Songs People Should Hear

[Music Head]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK1PpD1z-gs

from wikipedia

"Bend Me, Shape Me" is a song written by Scott English and Larry Weiss. It was first recorded by The Outsiders as a track on their album The Outsiders In in 1966. The best known version of the song is the 1967 single released by The American Breed that peaked at #5 in the US in early 1968.

The American Breed's 2:05 single mix of this song was sped-up during mastering for release, while the widely-available original 2:24 version was done at a normal speed. The following year, The American Breed released their last single, “Anyway That You Want Me,” which borrowed its title phrase from this hit. Co-songwriter Scott English later went on to write and sing “Brandy,” which Barry Manilow later covered as his 1974 breakout hit “Mandy.”

There have been other cover versions of the song. The first cover was released by The Models in 1966 on the MGM label. Other notable versions include one by Amen Corner, slightly altering the lyrics, which reached #3 in the UK in 1968. A group called Storm tried a cover version in 1971, but it missed making the Top 100. An updated version by Donna McElroy appeared on the Gumby album in 1989. The song is featured in the 1997 film, Wild America.

American Breed's “Bend Me Shape Me” was later featured in a 2000 TV commercial for Flexon eyeglass frames (revived in 2007), as well as a 2001 TV commercial for Mercedes-Benz station wagons, and a 2002 TV commercial for Gap Stretch Jeans.

The American Breed was an American rock band that was formed in 1966 and disbanded in 1969.

The group was formed in Cicero, Illinois as Gary & The Nite Lites. The group's greatest success was the single, "Bend Me, Shape Me," which reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968. The song, written by Scott English and Larry Weiss, was a remake of a recording by The Outsiders that had been released the year before. The group also appeared on the 16 December 1967 episode of the television show American Bandstand, along with Pink Floyd.

The original members of the group were Gary Loizzo on vocals, Charles Colbert, Jr. on bass guitar, Al Ciner on guitar, and Lee Graziano on drums. All members were from the greater Chicago area. As Gary & The Nite Lites, they were somewhat successful in Chicago and released one single. Soon afterwards, the group underwent several changes. They moved to the Acta record label and renamed themselves The American Breed. Two new members were also added by 1968: Kevin Murphy on keyboards and Andre Fischer on drums.

The band enjoyed its greatest success in 1967 and 1968. They released five singles that reached the charts, including "Step Out Of Your Mind", "Green Light" and "Bend Me, Shape Me". The latter track was their biggest seller, and sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The group went through several more name and personnel changes, but with Ciner and Murphy remaining as core members through the changes. First was shortening the name to 'The Breed', then re-naming the band 'Smoke', before evolving to a R&B funk sound as 'Ask Rufus'. They added singer Paulette McWilliams, who was later replaced by Chaka Khan, and finally became Rufus, (former American Breed drummer Andre Fisher returned as Rufus's drummer during this period), and the band later scored their first Top 10 hit under the Rufus name with "Tell Me Something Good" in 1974. Fischer later married Natalie Cole. A compilation album, Bend Me, Shape Me: The Best of the American Breed, was released in 1994. "Bend Me, Shape Me" continues to receive occasional airplay on oldies radio stations.

In celebration of the 2005 baseball World Championship of the Chicago White Sox, the American Breed issued a CD single entitled "Rock with the Sox." The single was produced by Gary Loizzo.

The American Breed appeared also on the soundtrack to the films No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) and The Brain (1969).

You are all the woman I need
And baby you know it
(Know it, know it, know it)
You can make this beggar a king
A clown or a poet
(Poet, poet, poet)
I'll give you all that I own
You got me standing in line
Out in the cold
Pay me some mind
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
Long as you love me
It's all right
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
You got the power to turn on the light
Everybody tells me I'm wrong
To want you so badly
(Badly, badly, badly)
But there's a force driving me on
I follow it gladly
(Gladly, gladly, gladly)
So let them laugh I don't care
'Cause I got nothing to hide
All that I want is you by my side
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
Long as you love me
It's all right
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
You got the power
To turn on the light
Yeah, bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
Long as you love me
It's all right
Bend me, shape me
Anyway you want me
You got the power
To turn on the light