Wild Thing: The Songs of Chip Taylor

by N/A

Overview

As an artist, Chip Taylor is mostly known as a country-oriented singer/songwriter. As a songwriter, however, he's mostly known for the most commercially successful of his compositions, all of them popularized by other artists between the mid-'60s and mid-'70s. This CD -- another exemplary entry in Ace's series of compilations of the most famous and/or interesting covers of work by outstanding '60s songwriters -- has 25 of them, ranging from a number one hit to a previously unissued demo. That number one hit, of course, is the Troggs' "Wild Thing," which kicks off this anthology and remains by far his most famous song. But the two dozen remaining tracks on this disc (written by Taylor alone or in collaboration with others) are also generally quite impressive, if not as hard-rocking as "Wild Thing," and recorded by a very impressive roster of performers. Taylor's work was usually more pop-soul-country-oriented than "Wild Thing," as heard in some of the more well-known songs here, like Merrilee Rush's 1968 hit "Angel of the Morning," Lorraine Ellison's "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)," Evie Sands' "I Can't Let Go" (in turn covered for a hit by the Hollies), the Pozo-Seco Singers' "I Can Make It with You," and Barbara Lewis' "Make Me Belong to You." As usual in this series, some quality recordings weren't included -- like Evie Sands' "Picture Me Gone," the Hollies' "I Can't Let Go," or the Troggs' hit recording of "Any Way That You Want Me" (here represented by a far more obscure version by Tina Mason) -- owing to licensing hurdles, or the wish to avoid presenting more than one version of any song. Also as usual, however, Ace throws in a heap of obscurities and lesser-known cuts by stars who are at or almost on the same level, also demonstrating Taylor's versatility as a tuneful composer and romantic lyricist able to adapt to numerous formats. Some such highlights on this collection include Walter Jackson's lush soul ballad "Welcome Home"; Madeline Bell's delightful uptempo pop-soul take on "Picture Me Gone," which deserved to be a hit and never was; "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face," one of Aretha Franklin's finest pre-Atlantic recordings; "Don't Say It Baby," one of Dusty Springfield's better early LP cuts; and "Storybook Children," a groundbreaking interracial duet between Billy Vera and Judy Clay in its hit version, but here represented by a previously unissued demo on which Vera duets with Nona Hendryx. Even some of the songs that clearly aren't up to Taylor's highest standards are entertaining, like Reparata & the Delrons' Shangri-Las-like "Tommy." Elsewhere some notable names like Peggy Lee, Patti Austin, the Hollies, and Little Eva weigh in with fairly little-known tracks, while the mid-'70s recordings by Stoney Edwards and Taylor himself -- the ones of latest vintage on this CD -- point toward the country sound with which he was ultimately most comfortable. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	07/21/2009
Label:	Ace
UPC:	0029667037228
Rank:	132615

