The Third Rail - Run, Run, Run (1967)

Formed in either 1966 or 1967, this band was composed of three studio musicians: married couple Arthur and Kris Resnick and a young Joey Levine. The band was very short lived, releasing only one full length album, Id Music, and a handful of singles. Artie Resnick had made a bit of a name for himself from co-writing “Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters and “Good Lovin’” by The Rascals. The band had one semi-successful single, heard below, and called it quits shortly after releasing their last single in 1968. After the band ended, Artie Resnick and Levine would write the bubblegum pop standard “Yummy Yummy Yummy” together. Shortly after that success, all three members of this band secured jobs as songwriters for Kasenetz & Katz.

Not to be confused with the other song we featured of the same name, this song was a bit of satirical work that the band wrote to poke fun at adults living their lives by bustling to and from work. It was a bit more sardonic than any of their later, light-hearted, bubblegum work and is notable for reaching number fifty-three on the charts in 1967.



The Third Rail - Run, Run, Run (1967)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

Up in the morning at half past eight
You can’t have your breakfast ‘cause you’ll be late
You tie your tie like a hangman’s noose
Ain’t no time to drink your juice

So you run, run, run, run
Yeah, you run, run, run, run

Stand on the corner and wait for the bus
It’s late again, you start to cuss
The paper’s filled with all bad news
Fat lady stands on your polished shoes

So you run, run, run, run
Yeah, you run, run, run, run

Of the latest quotations from the New York Stock Exchange:
Heart attacks up two and three quarters
Mental illness split three for one
Ulcers up one
General chaos- that’s general chaos is up one quarter
The great society, unfortunately, is down five points

Down at the office all is still
The boss is at a funeral
A note on the door, “No work today”
“Our chief competitor passed away”

So you run, run, run, run
Yeah, you run, run, run, run

Up in the morning at half past eight
You can’t have your breakfast ‘cause you’ll be late
Tie your tie like a hangman’s noose
Ain’t no time to drink your juice

So you run, run, run, run
Yeah, you run, run, run, run

Oh, you run, run, run, run...

The Salt - Lucifer (1968)

In 1968, Joey Levine, of The Ohio Express and “Yummy Yummy Yummy” fame, decided to record a song with a group of session musicians. They weren’t really a group, but they recorded as one. This song was the result; and, as it didn’t sell well, the musicians never recorded together again.

This song was more or less attempting to cash in on the Summer of Love by mimicking everything that had been released the previous summer. Despite the upbeat melody, the lyrics are rather dark and brooding listened to closely. Although the melody is fun, it and its B-side, “A Whole Lot of Rainbows,” failed to sell.



The Salt - Lucifer (1968)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

Lucifer’s going to take you down
Na-ha-ha-ha-how
He lives in a very strange part of town
Found underground
He’ll take you down

Lucifer sports a devilish grin
Na-ha-ha-ha-how
His line is trying to sell you sin
He’ll suck you in
You’re sold, baby, yeah

(Temptation is strong)
(Its color is red)
(Resistance is right)
(Its color is white)

Lucifer gives his persuasive talk
Na-ha-ha-ha-how (Lucifer)
He hides behind a big pitchfork
Watching like a hawk
Careful where you walk

Rid of Lucifer
Get rid of Lucifer
Woah, baby

(Lucifer)
He fell in love with the devil
(Lucifer)
He fell in Hell with the devil

(Lucifer)
He fell in love with the devil
(Lucifer)
He fell in Hell with the devil

(Lucifer)
He fell in love with the devil
(Lucifer)
He fell in Hell with the devil