Search - Fancy :: Wild Thing

Eric K. (SoulfulStuff)
Reviewed on 12/31/2017...

This British group from the 1970s had two top 20
American hits, both in 1974: "Wild Thing," the Troggs/Hendrix
classic, hit #14, and the follow-up, an original called "Touch Me,"
reached #19. The two hits racked up a combined 27 weeks on the
Hot 100. The band were essentially UK studio musicians fronted by
singer Annie Kavanagh. This is a reissue of the group's first LP,
issued here in the USA on Big Tree records at the time. Like many
Collectables reissues, this one is minus any meaningful liner notes,
etc. You get the music but not much more.

Besides the hits, the original "Between the Devil and Me" sounds a
lot like Brit pop from about eight years later...think Bow Wow Wow or
Adam & the Ants. And there's a worthwhile version of the Leiber/Stoller
oldie "I'm a Woman" (Peggy Lee, 1963 & Maria Muldaur, 1975). Kavanagh's
vampy vocals and some serious guitar work make the overall effort
convincing more often than not. In 1989, the track "Feel Good" was sampled
by the Beastie Boys on "Paul's Boutique."

Oddly, Fancy didn't chart anything at all in their native England.
One additional LP was released but it yielded no further hits and that
was it. Guess that makes them a "two-hit wonder."