Biography
The Third Rail achieved their primary recognition through the 1967 single "Run, Run, Run," a track that climbed to #53 on the charts and appeared on the original Nuggets anthology devoted to 1960s garage and psychedelic rock. Far removed from the raw garage style that dominated most of that collection, the song instead offered a sly, novelty-driven pop-rock confection laced with bubblegum traits such as bouncy, staccato rhythms, a repetitive melodic hook, and soaring lead vocals supported by layered harmonies. Its words rose above the standard late-1960s bubblegum fare later produced by the group's core members, delivering a satirical jab at the corporate rat race. This edge came through most sharply in an eccentric middle section that delivered a spoken-word parody of New York Stock Exchange quotations, substituting statistics on heart attacks, mental breakdowns, ulcers, and widespread disorder for conventional stock prices.
The Third Rail existed strictly as a recording project, save for a solitary live appearance in Cincinnati, and consisted of the improbable combination of Artie Resnick, his spouse Kris Resnick, and Joey Levine. A seasoned Brill Building songwriter, Artie Resnick had already co-authored the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk" and the Rascals' "Good Lovin'," whereas the teenage Levine had cut a handful of sides and performed with several New York-area groups. The trio completed one LP, Id Music, along with additional singles that mixed late-period Brill Building pop-rock, nascent bubblegum, psychedelic touches, and socially conscious lyrics of the era, all typically anchored by Levine's youthful, high-register singing. Following the release of their final single in 1968, the act disbanded, yet each member went on to occupy prominent positions in the emerging bubblegum movement. Levine supplied the lead vocal on the chart-topping "Yummy Yummy Yummy," issued under the Ohio Express name, and the three collaborators subsequently joined the songwriting and production staff at Kasenetz & Katz Associates.
The Third Rail existed strictly as a recording project, save for a solitary live appearance in Cincinnati, and consisted of the improbable combination of Artie Resnick, his spouse Kris Resnick, and Joey Levine. A seasoned Brill Building songwriter, Artie Resnick had already co-authored the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk" and the Rascals' "Good Lovin'," whereas the teenage Levine had cut a handful of sides and performed with several New York-area groups. The trio completed one LP, Id Music, along with additional singles that mixed late-period Brill Building pop-rock, nascent bubblegum, psychedelic touches, and socially conscious lyrics of the era, all typically anchored by Levine's youthful, high-register singing. Following the release of their final single in 1968, the act disbanded, yet each member went on to occupy prominent positions in the emerging bubblegum movement. Levine supplied the lead vocal on the chart-topping "Yummy Yummy Yummy," issued under the Ohio Express name, and the three collaborators subsequently joined the songwriting and production staff at Kasenetz & Katz Associates.
Albums
