Box Tops
The Box Tops would have been as pop mainstream as the Turtles if it weren't for one thing - Alex Chilton, hailing from Memphis, along with the other Box Tops, was one of those rare authentic voices. The group's biggest hit was "The Letter." A lean, economical song with a driving drum beat and acoustic guitar. The horns kick the way horns should without weighing things down. There was even a jet plane sound effect ("gimme a ticket for an airplane"). But it was Chilton's voice, riding over the top with equal parts force and desperation, that provided the hook. In less than two minutes it was a compact Rock 'n' Roll passion play.
The Box Tops followed with "Cry Like A Baby," paying homage to the experimentation of the late '60s, had the guitar sound like a sitar. This gimmick aside, it was Chilton's vocals that delivered the goods. The band had minor hits with "Soul Deep," a funky mid-tempo song, the socially aware "Sweet Cream Ladies" and they psychedelic-pop "Neon Rainbow." Constant personnel changes took its toll but so did the times. Their R&B/Rock fusion was out of style. Chilton eventually went on to Big Star which was something of a dead end before entering into a haphazard solo career. Ironically, it wasn't until the '80s that Chilton got the respect due. People discovering or remembering, an exceptional talent.
"The Letter," "Cry Like A Baby" and "Soul Deep" were the Box Tops' hits. Driven by Alex Chilton's soulful Memphis vocals the Box Tops were not an album group. They filled their albums covering Motown, Soul and pop songs. Not bad, but not real creative. "The Best of the Box Tops" provides the hits and other notable tracks. Alex Chilton, continued as a solo. While never hugely successful he did have loyal and faithful fans. "Chilton's 19 Years: A Collection" is for them.