Tracks

1. Wild Thing  - Chip Taylor  -  Troggs
2. I Can't Let Go  - Al Gorgoni  -  Gorgoni  - Evie Sands  - Chip Taylor
3. I Can Make It with You  - Bob Johnston  -  Pozo-Seco Singers  - Chip Taylor
4. Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)  - Lorraine Ellison  - Jerry Ragovoy  - Chip Taylor
5. Angel of the Morning  - Tommy Cogbill  - Chips Moman  - Merrilee Rush  - Chip Taylor
6. Sneakin' Up on You  - Dave Cavanaugh  - Ted Daryll  - Peggy Lee  - Chip Taylor
7. Country Girl-City Man  - Judy Clay  - Ted Daryll  - Chip Taylor  - Billy Vera  -  Vera
8. Welcome Home  - Carl Davis  - Riley Hampton  - Walter Jackson  - Curtis Mayfield  - Chip Taylor
9. Is That You  - Mike Akopoff  -  Arthur & Mary  - Al Gorgoni  - Miles Grayson  - Chip Taylor
10. Picture Me Gone  - Madeline Bell  - Al Gorgoni  - Arthur Greenslade  - Chip Taylor
11. I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face  - Aretha Franklin  - Belford Hendricks  - Clyde Otis  - Jerry Ragovoy  - Chip Taylor
12. Any Way That You Want Me  - David Axelrod  - Tina Mason  - Chip Taylor
13. A Most Unusual Boy  - Patti Austin  - Bert DeCoteaux  - Henry Jerome  - Chip Taylor
14. His True Love for You  - Ted Daryll  -  McCarther  - Chip Taylor
15. Make Me Belong to You  - Leroy Glover  - Barbara Lewis  - Chip Taylor  - Billy Vera
16. My Johnny Doesn't Come Around Anymore  - Wes Farrell  - Barry Richards  - Debbie Rollins  - Gary Sherman  - Chip Taylor
17. Tommy  - John Abbott  - Ted Daryll  - Steve Jerome  -  Reparata & the Delrons  - Chip Taylor
18. Don't Say It Baby  - Ted Daryll  - Shelby Singleton  - Dusty Springfield  - Ray Stevens  - Chip Taylor
19. Wake Up John  - Charles Calello  - Jack Lewis  -  Little Eva  - Chip Taylor
20. Storybook Children  - Nona Hendryx  - Chip Taylor  - Billy Vera
21. Run Home to Your Mama  - Al Gorgoni  -  Gorgoni  - Evie Sands  - Chip Taylor
22. I'll Give My Heart to You  - Kathy McCord  - Chip Taylor
23. Son of a Rotten Gambler  -  Gunning  -  Hollies  - Ron Richards  - Chip Taylor
24. Blackbird (Hold Your Head High)  - Stoney Edwards  - Chip Taylor
25. (I Want) The Real Thing  - Chip Taylor

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Pozo-Seco Singers   Primary Artist
Stoney Edwards   Primary Artist
The Troggs   Primary Artist
Walter Jackson   Primary Artist
Judy Clay   Primary Artist
Peggy Lee   Primary Artist
Patti Austin   Primary Artist
Billy Vera   Primary Artist
The Hollies   Primary Artist
Barbara Lewis   Primary Artist
Chip Taylor   Primary Artist
Lorraine Ellison   Primary Artist
Little Eva   Primary Artist
Aretha Franklin   Primary Artist
Arthur & Mary   Primary Artist
Debbie Rollins   Primary Artist
Al McCarther   Primary Artist
Kathy McCord   Primary Artist
Billy Vera & Judy Clay   Primary Artist
Tina Mason   Primary Artist
Evie Sands   Primary Artist
Dusty Springfield   Primary Artist
Madeline Bell   Primary Artist
Reparata & the Delrons   Primary Artist
Merrilee Rush   Primary Artist
Nona Hendryx   Primary Artist
Bert DeCoteaux   Director
Riley Hampton   Conductor
Belford Hendricks   Conductor
Charles Calello   Conductor
Arthur Greenslade   Director
Gary Sherman   Conductor
Garry Sherman   Conductor
Lou Levy   Musical Direction

Technical Credits

Al Gorgoni   Composer,Producer
Miles Grayson   Arranger
Duncan Cowell   Mastering
Tommy Cogbill   Producer
David Axelrod   Producer
Chris Gunning Orchestra   Arranger
Rob Shread   Audio Restoration
Henry Jerome   Producer
Dave Cavanaugh   Producer
Chips Moman   Producer
Chip Taylor   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Photo Courtesy
Flo Arpin   Photo Courtesy
Carl Davis   Producer,Producer
Ron Richards   Producer
Jerry Ragovoy   Composer,Producer
Shelby Singleton   Producer
Ted Daryll   Composer,Producer
Steve Jerome   Producer
Bob Johnston   Arranger,Producer
Mick Patrick   Liner Notes
Billy Vera   Composer,Producer,Photo Courtesy
Riley Hampton   Arranger
Jack Lewis   Producer
Clyde Otis   Producer
Curtis Mayfield   Producer
Belford Hendricks   Arranger
Charles Calello   Arranger
Chris Gunning   Arranger
John Abbott   Arranger
Wes Farrell   Composer
Gary Sherman   Arranger
Michael Randolph   Photography,Cover Photo,Photography
Joe Renda   Associate Producer
Leroy Glover   Arranger
Mike Akopoff   Producer
David Cavanaugh   Producer
Garry Sherman   Arranger
Barry Richards   Composer
Albert Gorgoni Orchestra   Composer,Producer
Tony Rounce   Liner Notes
Ray Stevens   Arranger