Speaking to Gianluca Tramontana from his Manhattan flat, Chip said he began as the frontman of a band, then turned to writing for others during the early pop era, soon encompassing R&B, rock and classic country: Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Janis Joplin, Willie Nelson and Nina Simone all recorded his songs. 
Born in 1940 in New York, James Voight was son of a golf professional. His brother Jon Voight became a successful actor, as did his niece Angelina Jolie, and brother Dr Barry Voight became a top scientist. Taylor wrote his first song at 12, and by 16 he was fronting his group. After two regional hits, a tour with Neil Sedaka and the name change to Chip Taylor, he became a solo artist at Warner Brothers in 1962, and selling songs to publishers.
Music publisher Jerry Tyfer sent Taylor’s Springtime to Chet Atkins, the producer behind the country’s sophisticated Nashville Sound, who sent Tyfer back a note saying: “It’s very hard for me to believe Chip Taylor’s from New York but wherever he’s from, I want to hear every song he writes.” So Atkins recorded 6 Taylor songs, as a staff writer at April Blackwood Music, CBS’s publishing arm.
He was best known for a raunchy song, the three-chord groin-thrust of the Troggs’ Wild Thing, and one of history’s most epic power ballads in Angel of the Morning (1967). But his songs flowed from a much quieter, cooler place. There was a certain chilly stillness that he got through his body. It didn’t mean it was going to be successful, but it meant if he could get enough of that spirit, it would be worthwhile.
On Broadway, there was action: Neil Sedaka, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Bert “Twist and Shout” Berns, Howie “Is This the Way to Amarillo” Greenfield, and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were his fellow writers. Every office in the publishing company had a desk, phone, piano and sofa, so little meetings happened there and as did song-writing. Taylor’s boyhood blues and country music allowed him to bridge the chasm between New York and Nashville. When asked why his songs were in so many different genres, Taylor said his music didn’t have to fit one kind. It was soulful. Any Way That You Want Me was recorded by Spiritualised and several other bands, yet it was a big rhythm and blues hit by others.
In Any Way That You Want Me, he got into the spirit of a woman and let the words flow. It was inspired by a war film that he’d seen on tv, where two lovers on different sides of the war were spending any time they could together. People thought it was casual, but this was a most powerful love of two separated people.
Taylor’s song-writing flow was blocked by horse-racing and he pored over betting forms every night. Even mobster Meyer Lansky’s organisation acted as Taylor’s bookie. Eventually Lansky’s man bought him beautiful whiskey for Christmas and birthdays. Why? The answer was “You’re one of our best customers!”
In 1965 staff writer Taylor got a call that changed his career: A&R man Gerry Granahan needed a rock song for N.Y band The Wild Ones. Most of his success had been country, with few rock hits. In the excitement of a demo session already booked, he held the guitar and started singing; immediately Wild Thing was born. He just wrote one verse and chorus, and couldn’t come up with more. Then he realised he could just say the same thing, changing a few words. Before the 5pm demo session, he went into the studio, dimmed the lights and winged it; engineer Ron Johnson made sounds blowing into his cupped hands, which became a wind-instrument solo on the eventual Troggs record.
The song endures. At Troggs singer Reg Presley’s 2013 funeral, there were Troggs hits during the service. When Wild Thing played as Reg was cremated, they stood, fist pumping, crying and singing.
Wild Thing was a US #1 and a UK #2 in 1966, and was soon given an unforgettable Jimi Hendrix live rendition. Another 1966 song, I Can’t Let Go, was a UK #2 for the Hollies and later a 1980 US hit for Linda Rondstat. Angel of the Morning topped the US and UK charts ages after it was written, by Pretenders and Merrilee Rush.
Taylor grew frustrated with Capitol Records’ lack of backing for his latest solo release by 1980, and for another 14 years his part-time gambling became full-time. Except for Papa Come Quick for Bonnie Raitt in 1991, there was nothing. But when his mother was ill, he played by her bedside, and suddenly the spirit started to creep back. He gave up gambling totally and would play music for whoever wanted to hear him play. His 1996 comeback album was Hitman.
