~The Human Beinz~

"Nobody But Me"
Debut Album
Original 

1st Press

The Beinz started in 1964 as The Premiers, launching their professional career to build a local fan base. In 1966, they changed their name to The Human Beingz because they felt their old name did not fit with the feel of the late 1960s. They recorded covers of songs byThem, The Yardbirds, The Who and Bob Dylan. The group was also the first[1] to record a cover of "Gloria" by Them, which became a hit for the Shadows of Knight, and covered "The Pied Piper", which later became a hit for Crispian St. Peters.

The group signed to Capitol Records in 1967 and at that time Capitol misspelled their name, leaving out the "g". The Beingz were told it would be changed on the next release if the debut single did not have any success. In September 1967 "Nobody but Me" was released and became their only Billboard Top 40 hit, which meant that Capitol would not correct the spelling. "Nobody But Me" (written and first recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1962) peaked at No. 8 in February 1968. The recording's two 31-fold repetitions of the word "no" fulfill Casey Kasem's "Book of Records" category of most repetitive word or phrase in a Hot 100 top 10 hit, besting the 26-fold repetition of "I know" in Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine". An album, Nobody But Me, followed.

The Beinz' next single, "Turn On Your Love Light," flopped in the United States (peaking at No. 80), but reached No. 1 in Japan.[2] "Turn On Your Love Light", originally a hit for Bobby Bland in 1962, was later covered by Jerry Lee Lewis and the Grateful Dead. In 1968, Capitol released a second album, Evolutions. They also released the single, "Hold on Baby", exclusively in Japan, where it also hit the top of the charts. Despite their Japanese success, The Human Beinz broke up in March 1969, but due to contract obligations, had to undertake a tour there.

Their song "Dance On Through" was featured in an episode of The Addams Family.

"Nobody but Me" is a song written by O'Kelly, Rudolph, and Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers and first recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1962.

The most commercially successful and widely known version to date is the 1968 US Top 10garage rock hit by The Human Beinz which was their only chart success. The Human Beinz version uses only the closing refrain of the original song and is noted for repeating the word "no" 31 times in a row (the 31st time starting the word "nobody"), twice.

The Isley Brothers' original version, released as a single on Wand 131, failed to make the pop or R&B charts.

The song was covered by Youngstown, Ohio's The Human Beinz and made them one-hit wonders after the song reached number eight on the Billboard pop singles chart in 1968.[2]The Human Beinz' recording was a reworking and extension of the last part of the Isley Brothers' original song. It was included on some versions of Lenny Kaye's Nuggets compilation, and is now recognized as a prime example of soul-influenced garage rock.

Dave Marsh, in his Book of Rock Lists named the version by the Human Beinz "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. A segment of "Nobody But Me" was also featured during the "House of Blue Leaves" fight scene in Quentin Tarantino's 2004 film Kill Bill: Volume 1. It was also used in The Departed in the scene where Billy brutally beats the two gangsters from Providence. This version was also featured on the soundtrack to Recess: School's Out.