Recorded - April 1, 1966
Released - April 1966 (UK), May 1966 (US)
#1 for weeks of July 30 and August 6, 1966.
This is what I love most about the 1960's - Garage rock actually stood a chance at reaching the top of the pop chart! This would almost never happen in today's pop scene and that's a shame. This is also our second garage rock #1 in a row yet this time, we have a band from the UK.
The UK equivalent of "Garage Rock" was called "Freakbeat". If you think American garage rock rarities are esoteric, then Freakbeat is even more unknown to the casual music listener. Regardless, it is a genre that is well worth checking out, especially when we have such songs as "Making Time" by The Creation, "Take A Heart" by The Sorrows, and of course, "Wild Thing".
The Troggs were led by the late Reg Presley, who had a unique voice that inspired countless proto-punk and classic punk bands. "Wild Thing" epitomizes the punk ethos: It is "Three chords and the truth". On top of that, there is an abundance of distorted guitar, which gives "Wild Thing" a much heavier feel than most songs from the time period. There is also an unexpected and awesome ocarina solo. Seriously, who could have expected to hear an ocarina solo on a garage rock record?
The Troggs are often incorrectly referred to as one hit wonders due to the massive success of "Wild Thing". However, since several of their singles such as "I Can't Control Myself" and "Love Is All Around" charted rather high in both the US and UK, that one hit wonder theory is debunked. The Troggs would actually continue well into the 1970's, something that many of these garage/freakbeat bands failed to accomplish.
Final Verdict - Its subsequent influence combined with the song's near-universal likability makes me rate "Wild Thing" pretty high up on the list of top songs from 1966. It is a classic that doesn't show any sign of aging.
Coming Up Next - "Summer In The City" by The Loving Spoonful".
Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock and I make everything...groovy -
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