Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail

Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled 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 23: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail
Release Date: 1967
From: New York
Rating: 9/10

RUN, RUN, RUN – The Third Rail [2:00]
(Arthur Resnick/Kris Resnick/Joe Levine)
Personnel/JOEY LEVINE, ARTIE RESNICK & KRIS RESNICK: vocals [+ unknown studio musicians]
Arranged & Conducted by AL GORGONI
A JOEY LEVINE-ARTIE RESNICK-KRIS RESNICK Production
Recorded in New York, NY
Epic single #5-10191 (7/67); Pop #53

If you haven’t heard of The Third Rail, you’ve probably heard the work of its members. Artie Resnick worked in the Brill Building, writing hits like ‘Good Lovin” and ‘Under the Boardwalk’. He also wrote the Nuggets track ‘(Would I Still Be) Her Big Man’.

He formed The Third Rail with his wife Kris and vocalist Joey Levine. They released a solitary album in 1967, containing the charming ‘Run, Run, Run’.

It’s slight but memorable. It feels British, the chorus could have come from a Hollies song, while the slice-of-life lyrics feel like Ray Davies. The main attraction is the deliciously harmonised title phrase.

There’s a weird fairground breakdown in the middle. It features a monologue with lyrics like “General chaos, that’s general chaos, is up one quarter.” It works as a change of pace, fleshing out a fast-paced song.

The members of Third Rail moved onto bubblegum pop, working for Kasenetz & Katz. They wrote for bands like 1910 Fruitgum Company and Ohio Express. Levine sang lead vocals on ‘Yummy Yummy Yummy’.

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• Nuggets Song by Song
• 1960s Album Reviews