The Turtles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965, whose original lineup consisted of Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman, Al Nichol, Chuck Portz, Jim Tucker and Don Murray. Originating from an earlier surf band called the Crossfires, the Turtles first achieved success with a sound that fused folk music with rock and roll, but would achieve greater success with pop music, scoring their biggest and best-known hit in 1967 with the song "Happy Together". They charted several other top 40 hits, including "It Ain't Me Babe" (1965), "You Baby" (1966), "She'd Rather Be With Me" (1967), "Elenore" (1968) and "You Showed Me" (1969). Worldwide, The Turtles released 5 studio albums, 20 compilation albums, 7 extended plays and 26 singles.
1967's Golden Hits is notable for featuring remixes of "It Ain't Me Babe", "Let Me Be" and "You Baby". These are the only remixes done on early album tracks as the multi-tracks went missing shortly thereafter. These three remixes are almost always used on compilations, instead of the original wide stereo mixes. The 1970 album More Golden Hits contains stereo mixes of "Sound Asleep", "She's My Girl", and "Who Would Ever Think That I Would Marry Margaret?". The first two were briefly available on CD reissues in the mid-'90s, while the latter remained unique to More Golden Hits until its inclusion on All the Singles.
Wooden Head was a compilation album composed of unissued recordings, circa 1966. The Chalon Road compilation gathered together many unissued and 45-only tracks. Shell Shock was a compilation of material intended for an album recorded in 1969 that remained unfinished. The Turtles '66 is described by the Flo and Eddie record label as a lost album.
Albums Studio albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions USBill. USCash. CAN UK It Ain't Me Babe Released: 1965 Label: White Whale 98 35 — — You Baby Released: 1966 Label: White Whale — 71 — — Happy Together Released: 1967 Label: White Whale 25 15 12 18 The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands Released: 1968 Label: White Whale 128 43 40 — Turtle Soup Released: 1969 Label: White Whale 117 105 — —
Compilations
+ Title Album details Peak chart positions USBill. USCash. Golden Hits Released: 1967 Label: White Whale 7 5 More Golden Hits Released: 1970 Label: White Whale 146 — Wooden Head Released: 1970 Label: White Whale — — Happy Together Again Released: 1974 Label: Sire 194 156 The Turtles: 1968 Released: 1978 Label: Rhino — —Out of Control (released under the name The Crossfires) Released: 1981 Label: Rhino—— Turtle-Sized Released: 1982 Label: Rhino — — Turtles' Greatest Hits Released: 1982 Label: Rhino — — 20 Greatest Hits Released: 1984 Label: Rhino — — Chalon Road Released: 1986 Label: Rhino — — Shell Shock Released: 1986 Label: Rhino — — The Best of the Turtles (Golden Archive Series) Released: 1987 Label: Rhino — — Turtle Wax: The Best of the Turtles, Vol. 2 Released: 1988 Label: Rhino — — Lil' Bit of Gold Released: 1988 Label: Rhino — — Lil' Bit of Gold, Volume 2 Released: 1988 Label: Rhino — — The Best of the Turtles Released: 1995 Label: Rhino — — Solid Zinc: The Turtles Anthology Released: 2002 Label: Rhino — — Happy Together: The Very Best of the Turtles Released: 2004 Label: Shout! Factory — — Save the Turtles: The Turtles Greatest Hits Released: 2009 Label: FloEdCo / Manifesto — — All the Singles Released: 2016 Label: FloEdCo / Manifesto — — The Complete Original Album Collection Released: 2016 Label: FloEdCo / Manifesto — — The Turtles '66 Released: 2017 Label: FloEdCo / Manifesto — —
Singles
US singles + Title Year Peak chart positions Album USHot USCash.AUS https://www.top100singles.net/ BEL(Fla.) BEL(Wal.) CANNL dutchcharts.nl https://dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=The%20Turtles&cat=s Retrieved May 3, 2025NZ https://flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=31#n_view_location GER UK "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" (released under the name The Crossfires)1963——————————Out of Control "It Ain't Me Babe" 19658838——3———— It Ain't Me, Babe "Let Me Be"292654——14—18—— "You Baby" 19662017———11————You, Baby "Grim Reaper of Love"8195———61———— Non-album singles (first album release on Golden Hits) "Outside Chance"———"Outside Chance" didn't chart in Australia, but its b-side, "We'll Meet Again" reached #72.——————— "Can I Get to Know You Better?"8997—————19—— "Happy Together" 19671118852621112Happy Together "She'd Rather Be with Me"321613181158234 "Guide for the Married Man"—————————— "You Know What I Mean"121286——6—1940— Golden Hits "She's My Girl"1415———5———— Non-album singles (first album release on More Golden Hits) "Sound Asleep" 19685732———23———— "The Story of Rock and Roll"4837———29———— "Elenore"65820184—1327 The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands "You Showed Me" 196964———1—19—— "House on the Hill"—————————— Turtle Soup "You Don't Have to Walk in the Rain"5152———40———— "Love in the City"9161———46———— "Lady-O"7867———59———— Non-album single (first album release on More Golden Hits) "Teardrops" (released under the name The Dedications) 1970——————————Non-album single "Who Would Ever Think That I Would Marry Margaret?"——90——————— More Golden Hits "Is It Any Wonder?"—————————— Golden Hits "Eve of Destruction"100105———————— It Ain't Me, Babe "Me About You"105————————— Happy Together
Other charted songs Title Year Peak chart positions Album CAN "It Was a Very Good Year"19657It Ain't Me Babe
References
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