
photo by Styrous® 


Wild Thing was written by American songwriter Chip Taylor and popularized by The Troggs. The first studio version was recorded by the The Wild Ones, a band based in New York. They had contacted composer Taylor to ask him to write a song for them to release as a single. He composed it very quickly: within a couple of minutes, he had the chorus and a "sexual-kind-of-feeling song" emerged. On his demo version, Taylor banged on a tambourine while producer Ron Johnson "was doing this little thing with his hands", as Taylor related it. The result sounded "cool". Producer Gerry Granahan approved the song and then produced the Wild Ones' recording, with vocals by Chuck Alden. However, on its release in November 1965, the record failed to sell, and Alden later said that he regretted not performing the song in the same way as Taylor's demo. The solo in the middle of the song was performed by the recording engineer using his hands as a whistle. This sound was subsequently imitated by The Troggs in their version using an ocarina.   
 
 

vinyl LP back cover 
Artwork – Don Brautigam 
photo by Styrous® 
 

The Troggs were introduced to the song by their manager Larry Page, and they considered it "so weird and unusual that we just had to record it"    
 
It was ultimately covered by many groups including The Jimi Hendrix Experience; they gave a performance of the song, at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967; in the documentary Monterey Pop, Jimi Hendrix lit his guitar on fire at the song's conclusion (link below).   


Wild Thing
 
Wild thing
You make my heart sing
You make everything groovy
Wild thing

Wild thing, I think I love you
But I wanna know for sure
So come on and hold me tight
I love you

Wild thing
You make my heart sing
You make everything groovy
Wild thing

Wild thing, I think you move me
But I wanna know for sure
So come on and hold me tight
You move me

Wild thing
You make my heart sing
You make everything groovy
Wild thing

Come on, come on, wild thing
Shake it, shake it, wild thing


vinyl LP back cover
photo by Styrous® 


I Got Lovin' If You Want It is one of my top songs from this album; it moves like a train out of control and it's got some great guitar work by Richard Moore.            








 
vinyl LP, side 1
photo by Styrous® 







vinyl LP, side 1
photo by Styrous® 


   
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - I Got Lovin' If You Want It, written by J. Moore* - 3:25
A2 - Good Vibrations, written by Wilson*, Love* - 3:18
A3 - No Particular Place To Go, written by Berry* - 2:43
A4 - Summertime, written by Presley*, Bond*, Murray* - 4:12
A5 - Satisfaction, written by Jagger/Richard* - 5:30

Side 2:

B1 - Full Blooded Band, written by Presley*, Bond*, Murray* - 4:06
B2 - Memphis Tennessee, written by Berry* - 3:26
B3 - Peggy Sue, written by Allison*, Petty* - 2:38
B4 - Jenny Come Down, written by Presley*, Bond*, Murray* - 2:10
B5 - Wild Thing, written by Taylor* - 3:24

Companies, etc.

    Produced For – Penny Farthing Records Limited
    Manufactured By – ATV Records Incorporated
    Distributed By – ATV Records Incorporated
    Licensed From – Pye Limited
    Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Penny Farthing Records Limited
    Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute
    Lacquer Cut at – Sterling Sound
    Published By – Excellorec Music Co.
    Published By – Irving Music, Inc.
    Published By – Arc Music Corp.
    Published By – Dick James Music, Inc.
    Published By – ABKCO Music, Inc.
    Published By – McCartney Music Inc.
    Published By – Blackwood Music Inc.

Credits:

    Acoustic Guitar – Peter Green (2)
    Art Direction – David Krieger, DFK*
    Artwork – Don Brautigam
    Bass – Tony Murray
    Drums – Ronnie Bond
    Electric Guitar – Richard Moore (3)
    Lacquer Cut By – RL*
    Liner Notes – Greg Shaw (2)
    Producer – Larry Page
    Vocals – Reg Presley

Notes:

 Manufactured & Distributed by ATV Records Inc. NY
 
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Side A label): PYE 12112 A
    Matrix / Runout (Side B label): PYE 12112 B
    Matrix / Runout (Side A runout [variant 1]): T1 PYE-12112-A-1B STERLING RL
    Matrix / Runout (Side B runout [variant 1]): T1 PYE-12112-B-1B
    Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout, Etched [STERLING and 2nd B = stamped] [variant 2]): T\ PYE-12112-A-1B STERLING RL B2
    Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout, Etched [second B = stamped] [variant 2]): T\ PYE-12112-B-1B B3
    Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout, Etched [STERLING and 2nd B = stamped] [variant 3]): T\ PYE-12112-A-1B STERLING RL B1
    Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout, Etched [ A = stamped] [variant 3]): T\ PYE-12112-B-1B A4
    Pressing Plant ID (Etched in runout): T
    Rights Society: BMI
 
The Troggs – The Troggs
Label: Pye Records – PYE 12112
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Rock & Roll, Psychedelic Rock, Classic Rock
 
   
         
Viewfinder links:        
        
Jimi Hendrix        
The Troggs        
        
Net links:        
       
The Troggs website                 
Ultimate Classic Rock ~ Top 10 Troggs Songs        
        
YouTube links:        
        
The Jimi Hendrix Experience ~ Wild Thing (Live at Monterey Pop festival, 1967)      
The Troggs ~ Wild Thing        
The Wild Ones ~ Wild Thing                 
         
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Thursday, April 21, 2021       
       
















 

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