Any Way That You Want Me Explained

Any Way That You Want Me
Cover:The Troggs Any Way That You Want Me.jpg
Caption:West German picture sleeve
Type:single
Artist:the Troggs
B-Side:66-5-4-3-2-1
Released:[1]
Genre:
Label:Page One
Producer:Larry Page
Prev Title:I Can't Control Myself
Prev Year:1966
Next Title:Give It to Me
Next Year:1967

"Any Way That You Want Me" is a song written by Chip Taylor that was first released in September 1966 by Tina Mason as the B-side to her single "Finders Keepers".[2] It has been covered by a number of artists, with the most successful version being by English rock band the Troggs.

The Troggs version

Release and reception

Chip Taylor had previously written "Wild Thing", which had become an international hit for the Troggs earlier in 1966. After a further two hit singles, the Troggs chose to cover another of his compositions, "Any Way That You Want Me". However, it was very different from the Troggs' previous releases, as it was a gentler pop ballad compared to their garage rock songs.[3]

Released in December 1966, "Any Way That You Want Me" proved to be a success, becoming a top-ten hit in the UK in January 1966. However, it wasn't released in North America until April 1967 following the release of "Give It to Me" as a single there in February 1967.[4] It failed to be as successful as the Troggs' earlier singles there, completely missing the charts. The B-side, "66-5-4-3-2-1", was written by lead vocalist Reg Presley and was originally called "I Know What You Want", but was changed following the controversy of the band's previous single "I Can't Control Myself".[5]

Reviewing for Record Mirror, Peter Jones described "Any Way That You Want Me" as "either the best the boys have done – or the worst. Depends if you like hearing classical-style cellos behind their soft, ballady type of image. In fact, it's a very good song by Chip "Wild Thing" Taylor, and is well sung".[6] Penny Valentine for Disc and Music Echo described it as having "an insidiousness that makes it linger in your mind, not in the brash heavy-handed way of all the other Troggs successes, but in a subtle warm loving way. Which is very nice".[7] Melody Maker wrote that "although Reg Presley sings well – his vocal style seems to have undergone a startling change – and the arrangement is clever, the song isn't exactly earth shattering. In parts it sounds like a Boston Pops version of "Twist and Shout" played at half speed".[8] Cash Box described it as a "shuffling, easy-going, melodic, gentle romancer".[9]

Charts

Chart (1967)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 76
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[11] 16
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[12] 6
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[13] 12
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[14] 5
UK Disc and Music Echo Top 50[15] 4
UK Melody Maker Top 50[16] 4
UK New Musical Express Top 30[17] 6
UK Record Retailer Top 50[18] 8

Other cover versions

Notes and References

  1. 26 November 1966. Troggs for '67 San Remo Festival!. Record Mirror. 4. 8 October 2022.
  2. Web site: Tina Mason - Finders Keepers . 45cat. 2022-10-08.
  3. Web site: Carter . Malcolm . Troggs - 1941-2013 . 2022-10-08 . www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk . en.
  4. Web site: The Troggs - Any Way That You Want Me . 45cat. 2022-10-09.
  5. 10 December 1966 . Troggs to record in Germany–& B-side change . . 4 . 9 October 2022.
  6. 10 December 1966 . New Singles . . 9 . 9 October 2022.
  7. 10 December 1966 . Troggs' new sound is a hit . . 19 . 9 October 2022.
  8. 10 December 1966 . New Records: Pop . . 13 . 9 October 2022.
  9. 29 April 1967 . Record Reviews . . 24 . 9 October 2022.
  10. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. . 2005. 0-646-44439-5. Kent Music Report.
  11. Web site: danskehitlister.dk. 2022-10-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20160409122657/http://danskehitlister.dk/?hitlist_id=12&y=1967&hitlist_item_id=1070. 2016-04-09.
  12. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (T) . https://web.archive.org/web/20161028224258/https://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(T).html . 28 October 2016 . 2022-10-08 . Rock.co.za.
  13. Web site: Troggs - Se alla låtar och listplaceringar . 2022-10-08 . NostalgiListan . sv.
  14. Book: Hallberg, Eric . Tio i Topp - med de utslagna "på försök" 1961–74 . Henningsson . Ulf . Premium . 383 . 2012 . 978-91-89136-89-2 . sv.
  15. 21 January 1967. Top 50. Disc and Music Echo. 3. 8 October 2022.
  16. 17 January 1967. Pop 50. Melody Maker. 2. 8 October 2022.
  17. 21 January 1967. NME Top Thirty. New Musical Express.
  18. Web site: TROGGS full Official Chart History Official Charts Company . 2022-10-08 . www.officialcharts.com.
  19. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top Pop Singles 1955–2008 . Record Research . 2009 . 9780898201802 . 38, 481, 584, 855 . Joel Whitburn.
  20. Web site: H. P. Lovecraft - Anyway That You Want Me . 45cat. 2022-10-09.
  21. Web site: Unterberger . Richie . Richie Unterberger . Liner Notes for H. P. Lovecraft/H. P. Lovecraft II . 2010-07-16 . Richieunterberger.com.
  22. 26 August 1968 . The RPM 100 . . 9 . 26 . 2022-10-09 . Library and Archives Canada.
  23. 25 October 1969 . RPM 100 . . 12 . 10 . 2022-10-09 . Library and Archives Canada.
  24. Book: Kent, David . Australian Chart Book 1940–1969 . Kent Music Report . Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. . 2005 . 0-646-44439-5 . David Kent (historian).
  25. Walter Jackson . 2022-10-09 . Billboard . en-US.
  26. Web site: MARY MASON full Official Chart History Official Charts Company . 2022-10-09 . www.officialcharts.com.
  27. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn's Top Country Singles 1944–1997 . Record Research . 1998 . 9780898201291 . 69, 247.
  28. Web site: SPIRITUALIZED full Official Chart History Official Charts Company . 2022-10-09 . www.officialcharts.com.

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