

Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total. I’m profiling and rating each of these 118 tracks, working backwards.
Track 30/118: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz
Release Year: 1967
From: Youngstown, Ohio
Aphoristic Rating: 9/10
NOBODY BUT ME – The Human Beinz [2:17]
(Ronald Isley/O’Kelly Isley/Rudolph Isley)
Personnel/JOHN “DICK” BELLEY: vocals, lead guitar * JOE “TING” MARKULIN: guitar * MEL PACHUTA: bass * MIKE TATMAN: drums
Produced by ALEXIS DeAZEVEDO
Recorded in Cleveland, OH
Capitol single #5990 (9/67); Pop #8
The Human Beinz were originally known as The Premiers. They changed their name to The Human Beingz, but their record label intentionally misspelled their name. This was an attempt to tie in with 1967’s Human Be-In, an event in San Francisco that helped to cement the 1960s counterculture.
Most Nuggets bands are famous for their originals. The Human Beinz’ best-known song is a cover. The song was originally written and recorded by The Isley Brothers. Their 1962 version failed to chart.
The Human Beinz’s interpretation is much more successful. They smooth out some of the song’s rough edges, making an infectious and deserved hit. It reached the top ten in the US, where none of their other tracks made the top 40.
“The most negative song to hit the Top 40,” noting that the word “no” is sung over 100 times in a mere 2:16. Marsh also counts the word “nobody” 46 times more; he adds “for balance, they throw in the word Yeah once”.
Dave Marsh, The Book of Rock Lists, quoted on Wikipedia
The Human Beinz’s cover of ‘Nobody But Me’ has accompanied memorable scenes in The Office and Kill Bill. It’s a beloved 1960s hit, adding some R&B to garage rock.
While the band never had another hit in the US, they enjoyed two #1 hits in Japan in the late 1960s. They broke up in 1969, but have reunited in 2007.
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Nuggets: An Invitation to Cry by The Magicians

Nuggets: At the River’s Edge by New Colony Six

Nuggets: Put the Clock Back on the Wall by The E-Types

Nuggets: Optical Sound by The Human Expression

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Nuggets: Falling Sugar by The Palace Guard

Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) by The Swingin’ Medallions

Nuggets: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl by The Barbarians

Nuggets: (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man by The Brigands

Nuggets: Story of My Life by The Unrelated Segments

Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics

Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels

Baby, Please Don’t Go by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm

Nuggets: I Think I’m Down by the Harbinger Complex

Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Nuggets: Oh Yeah by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles

Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants

Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals

Nuggets: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies

Nuggets II: When The Alarm Clock Rings by the Blossom Toes

Nuggets: No Time Like The Right Time by The Blues Project

Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon

Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts

Nuggets: Don’t Look Back by The Remains

Nuggets II: It’s My Fault by The Rattles

Nuggets II: Rosalyn by The Pretty Things

Nuggets: I Want Candy by The Strangeloves

Nuggets II: My Life by Thor’s Hammer

Nuggets: She’s My Baby by The Mojo Men

Nuggets II: Slaves Time by The Slaves

Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies

Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells

Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey

Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five

Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves

Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck

Nuggets: Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White by The Standells

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Nuggets II: Flight from Ashiya by Kaleidoscope

Nuggets II: But You’ll Never Do It, Babe by The Boots

Nuggets II: Come On by The Atlantics

Nuggets: Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by The Hombres

Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows

Nuggets: Tobacco Road by Blues Magoos

Nuggets: Action Woman by The Litter

Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes

Nuggets: Time Won’t Let Me by The Outsiders

Nuggets: Farmer John by The Premiers

Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans

Nuggets: One Track Mind by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets II: Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps

Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People

Nuggets: (We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet by the Blues Magoos

Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius

Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires

Nuggets: She’s About A Mover by Sir Douglas Quintet

Nuggets: I’m Five Years Ahead of My Time by The Third Bardo

Nuggets: Journey To The Center Of The Mind by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Respect by The Vagrants

