Try It

The Garage-Pop Energy of "Try It" by Ohio Express

Picture the early months of 1968, a moment when the bubblegum pop explosion was just beginning to take hold and the line between garage rock and candy-coated pop was still wonderfully blurry. Ohio Express was right at that crossroads, a band poised between gritty garage energy and the sugary hooks that would soon make them famous. Early that year they offered up a punchy, energetic single that briefly grazed the lower reaches of the Hot 100. It was a glimpse of a band on the verge of a transformation, just before they became one of bubblegum's defining acts.

Where Ohio Express Stood

In early 1968, Ohio Express was a working band still finding its commercial footing. This single came just before their massive bubblegum breakthrough later that same year, which makes it a fascinating snapshot of the group in transition. At this point they still carried a fair amount of garage-rock grit, the raw energy of a band that had cut its teeth playing for live audiences. That edge would soon be smoothed into the irresistible bubblegum sound that defined their biggest hits. This earlier single captures them in their rougher, hungrier phase, reaching for the success that was just around the corner. The bubblegum sound that would soon define them was the product of a savvy production team that understood exactly how to package irresistible hooks for a young audience. Before that machinery fully took hold, the band still carried the rawness of their garage origins, which gives this single its distinct character. It is the sound of a group on the brink of reinvention.

The Sound of the Song

The track has the punchy, energetic feel of late-1960s garage pop, built on driving rhythms and an immediate hook. The arrangement carries more raw energy than the polished bubblegum sound the band would soon adopt, giving it a scrappier, more spirited character. The song shows a band straddling two styles, one foot in the garage and one stepping toward the pop charts. There is an appealing directness to it, the sound of a group still working out exactly who they were going to be. It is a brisk, lively record that does not overstay its welcome, full of the youthful energy that powered so much of the era's pop. The contrast between this rawer sound and the polished hits that would soon follow makes the single especially interesting, a chance to hear a band before its sound was fully sanded smooth. That sense of a group in flux gives the record a documentary value beyond its modest commercial reach.

A Brief Run on the Hot 100

The single's chart story was a short one. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 3, 1968, entering at number 90. The following week it edged up to number 83, which turned out to be its peak, reached during the week of February 10, 1968. In total the record spent just two weeks on the Hot 100 before slipping away. The brief run gave little hint of the enormous success the band was about to enjoy, making this single an intriguing footnote in their story. It was a modest showing for a group on the cusp of a major breakthrough.

Its Place in the Band's Story

Although this single barely registered on the charts, it holds real interest as a prelude to Ohio Express's bubblegum stardom. It documents the band at a pivotal moment, just before they found the formula that would make them famous. For fans of the group or of late-1960s garage and bubblegum pop, the track offers a revealing look at a band in transition. Its scrappy energy and brisk hooks make it an enjoyable listen, a small piece of the puzzle in a fascinating chapter of pop history.

Give it a spin and hear Ohio Express in their raw, energetic phase, just before bubblegum stardom came calling in 1968.

"Try It" — Ohio Express's singular moment on the 1960s charts.