The Best of the Box Tops

by The Box Tops

Overview

The one thing that lifts the Box Tops out of the pack of bubblegum groups that flooded AM radio in the mid- to late '60s was the blue-eyed Memphis soul voice of the then-teenaged Alex Chilton, and coupled with Dan Penn's deep South production, the group managed two memorable singles, 1967's "The Letter" and 1968's "Cry Like a Baby," along with a couple of decent near-misses, "Neon Rainbow" and "Choo Choo Train." The Box Tops' albums were mostly thrown-together affairs, however, with far more potential than execution, and although Chilton's voice is often a thing to behold, the material tended toward covers or half-realized Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham compositions. This 18-track set collects most of the group's key sides, including all of the above recordings, but the truth is, as long as you have "The Letter" and "Cry Like a Baby," you're probably set. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	10/01/1996
Label:	Arista / Bmg / Sony Music Entertainment
UPC:	0886976929725
Rank:	44000

Tracks

1. The Letter
2. Neon Rainbow
3. Happy Times
4. Cry Like a Baby
5. Fields of Clover
6. Choo Choo Train
7. She Shot a Hole in My Soul
8. People Gonna Talk
9. I Met Her in Church
10. Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March
11. Together
12. I Must Be the Devil
13. Soul Deep
14. I Shall Be Released
15. Happy Song
16. Turn on a Dream
17. I See Only Sunshine
18. You Keep Tightening Up on Me

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Box Tops   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Dan Penn   Producer
Chips Moman   Producer
Fritts   Composer
Joel Brodsky   Photography
C. Neese   Composer
Bill Cunningham   Group Member
Rick Allen   Group Member
Sheri G. Lee   Art Direction
Gary Talley   Group Member
Tom Boggs   Group Member
Bob Irwin   Mastering,Compilation Producer
Spooner Oldham   Composer
Wayne Carson   Composer
Wayne Jackson   Horn Arrangements
Mike Leech   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Mitchell Cohen   Liner Notes
Tommy Cogbill   Producer
Alex Chilton   Composer,Group Member
Glen Spreen   Horn Arrangements