Nuggets: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets II: One Third by The Majority

Nuggets: Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

Nuggets: Talk Talk by The Music Machine

Nuggets: Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost & The Troopers

Nuggets II: Glendora by Downliners Sect

Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures

Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs

Nuggets: Moulty by The Barbarians

Nuggets: It’s Cold Outside by The Choir

Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke

Nuggets II: No Good Without You Baby by The Birds

Nuggets II: Sad by The (Australian) Playboys

Nuggets II: Why Don’t You Smile Now by Downliners Sect

Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Knock, Knock by The Humane Society

Nuggets: Psycho by The Sonics

Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees

Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery

Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics

Nuggets II: I’m Your Witchdoctor by Chants R&B

Nuggets: Out Of Our Tree by The Wailers

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail

Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium

Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops

Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways

Nuggets: Stop! Get A Ticket by Clefs of Lavender Hill

Nuggets: Let’s Talk About Girls by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: Sit Down, I Think I Love You by The Mojo Men

Nuggets II: I’m Just A Mops by The Mops

Nuggets: I’m Gonna Make You Mine by The Shadows of Knight

Sugar and Spice by The Cryan’ Shames

Nuggets: You Must Be A Witch by The Lollipop Shoppe

Nuggets: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz

Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans

Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Nuggets II: I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

Nuggets: You’re Gonna Miss Me by The 13th Floor Elevators

Nuggets: Diddy Wah Diddy by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN

Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound

Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation

Nuggets: Beg, Borrow, And Steal by The Rare Breed

Nuggets: It’s A-Happening by The Magic Mushrooms

Nuggets II: Pictures of Matchstick Men by The Status Quo

Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors

Nuggets: Double Yellow Line by The Music Machine

Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round

Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love

Nuggets: I Ain’t No Miracle Worker by The Brogues

Nuggets: Complication by The Monks

Nuggets: Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice by Mouse and the Traps

Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels

Nuggets: Can’t Seem To Make You Mine by The Seeds

Nuggets: What Am I Going to Do? by The Dovers

Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse

Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces

Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders

Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies

Nuggets II: The Train to Disaster by The Voice

Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs

Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half

Nuggets: Little Bit O’Soul by The Music Explosion

Nuggets: So What! by The Lyrics

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Never heard the Isley Brothers original or even knew it existed. Did not know this song by its title but immediately recognized it. Really enjoyed the video you chose. From the golden days of TV.
Yup, it’s one of those covers that eclipses the original. Like Respect.
OK now you have me wondering who did Respect first?!
Just looked it up. Otis Redding!?!? Consider me shocked.
Great song that sounds a bit more mainstream than most of the others on Nuggets, which isn’t a criticism – I actually like it. We also got some interesting trivia from Dave Marsh on the “no’s”. I guess he had to count them all! 🙂
Yeah, it’s not a perfect fit on Nuggets. But it kind of makes sense to include it – doesn’t seem like people would rush out and buy a Human Beinz’s record.
Good sixties song..I’ve always liked this one. I heard this on an oldies channel in the 80s…The Office intro this was part of…was one of the best they did.
Have never seen that footage of Emma Peel and Steed dancing! Weird and brilliant…
10/10
Have always liked this song, ever since hearing it back when it was a hit, and also had no idea it was originally recorded by the Isley Brothers.
Except they changed the names of the dances in the song. They do the Shingaling, the Skate, the Boogaloo and the Philly. But the Isley Brothers did the Twist, the Shout, the Potato, and the Sock Hop.You gotta understand that dance crazes came and went real, real fast in the 60s. If you were still doing the twist in 1967 people would just think you’re totally ridiculous and irrelevant. Lmao.
Had your fill of Quadrilles
The Madison and cheap thrills
Bored with the Beguine
The samba isn’t your scene
And the Fandango and the tango. I can’t remember the other ones. I think waltz.