His latest album of 27 new songs, Cradle of All Living Things by Train Wreck Records has mostly intimate, delicate songs with a farewell quality, songs Grandpa might leave his grandchildren. Taylor is having chemotherapy and radiation, and he (aged 83) and his wife are getting older; she’s had some strokes and they want more time together. Fortunately his guitar and his songs are still about his love for the family.
Tramontana asks him for the newest song giving him chills. Taylor recently wrote The Blessing coming out of church with his wife. Jesus wasn’t a songwriter, but he might appreciate a good song. So after all these decades writing songs, yes, Chip is still chasing the chill.
Chip Taylor, 2019
Rochester City News
Music publisher Jerry Tyfer sent Taylor’s Springtime to Chet Atkins, the producer behind the country’s sophisticated Nashville Sound, who sent Tyfer back a note saying: “It’s very hard for me to believe Chip Taylor’s from New York but wherever he’s from, I want to hear every song he writes.” So Atkins recorded 6 Taylor songs, as a staff writer at April Blackwood Music, CBS’s publishing arm.
He was best known for a raunchy song, the three-chord groin-thrust of the Troggs’ Wild Thing, and one of history’s most epic power ballads in Angel of the Morning (1967). But his songs flowed from a much quieter, cooler place. There was a certain chilly stillness that he got through his body. It didn’t mean it was going to be successful, but it meant if he could get enough of that spirit, it would be worthwhile.
On Broadway, there was action: Neil Sedaka, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Bert “Twist and Shout” Berns, Howie “Is This the Way to Amarillo” Greenfield, and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil were his fellow writers. Every office in the publishing company had a desk, phone, piano and sofa, so little meetings happened there and as did song-writing. Taylor’s boyhood blues and country music allowed him to bridge the chasm between New York and Nashville. When asked why his songs were in so many different genres, Taylor said his music didn’t have to fit one kind. It was soulful. Any Way That You Want Me was recorded by Spiritualised and several other bands, yet it was a big rhythm and blues hit by others.
In Any Way That You Want Me, he got into the spirit of a woman and let the words flow. It was inspired by a war film that he’d seen on tv, where two lovers on different sides of the war were spending any time they could together. People thought it was casual, but this was a most powerful love of two separated people.
Taylor’s song-writing flow was blocked by horse-racing and he pored over betting forms every night. Even mobster Meyer Lansky’s organisation acted as Taylor’s bookie. Eventually Lansky’s man bought him beautiful whiskey for Christmas and birthdays. Why? The answer was “You’re one of our best customers!”
In 1965 staff writer Taylor got a call that changed his career: A&R man Gerry Granahan needed a rock song for N.Y band The Wild Ones. Most of his success had been country, with few rock hits. In the excitement of a demo session already booked, he held the guitar and started singing; immediately Wild Thing was born. He just wrote one verse and chorus, and couldn’t come up with more. Then he realised he could just say the same thing, changing a few words. Before the 5pm demo session, he went into the studio, dimmed the lights and winged it; engineer Ron Johnson made sounds blowing into his cupped hands, which became a wind-instrument solo on the eventual Troggs record.
The song endures. At Troggs singer Reg Presley’s 2013 funeral, there were Troggs hits during the service. When Wild Thing played as Reg was cremated, they stood, fist pumping, crying and singing.
Wild Thing was a US #1 and a UK #2 in 1966, and was soon given an unforgettable Jimi Hendrix live rendition. Another 1966 song, I Can’t Let Go, was a UK #2 for the Hollies and later a 1980 US hit for Linda Rondstat. Angel of the Morning topped the US and UK charts ages after it was written, by Pretenders and Merrilee Rush.
Taylor grew frustrated with Capitol Records’ lack of backing for his latest solo release by 1980, and for another 14 years his part-time gambling became full-time. Except for Papa Come Quick for Bonnie Raitt in 1991, there was nothing. But when his mother was ill, he played by her bedside, and suddenly the spirit started to creep back. He gave up gambling totally and would play music for whoever wanted to hear him play. His 1996 comeback album was Hitman.
