Originally called The Troglodytes, the Troggs formed in 1964 and were signed by the manager of The Kinks, Larry Page in 1965. They recorded on Page's Page One Records, and Page also leased them to CBS for debut single "Lost Girl". Their most famous hit was the single "Wild Thing" (written by Chip Taylor), which with the help of television exposure on Thank Your Lucky Stars reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the United States in June 1966. Its combination of a simple heavy guitar riff and flirtatious lyrics helped it to quickly become a garage rock standard. It was recorded in one complete take (take two) at Olympic Studios in London, with Keith Grant engineering. Because of a dispute over US distribution rights, "Wild Thing" was released (along with the first album of the same name) on two labels: Fontana and Atco. The band's success in the US was also limited by not touring there until 1968.
They also had a number of other hits, including "With a Girl Like You" (a UK number 1 in July 1966, US number 29), "I Can't Control Myself" (a UK number 2 in September 1966 -- this was also their second and final dual-label release in the US, with Fontana retaining the rights to all subsequent releases), "Anyway That You Want Me" (UK number 10 in December 1966), all at Olympic Studios, "Night of the Long Grass" (UK number 17 in May 1967), and "Love Is All Around" (UK number 5 in October 1967 and US number 7 in February 1968). With chart success eluding the band, they split up in March 1969. Ronnie Bond was the first to release a solo record, with the "Anything For You" single in March 1969, followed in April by Reg Presley with "Lucinda Lee". Chris Britton released a solo album, As I Am, the same year. The band reformed later that year, with former Plastic Penny bassist Tony Murray replacing Staples, and in 1974, after a spell on Pye Records, in an attempt to re-create their 1960s successes, the Troggs re-united with Larry Page, now running Penny Farthing Records. The resulting cover version of the Beach Boys hit "Good Vibrations" did not capture the public's imagination. A reggae version of "Wild Thing" also failed to chart. The band found a sympathetic ear at French label New Rose in the 1980s, the label releasing 1982's Black Bottom LP and 1990's AU.
In 1991, the Troggs recorded Athens Andover, an eleven-song collaboration between themselves and three members of R.E.M. It was recorded in the American band's hometown of Athens, Georgia, and was released in March 1992.
The band attempted to capitalize on this new exposure with a couple of bizarre collaborations on new versions of "Wild Thing". In 1992 they teamed up with notorious drinkers Oliver Reed and Alex Higgins, with another version the following year featuring Wolf from the TV show Gladiators, which actually reached number 69 in the UK Singles Chart.
The band's original drummer, Ronnie Bond, died in 1992. Dave Wright, another founding member, died on 10 October 2008.
Legacy and influence
The Troggs are widely seen as a highly influential band whose sound was one inspiration for garage rock and punk rock. For example, Iggy Pop of the Stooges has cited[citation needed] the Troggs as influential to their sound, and the early version of British pop-punk pioneers Buzzcocks featured I Can't Control Myself in their live repertoire. The Ramones are also amongst punk bands who cited the Troggs as an influence. The MC5 covered "I Want You" at their live shows and recorded the song for the album "Kick out the Jams", although they renamed it "I Want You Right Now".
The Jimi Hendrix Experience famously covered "Wild Thing" during their appearance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, introducing it as the British/American joint "national anthem", and climaxing with Hendrix burning his guitar.[2]
In 1990, the first hit for the band Spiritualized was a cover of "Anyway That You Want Me". This cover was later used in the movie Me and You and Everyone We Know.
"With a Girl Like You" is featured uncut in a school dance scene from the 1991 Nicole Kidman/Noah Taylor movie Flirting.
In 1991, "Love Is All Around" was covered by R.E.M. during live performances and was released later that year as a B-side on their "Radio Song" single. They also performed an acoustic version of the song on MTV Unplugged.
In 1994, Scottish band Wet Wet Wet's version of the song spent fifteen weeks at number one in the UK after its inclusion in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
A modified version of "Love Is All Around" was featured in the film Love Actually (2003), performed by actor Bill Nighy.
An in-studio tape of Reg Presley's running commentary on a recording session, filled with in-fighting and swearing (known as "The Troggs Tapes") was widely circulated in the music underground, and was included in the Archaeology box set. The in-group infighting is believed to be the inspiration for a scene in the comedy film This Is Spinal Tap where the band members are arguing. Some of this dialogue was sampled by the California punk band The Dwarves on their recording of a cover version of the Troggs song "Strange Movies".
In January 2012, after over 40 years of touring, Reg Presley retired due to lung cancer, apparently ending the Troggs. However, the remaining members, Chris Britton (guitar), Pete Lucas (bass) and Dave Maggs (drums) are continuing the Troggs. They are joined by special guest Chris Allen on lead vocals, who has been in the Denny Laine Band, the Commitments and part time with the Animals.
Reg Presley died on 4 February 2013.
With A Girl Like You
The Troggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
And do all the things that you want me to
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
'Till that time has come that we might live as one
Can I dance with you
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
I can tell by the way you dress that you're so refined
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
And by the way you talk that you're just my kind
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
Girl why should it be that you don't notice me
Can I dance with you
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
Baby baby, is there no chance
I can take you for the last dance
All night long, yeah, I've been waiting
Now there'll be no hesitating
So before this dance has reached the end
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
To you across the floor my love I'll send
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
I just hope and pray that I'll find a way to say
Can I dance with you
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
The Troggs's song, With a Girl Like You, is a love song about a guy who has feelings for a girl that he thinks is perfect. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her doing everything she wants. The song starts with the guy saying, "I want to spend my life with a girl like you and do all the things that you want me to," which is a declaration of love. The ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba that follows the lyrics provides a catchy rhythm that adds to the playful and fun tone of the song.
The guy admires how the girl dresses and talks, and he thinks that she is just his type. However, he cannot help but wonder why she has not noticed him. He pleads with her, saying "Can I dance with you" in the hopes that she will give him a chance.
The chorus of the song expresses the guy's desire to dance with the girl and take her on the last dance of the night. He also hopes to find a way to tell her that he likes her.
Overall, With a Girl Like You is an upbeat and playful song that expresses a guy's love for a girl and his desire to dance with her.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to spend my life with a girl like you
I desire to spend my entire life with a girl who is like you
Ba ba ba ba bah ba ba ba ba
Repetitive syllables with no specific meaning
And do all the things that you want me to
I am willing to do everything that you desire
'Till that time has come that we might live as one
Until the time we can live together as a couple
Can I dance with you
May I have the pleasure of dancing with you?
I can tell by the way you dress that you're so refined
Your choice of clothing suggests that you have refined taste
And by the way you talk that you're just my kind
The way you speak makes me feel like we are a good match
Girl why should it be that you don't notice me
I wonder why you have not paid any attention to me
Baby baby, is there no chance
Dear, is there no possibility
I can take you for the last dance
May I have the honor of dancing with you for the final dance
All night long, yeah, I've been waiting
I have been eagerly waiting all night long
Now there'll be no hesitating
I won't hesitate anymore
So before this dance has reached the end
Before this dance comes to a close
To you across the floor my love I'll send
I'll send my love to you from across the dance floor
I just hope and pray that I'll find a way to say
I am hoping and praying that I'll find the courage to ask
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: REG PRESLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind