Almost everyone knows that The Beatles’ “Yesterday” is the most covered song in the world. But the song that would be right behind “Yesterday” is “Wild Thing” by the Troggs. The Troggs consisted of Reg Presley (lead vocals), Ronnie Bond (drums), Pete Staples (bass and backing vocals), and Chris Britton (lead guitar and backing vocals). Sadly Ronnie Bond died in 1992 and Reg Presley in 2013. There is also a new version of The Troggs with Chris Britton as the only original member. The original Troggs were an English Garage band that formed in Andover, Hampshire in 1964 and had hits such as “With a Girl Like You,” ”Love is All Around,” and their biggest in 1966, “Wild Thing.”
So What’s The Story Behind “Wild Thing”
Chip Taylor The Songwriter
The song was written by Chip Taylor, whose real name is John Wesley Voight (his brother is actor Jon Voight) which makes him the uncle to Angelina Jolie. Taylors’ first band, Town & Country Brothers, formed around 1958 and played Irish bars in the area. They shopped different labels with their demos and were consistently turned down until Henry Glover from King Records signed them to a contract. After releasing several singles with no success, Taylor stopped performing and became a songwriter, selling his songs to other artists. He put a trio together and used them to cut demos. One of his songs was sent to Chet Atkins, (yea that Chet Atkins) a famous guitar player and record producer for RCA Records. Chet cut the song with a few different artists and it became somewhat of a hit. Chip signed a deal with a publishing company and became a songwriter with a salary.
Taylor’s Life Changes
Taylors’ life changed forever in 1965 when producer Gerry Granahan called him and said he needed a song for a group he was working with called Jordan Christopher and The Wild Ones. The only problem was that he needed it by tomorrow. So Taylor went into the studio and started playing his guitar. A few minutes later, the famous lines of the song were born: “Wild Thing I think I love you/But I wanna know for sure/Come on and hold me tight/You move me.” Taylor had the engineer turn the lights down and leave the tape running so he could sing whatever came to mind. Taylor says, “I just wanted to think about looking at a sexy girl and saying something to her.”
But, the Wild Ones recorded the song in a blues style and it went nowhere. The demo of “Wild Thing” made it’s way to England in 1966 and caught the attention of The Troggs’ producer Larry Page. Page wanted the song to be a B-side cover of The Lovin Spoonful’s “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind” but the band won the fight and “Wild Thing” released as A-side. It only took two takes to get the recording that was released. Taylor says, “the pauses and the hesitations are a result of not knowing what I was going to do next.”
Reg Presley And “Wild Thing”
anks to the voice of Reg Presley, ”Wild Thing” had that raw garage sound that made you want to listen to what he had to say. ”Wild Thing” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts in 1966 and was released simultaneously with two different record labels, Atco and Fontana. Because both singles used the same master recording, the researchers of the Billboard Hot 100 decided to combine the two singles into one chart position, making it the only No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 offered by two different labels. Hundreds of versions have been recorded since, including versions by Jeff Beck, Sam Kinison, and Warren Zevon. And who could forget the dramatic performance by Jimi Hendrix when he set his guitar on fire at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival? The song was also used in the 1989 film “Major League” and its 1994 sequel “Major League II.” A version by Cheap Trick was used in the film “Encino Man” and its soundtrack album.
Chip Taylor also wrote the smash hit “Angel of the Morning” by Merrilee Rush in 1968, Juice Newton in 1981 and it was sampled in the song “Angel” by Shaggy in 2000.
Inducted Into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame
In 2016, Chip Taylor was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame. Throughout the years, Taylor has recorded numerous albums including “Let’s Leave This Town” with fiddle player Carrie Rodriguez. I recommend checking out “Sweet Tequila Blues” from that album. You won’t be disappointed.
