Young Girl by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap

Album: Young Girl (1968)

Charted: 1 2

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Songfacts®:

This song was written and produced by Jerry Fuller, who also wrote "Lady Willpower" and "Over You" for the group as well as "Traveling Man" for Ricky Nelson. It was a warning to a would-be lover of an underage girl of the consequences of him not being able to resist her charms.
This was one of four Top 10 singles from Gary Puckett & the Union Gap in the US in 1968. They sold more singles in the US than The Beatles that year.
Gary Puckett spent his childhood in Hibbing, Minnesota, the same town that was home to the young Bob Zimmerman, who later changed his name to Bob Dylan.
The band wore American Civil War uniforms and gave themselves military ranks, from General Puckett down to Privates Whitbread (the drummer) and Withem (the keyboardist). This was to tie in with the fact that they had taken their name from the site of a famous Civil War battle.
Jerry Fuller explained the inspiration for "Young Girl" in 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh: "I was on the road a lot as an artist, fronting various groups for many years. I guess every entertainer goes through a time when 14-year-olds look like 20-year-olds. That's somewhat of an inspiration not from my own experience, just knowing that it happens."

Comments: 11

Ellie from Charlotte, North CarolinaI kind of imagine that the guy is 24 years old going out with a 15-year-old girl or a guy who’s junior in college with a girl who’s a sophomore in high school.
Mama Val from TorontoWho was the girl in the video?
Gordon Marsh from Dy27leBorn in 55 so grew up with GP And the union Gap. Young Girl was the first record I ever bought for my then girlfriend.
Gary From Nj from Lindenwold, NjSame songwriter. That explains why both "Young Girl" and "Lady Willpower" have the same 8-note sequence in the lyric line before the Chorus:

The first verse line from "Young Girl": And Now It Hurts To Know The Truth.
The first verse line from "Lady Willpower": If you will let me give you mine.

It's the same 8 note sequence.
Steve Clark from Las Vegas, NvDid members of the Wrecking Crew play on this record?
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 12th, 1968 the Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett performed "Young Girl" and "Lady Willpower" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
Both songs peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; "Young Girl" reached #2 on March 30th (for 3 weeks); the 1st week it was at #2 "Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding was #1, the next two weeks it was "Honey" by Bobby Goldsboro in the top spot...
"Lady Willpower" peaked at #2 on July 14th for 2 weeks; and for both those weeks "Grazing in the Grass" by Hugh Masekela was the #1 record...
The group had only seven records make the Top 100, but five of them made the Top 10 (the three others were "Woman, Woman" (#4), "Over You" (#7), and "This Girl Is A Woman Now" (#9)...
And the two that didn't; "Don't Give In To Him" (#15) and "Let's Give Adam & Eve Another Chance" (#41).
Christopher from Marlboro, NjWent to see Gary Puckett perform back in June. After the show I even got his autograph. I was the youngest guy up there. Everyone else was much older than me and they had records, forty fives, and all that type of stuff. When I got to speak to him I told him Young Girl was my favorite song. He looked up, smiled, and said, "You're kidding?" I've been a Gary Puckett and the Union Gap fan since I heard their stuff on the radio. I got to talk to him for a little while and it was an honor. Before I left, he shook my hand and said, "It was nice meeting you."
Glen from Millersville, PaAccording to several sources (including the Taylor guitar periodical) this band did not take its name from a Civil War Battle or site(was there ever a battle called Gary Puckett and the Union Gap?); they took their name from a small town called Union Gap that was next to Gary's adopted home town of Yakima, Washington. I used to live in Spokane and traveled frequently to Yakima for business. Always saw the signs for Union Gap but never actually got there. Always wondered if the town name had anything to do with the band. Turns out it does.
Paul from Washington Dc, DcI don't suppost that this is one of Roman Polanski's favorite songs.
Mjn Seifer from Not Listed For Personal Reason, EnglandGary Gliter will cover this one day :p
Mjn Seifer from Not Listed For Personal Reason, EnglandMore songs by Gary Puckett and The Union

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