A double-CD, 52-track box set that proves there was a lot more to The Troggs than "Wild Thing" and "Love Is All Around." This archetypally primitive British Invasion quartet scored many hits in the U.K. that barely dented the charts in the U.S., like "With A Girl Like You," "Night Of The Long Grass," and the notoriously racy "I Can't Control Myself." They're all here, along with notable album cuts, B-sides, and worldwide post-1968 flops.
Primitive they may have been, but The Troggs -- who wrote most of their own material -- did not lack a flair for hard pop hooks, and could display a surprising delicacy in their ballads. Several of their obscure singles and album tracks are equal in worth to their hits, like the gothic but pretty "Cousin Jane," and the witty light psychedelia of "Maybe the Madman" and "Purple Shades." Some of the '70s hard rockers and glammish novelties are unimpressive, and 52 songs is arguably excessive. But there are a fair number of obscure gems to be found on this well-annotated package.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Lost Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:34
2. The Yella In Me (Reg Presley) - 2:42
3. Wild Thing (Chip Taylor) - 2:38
4. From Home (Reg Presley) - 2:21
5. With A Girl Like You (Reg Presley) - 2:10
6. I Want You (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:19
7. Jingle Jangle (Reg Presley) - 2:31
8. Our Love Will Still Be There (Reg Presley) - 3:12
9. I Just Sing (Reg Presley) - 2:12
10.I Can't Control Myself (Reg Presley) - 3:07
11.Gonna Make You (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:51
12.Any Way That You Want Me (Chip Taylor) - 2:59
13.66-5-4-3-2-1 (Reg Presley) - 2:37
14.Give It To Me (All Your Love) (Reg Presley) - 2:17
15.I Can Only Give You Everything (Mike Coulter, Tommy Scott) - 3:27
16.You Can't Beat It (Reg Presley) - 2:25
17.Last Summer (Reg Presley) - 2:58
18.I Want You To Come Into My Life (Reg Presley) - 2:27
19.Cousin Jane (David Matthews, Larry Page) - 2:28
20.Night Of The Long Grass (Reg Presley) - 3:10
21.Girl In Black (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:04
22.Too Much Of A Good Thing (Terry Fogg, John St. John Gillard) - 2:50
23.Seventeen (Reg Presley) - 2:42
24.Her Emotion (Reg Presley) - 2:32
25.My Lady (Reg Presley) - 3:01
26.All Of The Time (Reg Presley) - 2:11
27.Somewhere My Girl Is Waiting (Artie Wayne) - 2:50
1. Love Is All Around (Reg Presley) - 3:01
2. When Will The Rain Come (Ronnie Bond) - 2:43
3. Little Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:59
4. Maybe The Madman (Chris Britton) - 2:14
5. Surprise, Surprise (I Need You) (Reg Presley) - 2:50
6. You Can Cry If You Want To(Reg Presley) - 2:53
7. Hip Hip Hooray (John Carter, Geoff Stephens) - 2:19
8. Purple Shades (Reg Presley) - 2:26
9. Heads Or Tails (Chris Britton) - 3:44
10.Evil Woman (Larry Weiss) - 2:57
11.That's What You Get Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:02
12.I Don't Know Why (Reg Presley) - 2:53
13.Easy Loving (Valerie Avon, Harold Spiro) - 3:01
14.Lover (Chris Britton) - 2:28
15.Come Now (R. Bond, C. Britton, T. Murray, R. Presley) - 2:22
16.The Raver (Reg Presley) - 2:49
17.Everything's Funny (Chris Britton, Reg Presley) - 2:14
18.Feels Like A Woman (Reg Presley) - 3:34
19.Queen Of Sorrow (Richard Moore) - 2:43
20.Strange Movies (Reg Presley) - 2:57
21.I'm On Fire (Richard Moore) - 2:15
22.Good Vibrations (Mike Love, Brian Wilson) - 3:21
23.Summertime (Ronnie Bond, Tony Murray, Reg Presley) - 3:23
24.I'll Buy You An Island (Chris Britton, Reg Presley) - 3:12
25.Get You Tonight (Richard Moore) - 2:48
Troggs
*Ronnie Bond - Drums
*Chris Britton - Lead Guitar
*Reg Presley - Lead vocals
*Peter Staples - Bass
1966 The Troggs - From Nowhere (2003 bonus tracks)
1967 The Troggs - Cellophane (2003 bonus tracks)
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