The three brothers: Jon Voight, Chip Taylor and Barry Voight
Songwriters Hall of Fame, Music Award Ceremony 2016
Tramontana asks him for the newest song giving him chills. Taylor recently wrote The Blessing coming out of church with his wife. Jesus wasn’t a songwriter, but he might appreciate a good song. So after all these decades writing songs, yes, Chip is still chasing the chill.
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16 comments:
It is amazing that you managed to know him this long without even meeting in person once. That is a true definition of pen mal.
Wild Thing and, even better, Angel of the Morning were two of the songs from the 1960s that I remember best. Chip Taylor marked our era for ever
His career has been amazing. I didn't realize there was more talent in the family than just the 2 famous actor members. What a great read. Happy Passover; I hope you get in lots of reading.
A very clever family. I had Wild Thing by the Troggs in my singles collection. I am singing it now in my head as I write this.
You were a Janis Joplin fan. Remember Try Just a Little Bit Harder, by Chip Taylor?
roentare
Hels said mirc came before most of the social media we know now. Social media were interactive technologies where people shared, _in real time_, lots of typed information. Hels met the other Australian mirc friends at Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide dinner parties, but going overseas would have been too expensive back then.
By the way, there were 25 weddings WITHIN our mirc channel in the 1993-2002 era, so people were in fact getting together very closely :)
LMK
Hels agreed that Wild Thing and Angel of the Morning were great songs that she still knows the words to. But she didn't know the name Chip Taylor till 1993. The middle-late 1960s produced very memorable music.
Erika
Hels wishes you happy holidays too. The Voights were an extremely talented family, and very ambitious for each of the children and grandchildren. Jon's son and Angelina's brother (James Haven) also did very well as an award winning executive producer of documentaries, of short films and executive board director of Artivist, a human rights festival in Los Angeles each year.
Rachel
Hels said that people remember the words and notes of songs they learned decades ago, even if they are forgetting where they left the house keys last night. The 1965 words of Wild Thing will stay in your brain for ever :)
Uni Friend
Hels was passionate about Janis Joplin, and loved Remember Try Just a Little Bit Harder. But she didn't ever know or remember it was written by Chip Taylor. What were your favourite songs from back then?
Songs from a Dutch Tour: The Book tells of how in 2001 Chip Taylor met fiddle player Carrie Rodriguez and for the six years they toured the world together as a folk club act. When the partnership ended, it was then he found that he had a huge fan base in the Netherlands and he headed over for a big tour. He also kept a journal and wrote more songs between performances.
All this comes together in this book with an enclosed music CD. Taylor starts out by telling the reader about his early life, writing songs and his fall into the gambling addiction. This fills the first 32 pages of heavily illustrated text. The rest of the book consists of diary entries and the stories behind the 12 songs on the enclosed CD. Full final lyrics are also included in the back along with LOTS of photos.
Thank you very much for that.
I must see which public libraries in Australia have a copy of the book, and otherwise ask my favourite TAFE librarian to buy a copy.
Well, a few surprises there. I only knew Chip Taylor for Wild Thing & Angel of the Morning. I'm stunned to learn that he is Jon Voight's brother! He seems to have lived a real creative person's life, struggling with gambling and overcoming his troubles. Really interesting post!
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Chip Taylor , a talented song writer, raised in a talented family. Like many other artists he fell into gambling, but ultimately overcame it - which shows something about his strength of character.
bazza
I know everyone has to struggle with their own mental and physical health, especially after 50. But there is something about making a living and reputation in a creative career that is sooo vulnerable. What happens if potential buyers don't like your acting, music, art, poetry or whatever?
So it never surprise us that vulnerable workers might well turn, in difficult times, to booze, gambling, drugs etc. By the time I "met" Chip, he had sorted most of the issues, thank goodness.
DUTA
very talented parents and siblings can put a lot of pressure to achieve on the youngest children in any family. Chip loved the entire Voight family... that was never the problem. But doing well in his own career, in a competitive area like the music industry, was not going to be a pushover. He turned out to be very talented and very successful in his own right.
And he had an important impact on my life :)
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