Bend Me, Shape Me
| "Bend Me, Shape Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The American Breed | ||||
| from the album Bend Me, Shape Me | ||||
| B-side | "Mindrocker" | |||
| Released | December 1967 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length |
2:05 (single version) 2:25 (album version) | |||
| Label | Acta Records 811 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Scott English, Larry Weiss | |||
| Producer(s) | Bill Traut | |||
| The American Breed singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"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 No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1968 and No. 24 in the UK Singles Chart.[1]
The American Breed's 2:05 single mix of this song was sped-up during mastering for release, while the widely available original 2:25 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 No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1968.[2] A group called Storm tried a cover version in 1971, but it missed making the Billboard Hot 100. An updated version by Donna McElroy appeared on the Gumby album in 1989. The song was featured in the 1997 film, Wild America.
American Breed's "Bend Me Shape Me" was later featured in a number of TV commercials, starting with the 2000 Flexon eyeglass frames (revived in 2007) ad, as well as a 2001 TV commercial for Mercedes-Benz station wagons, a 2002 TV commercial for Gap Stretch Jeans, and the 2001 Futurama episode "Bendless Love". The song was featured in the 2015 commercial for Select Comfort's Sleep Number mattress.
References
- ↑ "Bend Me, Shape Me (song by The American Breed) • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 21/2. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.