By the end of 1968, “Young Girl” was the fifth-biggest selling song of the year in the UK (ahead of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”) and the 15th best selling single of 1968 across the Atlantic on the Billboard chart in the US. As well as reaching number one in the UK, the song also topped the charts in Ireland, Canada and New Zealand. Re-released in 1974 as part of a CBS “Hall of Fame Hits” series, “Young Girl” enjoyed a second UK Top Ten chart run, peaking at number six. Sung from the standpoint of a man who has come to learn that the object of his affections - a nameless “young girl” - is under the age of consent, its lyrics are not considered acceptable in modern society. After “Young Girl”, they scored one more top ten hit in the UK (“Lady Willpower”) but the next single did not make the top 40.

Source: Irish Independent May 24, 2023 17:56 UTC