Turtle Soup


Turtle Soup is the fifth and final studio album by the American rock band the Turtles. It was released in 1969 on the White Whale Records label. The album was produced by Ray Davies of the Kinks – the first time he produced another act's record. A 1993 Repertoire Records CD issue included eight bonus tracks. A 1996 Sundazed Music reissue included two bonus tracks.
Turtle Soup peaked at number 117 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. Two singles from the album also earned a place on the Billboard Pop Singles chart: "You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain" and "Love in the City".

Recording and release

The Turtles hired Ray Davies of the Kinks to produce Turtle Soup, having admired his production of the Kinks' latest album, The Village Green Preservation Society, which was released in the United States in February1969. Recording for Turtle Soup took place at United Recording Studios in Los Angeles over two weeks, on 12–17April and 24June to. Chuck Britz served as audio engineer for the sessions, and Ray Pohlman, the musical director of the musical variety series Shindig!, provided string and horn arrangements.
Of the six songs recorded in April, "House on the Hill" was considered for release as a single, but the label withdrew its release after making promotional copies. "You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain" backed with "Come Over" was instead issued by White Whale Records in the US in May and by London Records in the UK on June 3.

Track listing

All tracks written by Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman, Al Nichol, Jim Pons and John Seiter.

Side A

  1. "Come Over" – 2:18
  2. "House on the Hill" – 2:58
  3. "She Always Leaves Me Laughing" – 2:46
  4. "How You Loved Me" – 2:56
  5. "Torn Between Temptations" – 2:45
  6. "Love in the City" – 3:37

Side B

  1. "Bachelor Mother" – 2:38
  2. "John and Julie" – 3:10
  3. "Hot Little Hands" – 4:10
  4. "Somewhere Friday Night" – 3:20
  5. "Dance This Dance" – 3:30
  6. "You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain" – 2:42

Repertoire bonus tracks

  2. "Chicken Little Was Right" – 2:53
  3. "Lady-O" – 2:53
  4. "The Last Thing I Remember" – 3:25
  5. "The Owl" – 4:26
  6. "To See the Sun" – 4:12
  7. "If We Only Had the Time" – 5:09
  8. "Can I Go On" – 3:00
  9. "Dance This Dance" – 3:17

Sundazed bonus tracks

  2. "Lady-O" – 2:54
  3. "The Last Thing I Remember" – 4:28

Manifesto bonus tracks

  2. "Goodbye Surprise" – 2:55
  3. "Like It or Not" – 3:41
  4. "There You Sit Lonely" – 3:42
  5. "Can I Go On" – 2:59
  6. "You Want to Be a Woman" – 3:25
  7. "If We Only Had the Time" – 5:11
  8. "Dance This Dance With Me" – 3:17
  9. "Come Over" – 2:22
  10. "How You Love Me" – 3:39
  11. "Strange Girl" – 2:45
  12. "Marmendy Mill" – 3:13
  13. "Turtle Soup Radio Spot" – 0:55

Personnel

The Turtles
Production