<… Read Full Bio ↴There are two groups that have recorded under the name The Third Rail.
1. A bubblegum group active from 1967 -1968.
2. A jazz punk supergroup led by James "Blood" Ulmer
1. The Third Rail are mostly known for their small 1967 hit single "Run, Run, Run," which reached #53 and was included on the initial Nuggets compilation of 1960s garage and psychedelic rock. "Run, Run, Run" is actually not typical of most of what made up the Nuggets anthology, having nothing to do with garage rock. Instead, it was a mildly clever, and gimmicky, pop-rock tune with bubblegummy elements in the perky, choppy rhythms, sing-songy chorus, and high vocals and background harmonies. Lyrically it was somewhat a cut above the late-'60s bubblegum tunes the Third Rail's principals would later write, poking fun at the straight world rat race. That was particularly true of its strange bridge, featuring a spoken mock-recitation of the New York Stock Exchange in which the figures quoted measured heart attacks, mental illness, ulcers, and general chaos rather than actual prices. The Third Rail were a studio-only group (although they did play one show in Cincinnati), comprised of the unlikely trio of Artie Resnick, his wife Kris Resnick, and Joey Levine. Artie Resnick was a Brill Building veteran who had co-written the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk" and the Rascals' "Good Lovin'," while Levine was a teenager who had done a bit of recording and played in some local New York bands. They did do a full album, Id Music, as well as a few other singles, in an odd and oft-awkward blend of late Brill Building-period pop-rock, early bubblegum, psychedelia, and trendily socially relevant lyrics, usually featuring Levine's high youthful vocals. After the Third Rail dissolved following their last single in 1968, all three of the members played leading roles in early bubblegum rock. Joey Levine had a hit with "Yummy Yummy Yummy," on which he sang, though it was credited to the Ohio Express, and all of them became staff songwriter/producers for Kasenetz & Katz Associates.
2. The Third Rail is a jazz punk supergroup led by James "Blood" Ulmer, with drummer Joseph "Ziggy" Modeliste (the Meters), Amina Claudine Myers (AACM), Bernie Worrell (Parliament Funkadelic, Talking Heads) and Bill Laswell formed in 1993. The lineup is a who's who of the downtown New York art scene: guitarist James Blood Ulmer of the Music Revelation Ensemble, Ornette Coleman's group, and numerous solo albums; drummer Joseph "Ziggy" Modeliste, formerly of the mighty Meters, New Orleans' definitive band; vocalist, keyboardist, and composer Amina Claudine Myers of the avant-jazz collective Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians; the extraordinary keyboardist Bernie Worrell, of Talking Heads and Parliament/Funkadelic legend; and, of course, Bill Laswell, the bassist/producer who is required by law to appear on every third album recorded in New York City since 1981.
Ulmer formed Third Rail with Laswell and Modeliste in 1993 as an avant-jazz version of the Cream-style power trio. Worrell and Myers joined shortly thereafter and the group became regulars at the Knitting Factory and other New York clubs. The group even toured as part of the P-Funk Revue for a couple of years. Third Rail released its first album, South Delta Space Age, in 1995. A 1997 follow-up, with Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey replacing Modeliste on drums, was originally announced as As It Is by Third Rail, but the album was eventually released as James Blood Ulmer's Blue Blood, with the same personnel and compositions. ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi
Run Run Run
The Third Rail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Ooooooooo)
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
[Spoken]
... Of the latest quotations from the New York Stock Exchange:
Heart Attacks up two & 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
Oh you Run, Run, Run, Run
[ fade ]
The Third Rail's song "Run Run Run" is a satirical take on the fast-paced, hectic lifestyle in American society. The song begins with the singer waking up late and rushing through his morning routine, unable to even have breakfast. He ties his tie like a "hangman's noose," emphasizing the sense of impending doom that comes with being constantly rushed and stressed. This rush continues throughout the day, with the singer waiting for a late bus and reading a newspaper filled with bad news.
