This collection highlights the career of Memphis-based combo THE BOX TOPS, combining all 4 of their original, long-deleted and highly regarded 1960s albums, on one essential Double CD set. Effectively, the complete Box Tops The Original Albums 1967–1969. One of the finest blue eyed-soul, hit-making groups of the 1960s led by the late, revered cult figure Alex Chilton, the group’s music also encompassed touches of country soul and psych-pop. “In his teenage years, Chilton was an amazingly gritty Memphis soul belter akin to an American version of the Spencer Davis Group’s Stevie Winwood” (All Music). With their roots in southern soul and under the mentorship of the great Chips Moman and Dan Penn, The Box Tops went on to significant hit-making success.
Driven by the southern song writing geniuses Dan Penn / Spooner Oldham and Wayne Carson Thompson, their hits included ‘The Letter’ (US Billboard #1), ‘*Cry Like A Baby*’ (US Billboard #2; “*A perfect slice of blue-eyed soul*” All Music), ‘*Neon Rainbow*’, ‘*Soul Deep*’ and ‘*I Met Her In Church*’, all of which are included on this double disc. Under the expert production guidance of Penn and recorded at Moman’s renowned American Recording Studios in Memphis, the group’s four albums for the Bell label stand up remarkably well as prime examples of the genre. Featuring liner notes by noted writer and southern soul aficionado Keith Glass, the collection boasts a 12-page color booklet with rare images. With superb quality audio, these 51 tracks encompass the four original albums and seven bonus tracks including the mono singles versions of ‘*The Letter*’ and ‘*Cry Like A Baby*’ and the non-LP 45s ‘*I See Only Sunshine*’, ‘*You Keep Tightening Up On Me*’ and ‘Since I Been Gone’.