"Bend me, Shape me", The American Breed

[2ajjames]

Fantastic group of that day! The Latino dude has great rhythm! The weight workout could have been deleted, though, but that has nothing to do with the great tune.

[revup67]

interesting promo clip - the drum riff here is played on the snare but in reality it is supposed to be the rack tom

[bobtoeback]

This is the version of the song I heard on the radio :o

[pcetra030965]

I can remember hearing this song for the first time on a NY show called Now Explosion. I was no more than 4 but I remember it was on every Sat. nite, my mom & sister would never miss it.

[curbelo1919]

@pcetra030965 u r the first person i know of that remembers the now explosion. i was beginning to think i was imagining it. not only did it play way into the night when other channels had signed off, it would play unexpectedly during the day. i think to fill in yankee rain delays. 10 years before MTV.

[pcetra030965]

@curbelo1919 I must say the same to you, nobody I know remembers this show either. I too am glad to know there's someone else on this planet that remembers Now Explosion. I remember it being kind of like an evening version of American Bandstand.

[dogleg97]

Don't exactly remember when I heard it, I knew it was around the time I joined the USMC, and I enlisted in Chi Town...being a Chicagoan who never flew on an airplane till I enlisted and flew out to the west coast for boot camp.

[wildnites558]

One of the members of American Breed went on to discover Chaka Khan and found the r&b group Rufus, believe it or not. I think it was the drummer. From American Breed to Rufus, now that's what I call sea change!

[ponder1972]

@wildnites558 I know that Charles Colbert had a hand in discovering Rufus...which featured Chaka Khan. Good looking out. Any day that I learn something new is great day! One love



[Terrilliser]

I had this song playing through my head the other day!!

[murfxyz]

the dance move reminds me of Paul Revere and the Raiders

[ChimeraAZ]

I loved their cover of the Troggs Any Way That You Want Me.Little girls do have their crushes.I had mine,and it was Gary Loizzo,the singer.Lol!

[wouldntyoulike2know]

Total fantasy there...Gary working out in his sweats and LOVE BEADS <3 <3 OMG he's so HOT!!!

[punchcar]

YES, this is bubble gum. sweet power teen pop.....

[StevieB1362]

This was such a kick ass song !  I remember when I was in 7th grade my big sis would let me go cruising with her through Oklahoma City. We'd go to Del Rancho on 44th or The Charcoal Oven on NW Expressway for a burger in her yellow '69 Dodge Super Bee with a 383 Cu.In. 4 speed. God those were the days ! Norma, thanks for taking out time to spend with your little geeky brat brother & making life fun ! Hard to believe we're in our 50's !!

[soimjackie337]

this is NOT bubblegum.

[afton1955]

Was a pre-teen(around 12 years old) when this song was on the charts. Seeing this film footage of Bend Me Shape Me reminds me of seeing it on Wing Ding aka The Jack Alex Show.

WD/The Jack Alex Show was a teen oriented dance program a la American Bandstand and it was from the Washington DC area. It was a daily show M-F and I believe came on at night on Fridays on one of the UHF channels. If anyone out there remembers this program leave me a message.

[progfr0g]

What a classic song. Funny how The Amen corner in England did the same song but totally differently from these blokes. Bit worried about the folkie dancing though haha

[jaytf123]

When bubble gum music was good.

[sexymama1966]

looks like they were doing a dance when they moved left to right:)

[cuddlybear260]

Check out the guy playing trumpet and the drums at the same time at 2:17....NICE!

[Farinadog13]

@cuddlybear260 My neighbor in the Galewood Neighborhood in Chicago, Lee Graziano.!

[countfour]

When I was a kid - I thrashed this song so much! It stirs great memories of a time when I started getting into music big time and is largely responsible for my career in music.

[serilopr]

Great song Great memories!

[laggie24]

Whaoooo ... I digged this tune sooo much ... haven't heard it for ages.... Thank-you Dear DJ : -)

[jockboi21]

Gary is sooooooo cute

[archeeizm]

Bass player is the Frito Bandito.

[wouldntyoulike2know]

I want to make out with Gary Loizzo! <3 How come the boys these days don't look like him? They need to bring back these shaggy hair cuts. At least around where I live they need to. :)

[karmices]

Gary Loizzo was later a sound engineer for Styx.

[licklolly35]

good  song from a good era

[StillRockin1969]

Thanks for posting!

[bambikb81]

My mom grew up to this in the Chicago suburbs........

[sallythewerewolf]

Jeez, Conkyjoe; where do you get these?111 What an embarrassment of riches!...As a native Chicagoan American Breed are old favourites...As for dance moves; the English guys who sang "You Were Made for Me" had some truly hilarious ones...but that kind of thing was expected back then....

[bigalturk1]

Played this in High school....

Battle of the bands

[beefheart67]

chicago 60's rock n roll groove thang

[kickassfan]

cool clip

[goldenagenut]

? Um,did that drummer normally play drums with one hand and trumpet with the other, at the same time?!?