The song takes a bizarre turn when the singer arrives at work to find the boss at a funeral, and a note on the door saying "No Work Today" because the chief competitor has passed away. This unexpected turn of events highlights the absurdity of the constant rush and hustle of American society, where even death is viewed as a competition rather than a natural part of life. The song ends with a repetition of the opening verse, emphasizing the cyclical nature of this fast-paced lifestyle.
Overall, "Run Run Run" is a commentary on the societal pressures that force individuals to constantly rush through life, never having enough time to enjoy even the simple things like breakfast or a leisurely commute. The song highlights the absurdity of this lifestyle, all while delivering a catchy and memorable tune that addresses this universal experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Up in the morning at half past eight
Starting the day early, 8:30 AM
You can't have your breakfast 'cause you'll be late
No time for breakfast, must hurry to avoid getting late
You tie your tie like a hangman's noose
Rushing and tying the tie hastily, making it look like a noose
Ain't no time to drink your juice
No time for basic chores, such as drinking juice
So you Run, Run, Run, Run
Hurry to prevent being late
Yeah you Run, Run, Run, Run
Repetitive expression of the need to hurry
Stand on the corner and wait for the bus
Waiting for the bus to arrive
It's late again, you start to cuss
Angry at the repeated delays causing being late
The paper's filled with all bad news
The newspaper is full of bad news, adding to the frustration
Fat lady stands on your polished shoes
Someone clumsy ruins the polished shoes one is wearing
Down at the office all is still
All quiet at the office
The boss is at a funeral
The boss is absent as he's attending a funeral
A note on the door 'No Work Today'
A sign on the door saying work won't be happening today
Our chief competitor passed away
A rival competitor passed away
Oh you Run, Run, Run, Run
Repeating the chorus and urging one to keep running and not pause
Writer(s): A. Resnick, J. Levine, Joe Levine, Arthur Resnick, Kris Resnick, K. Resnick Copyright: Alley Music Corp., Trio Music Co. Inc.
Contributed by Chase E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@arthurresnick9870
Sadly Kristin passed away several months ago Leaving her son Frank Harrison Coker Elizbeth Coker Gardo and Benjamin Resnick. Kristin was a very beautiful and unappreciated Tallent RT
@SkeebWilcox
Pleasure to hear from you, sir! Have always admired ALL of your work...
@starcloud4959
The Third Rail was just the best ever.
@spy4863
The one in the blue shirt is the great Joey Levine who of course sang the leads on this great tune! LOVE this tune! I read somewhere about the filming of this video and that Joey and the others were confused about what to do so they asked the director, “What do we do in this scene?” And he said, “I don’t know! I guess-RUN!” And so they did! I remember once I was talking with a friend of mine, who also loves Bubblegum Music and knows about A LOT of obscure songs and groups and I brought up this song and he said he knew it! But then I said, “Uh, no-I really don’t think you HAVE heard of the song ‘Run Run Run’. It’s quite obscure.” And he said, “Yes, I DO know about the song ‘Run Run Run’! It was by The Third Rail!” And then you could hear the loud CLUNK! as my jaw dropped to the floor! I was dumbfounded! Not only did he know this swell obscure Bubblegum tune but he even knew who recorded it! Thanks for posting this great video!
@terrapin6352
Wowww. First time hearing this, and I dig pretty deep into 60's and 70's music. Amazing! A slight touch of 1984 vibes in there, which is particularly interesting.
@schoolbusguy2025
1:06 Dragon Tales Quetzal?
@dsl70
It got a lot of play in New England WDRC Hartford hit it bigtime.
@josephharris6062
i had forgotten about this song,the GENERAL KAOS makes meRUN RUN RUN!!
@jmen4ever
Back in 84,I wrote out a list of all the tunes I wanted a record of.There was one,I didnt know the exact name of either the song or group,and NOBODY could give me a lead,until I seen the nuggets cd collection. This was the last song on my list,took 10 years to identify.This singer,is VERY under rated.Should have been MUCH bigger.Mr "life is a rock but the radio rolled me"Joey Levene
@falscherbruce5522
Well mister Levine got sucked into the Kasenetz Katz circus, becoming the studio voice of Ohio Express.