

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 to 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 56/118: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound
From: San Jose, California
Aphoristic Rating: 9/10
LITTLE GIRL – Syndicate Of Sound [2:25]
(Bob Gonzalez/Don Baskin)
Personnel/DON BASKIN: vocals * LARRY RAY: lead guitar * JOHN SHARKEY: guitar * BOB GONZALEZ: bass * JOHN DUCKWORTH: drums
Produced by GARRIE THOMPSON
Recorded in San Francisco, CA
Hush single #G-228 (2/66); Bell single #640 (4/66); Pop #8
The members of the Syndicate of Sound played together in the Pharoahs and Lenny Lee and the Nightmen. After winning a Bay Area “Battle of the Bands” they recorded the unsuccessful single ‘Prepare for Love’.
Their second single, ‘Little Girl’, was much more successful. It became a regional hit in California and was picked up for national distribution. Deservingly, it became a top ten Billboard hit – it’s full of guitar hooks, and has a likeable lead vocal.
Syndicate of Sound supported notable acts like The Yardbirds, Neil Diamond, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Left Banke, and the Rascals. They drifted apart, however – John Duckworth joined the 6th Army Band rather than risk the draft. By 1970, vocalist Don Baskin was the only remaining original member and broke up the band.
None of the band’s subsequent songs reached the top 40, leaving them as a one-hit-wonder. ‘Little Girl’ is on permanent rotation in the one-hit-wonder section of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
‘Little Girl’ has been covered multiple times – by The Residents, The Divinyls, and The Dead Boys, while R.E.M. played it at early live shows. UK punk band The Banned reached the top 40 with their cover of the song.
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More Nuggets
Nuggets: Moulty by The Barbarians

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

Nuggets: Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

Nuggets II: Love Hate Revenge by Episode Six

Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius

Nuggets: Hey Joe by the Leaves

Nuggets: Open My Eyes by Nazz

Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love

Nuggets: Farmer John by The Premiers

Nuggets: You Ain’t Tuff by The Uniques

Nuggets II: It’s My Fault by The Rattles

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

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

Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies

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

Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round

Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke

Nuggets II: I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

Nuggets: Oh Yeah by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half

Nuggets II: One Third by The Majority

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

Nuggets II: The Madman Running Through The Fields by Dantalian’s Chariot

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

Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees

Nuggets: Lies by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five

Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley

Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts

Sugar and Spice by The Cryan’ Shames

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

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

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

Nuggets: Respect by The Vagrants

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

Baby, Please Don’t Go by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics

Nuggets: Pushin’ Too Hard by The Seeds

Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans

Nuggets II: My Life by Thor’s Hammer

Nuggets: Story of My Life by The Unrelated Segments

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

Nuggets: She’s My Baby by The Mojo Men

Nuggets: I Want Candy by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Open Up Your Door by Richard & the Young Lions

Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN

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

Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics

Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: You Burn Me Up and Down by We The People

Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces

Nuggets: Romeo and Juliet by Michael and the Messengers

Nuggets: Falling Sugar by The Palace Guard

Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops

Nuggets: Journey to Tyme by Kenny and the Kasuals

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures

Nuggets: No Friend of Mine by The Sparkles

Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves

Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies

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

Nuggets II: The Train to Disaster by The Voice

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

Nuggets II: Flight from Ashiya by Kaleidoscope

Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels

Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets II: Rosalyn by The Pretty Things

Nuggets: Steppin’ Out by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets II: Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps

Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery

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

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

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

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

Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle

Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans

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

Nuggets II: Break It All by Los Shakers

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

Nuggets: An Invitation to Cry by The Magicians

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

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

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

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

Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs

Nuggets II: Nothin’ by Ugly Ducklings

Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes

Nuggets: Knock, Knock by The Humane Society

Nuggets: Double Yellow Line by The Music Machine

Nuggets: Action Woman by The Litter

Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways

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

Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies

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

Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium

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

Nuggets II: Pictures of Matchstick Men by The Status Quo

Nuggets: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz

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

Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells

Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People

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

Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders

Nuggets: The Little Black Egg by The Nightcrawlers

Nuggets: Optical Sound by The Human Expression

Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm

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

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

Nuggets: Time Won’t Let Me by The Outsiders

Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon

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

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

Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band

Nuggets: Jack of Diamonds by The Daily Flash

Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains

10 Best Songs on the Nuggets Boxset

Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels

Nuggets: Psycho by The Sonics

Nuggets: Little Bit O’Soul by The Music Explosion

Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

Nuggets II: Come On by The Atlantics

Nuggets: Johnny Was A Good Boy by Mystery Trend

Nuggets: You Must Be A Witch by The Lollipop Shoppe

Nuggets II: Sad by The (Australian) Playboys

Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound

Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck

Nuggets: So What! by The Lyrics

Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs

Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires

Nuggets II: You Can Be My Baby by The Red Squares

Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals

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

Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles

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

Nuggets II: Slaves Time by The Slaves

Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants

Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey

Nuggets II: Glendora by Downliners Sect

Nuggets: Out Of Our Tree by The Wailers

Nuggets: Bad Little Woman by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets II: No Good Without You Baby by The Birds

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

Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks

Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors

Nuggets: Dirty Water by The Standells

Nuggets: It’s Cold Outside by The Choir

Nuggets: Don’t Look Back by The Remains

Nuggets: One Track Mind by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse

Nuggets: Complication by The Monks

Nuggets: Tobacco Road by Blues Magoos

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail

Nuggets: Talk Talk by The Music Machine

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Instantly recognized this fabulous tune. The drums are great on it along with the vocals and guitars. Good to know some history of it.
I’d never heard it before. Definitely one of the stronger Nuggets.
Being ancient, I fondly remember this tune. Of course, being born & raised in the San Jose area where the band originated, it’s natural I would have heard it a lot on the radio.
Cool – there’s been another San Jose band from Nuggets if I remember correctly?
One of New Zealand’s most famous 1960s songs is Ray Columbus and The Invaders’ ‘She’s A Mod’. They lived over the back fence from my mum in the 1960s, and she could hear them practicing.
Great tune with a neat sound. While I’m also no longer 18, I didn’t know it! 🙂
I barely knew any of the Nuggets tunes – just a few obvious ones like ‘Louie Louie’.
****Top 5 Nugget****
It might squeak into my top ten. I’ve barely handed out any 10s so far.
Another one I didn’t have to listen to. Have heard it 10,000 times. Intro chords: A-D-G-C-G
Have you played it before? It’s impressive that you remember the opening chords.
Not too long ago I heard it on the radio and wanted to figure out that progression. Never played it in a band and likely never will. Musicians are a bunch of ego-driven jerks so I prefer to play by myself.
I’ve always liked this song… very catchy and he seems so damn happy singing it. Its a good one. I like more of the raw nuggets more but…yea this one would be in my top 10 or so.
Yeah, I think I tend to gravitate to the edgy ones too.