Description
Label Review.
Four albums 1967-1969 plus 7 bonus tracks. BGO.
Our Overview.
The Box Tops were an American band who formed in Memphis in 1967 and their frontman was 16 year old Alex Chilton. They had instant success when their debut single “The Letter” went to No.1 in their home country and also scored in the UK making the Top 5. The young group traded in what was then called “Blue-eyed soul”, a term still in use today to described white singers tackling black soul. The first album which was un-imaginitvely titled after their first two singles and just contained covers as their management was unconvinced of the songs that Chilton was writing at the time. Most of their material was written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham.
They had another big smash in 1968 with “Cry Like A Baby” which was also the title of their second album. Their success began to dry up after this although they had one more big hit in 1969 with “Soul Deep”. Band members began to leave and by early 1970 having realised they had been fleeced and disrespected by managers, agents and tour promoters during their short career, Alex Chilton split the group but that didn’t stop their label Bell from issuing more singles from unreleased material. Chilton would go on to form Big Star who although failed to make an impact at the time are now revered as one of the early “Power Pop” groups.
Tracklisting.
Disc 1: The Letter / She Knows How / Trains & Boats & Planes / Break My Mind / Whiter Shade Of Pale / Everything I Am / Neon Rainbow / People Make The World / I’m Your Puppet / Happy Times / Gonna Find Somebody / I Pray For Rain / Cry Like A Baby / Deep In Kentucky / I’m The One For You / Weeping Analeah / Every Time / Fields Of Clover / The Letter / Trouble With Sam / Lost / Good Morning Dear / 727 / You Keep Me Hanging On / The Door You Closed To Me / Georgia Farm Boy / Take Me To Your Heart / Come On Honey / You Keep Tightening Up On Me
Disc 2: Choo Choo Train / I’m Movin’ On / Sandman / She Shot A Hole In My Soul / People Gonna Talk / I Met Her In Church / Rock Me Baby / Rollin’ In My Sleep / I Can Dig It / Yesterday Where’s My Mind / If I Had Let You In / Soul Deep / I Shall Be Released / Midnight Angel / Together / I’ll Hold Out My Hand / I Must Be The Devil / Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March / (The) Happy Song / Ain’t No Way / I See Only Sunshine / Rock Me Baby / King’s Highway / Since I Been Gone / Lay Your Shine On Me