It’d be terribly remiss of me to cop like the Sneaky Pinks emerged fresh from the void without any discernable spiritual antecedents. Their seams show plenty and the more obvious influences are easy enough to roll call, but an obscure duo left just as resonant an impact: Teddy and Darrel.
Teddy and Darrel (allegedly the noms de guerre of Theodore Charach and Mike Curb) were responsible for cutting These Are The Hits You Silly Savage!! for the Mira label in 1966. Twelve contemporary hits were run through the swisher and packaged for sale to a potentially teeming hoard of fagulous music lovers. Despite their overly optimistic expectations, you certainly can’t knock ‘em for a prescient appreciation of their current audience.
Those lavender lads also elected to release two cuts as a 45. While I would’ve personally selected I’m Hungry or These Boots are Made For Walking as the b-side, the flip is the clear winner. Wild Thing is a sublime reworking of the Troggs chestnut—replete with a fuzz workout (Davie Allan?) and breathy cooing.
mmmmhmmmm AA Songs: Wild Thing / Strangers in the Night