[MusicManKevin]

Yes, he did.

[rockinroller7]

What a kick!

Thanks.

[JackFlemingFan]

Great song..............thanks for the memories again!!

[GarfieldGoose]

Great song...terrible promotional film.

The trombones MADE this tune.

They were from J. Sterling Morton H.S. and others were from what what is what is now Lyons Township H.S.

[bigalturk1]

Another great High school memory for me, Thanks!

[lindapittsburgh]

Groovy!!!

[FischerFan]

This song is easily one of my all-time favourites. It's one of the first songs I remember. 1968 gets my vote for the best year in music.

Luuuv those drum solos...followed by the brass.

Pick up that groovy beat!

[bigcat0615]

I too am fairly young (27) and think that the best music came out of the 60s along with some really truly great bands. I bought a reproduction turntable so I can listen to my Mom and Dad's LPs (both 78s and 45s!)

[oldiesmusiconline]

Great song! check my blog for more oldies stuff... if you're interested.

[ELECTRICSHAMAN13]

this is what i love about youtubes so many cool people with great tunes to share and videos'

thanks for the great memorys

[fabianspring]

Yeah man, I'm still pretty young (25), it's kinda out of my generation but I am really glad to get a chance to listen to that stuff!!

[floppybollox3]

The horns,man...superb,sublime!

[dominique777]

OH YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH MY SONG!!!

[yomamadontdanz]

great song,remember the vitalis commercial they made from this song with the late basketball star pistol pete maravich???/so cool!!!

[SMITHFRANK]

Sometimes it's better NOT to see the artist performing one of your favorite oldies. I never realized what lame-o's these guys were on stage...Still love the song tho...

[Farinadog13]

Before you go judging this group by their 1960's video, consider this was very much the look back then and this was a big hit in the Midwest. How many Hits have you recorded?

[schuller51]

Not bad, but not as good as the original by AMEN CORNER,.....

[turquoisetandem]

Actually Amen Corner didn't write it either, it was a songwriting team (plus both groups put it out in 68').

Also the first version of it was done by the Models (an all girl group)

[twb176]

Plus the Models version pretty much smokes this one. Their version is a glorious fuzz-fueled feedback fest. That one should've been the hit.

[ZHardKoreGroovyJulz]

1 Hit Wonder but 5 starz!

[LYNXVAL]

Great Music!!

[swanningaround]

wild thing

[BigBlueBeast]

I have been mimicking this song since I was 11!

[bricksnlicks]

I need to get the tabs/chords to this song.Anybody know where to get them?

[RodneyFoley]

i remember seeing these guys signing autographs at a clothing store in waukegan they looked so clean us longhaired greasers couldnt relate

[MacGrurry]

they were the "All American Breed"

[siggreta]

A true classic It really takes me back to my roots of rock & roll

[toppop100]

#99 on my list 'The Top Pop Songs of All Time.' See my profile for the link.

[Farinadog13]

Oops! Meant to say Lee Graziano, Nick is his brother.

[Farinadog13]

Nick Graziano on the Drums and Trumpet Solo. Still lives in Chicago in the Galewood neighborhood. Thanks for the memories

[wjv4me]

Great upload-so many memories-thanks, keep

'em coming!

[j66996]

Ha! I bought a set of Premier drums from them!

[naganokumas]

A drummer playing the trumpet at the same time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's a musical first.

[gregggg752]

If he was playing a double bass drumm set using both feet he would not need any hands for the snares or tom-tom's. So yes he could play the trumpet at the same time and would not be that difficult. And you will notice at the end it is a consistent speed beat with no changes to the sound and would indicate he is just beating both feet on both bass drums pedals.

[naishdave]

And check out his performance on the SeaOvJapan video of this song where he manages to play the drums without being anywhere near them!!

[mwolf49]

Either a "telepathic" performance or . .he found some bad acid floating around in the day. Too funny.

[seico67]

they move groovy !!

[pcsbeat]

great song...cool guitars!

[daisyduck0285]

I loved the 60's. Great music.

[lindapittsburgh]

My boyfriend took the lyrics literally LOL...

[krazykritik]

..oh oh..is he still living?..or didja let him have it?..LOL..

[naishdave]

Ah - the 60s. The only era where the drummer would attempt to drum one-handed whilst playing the trumpet with the other. I loved it.

[hollygugl]

cool song -- songs sung to make love to the ladies.....

as long as you love me - its all right!!!!! peace and love

[Maribee1CD]

It came from drugs dude! :>

[Maribee1CD]

By the end of the sevenities...the polls were in...and 70 percent of the populus smoked...dig it?

[Yesimustbestupid2]

And by 1981, American Breed was appearing in Olivia Newton-John's video for "Physical"! -:)

[KDCZZZ]

It's hard to believe that this group evolved into Rufus & Chaka Khan. Only one member in that video was in Rufus.

[AaronVazquez1234]

cool i live in cicero.can some one give me the bass tab?please

[LanceGrey]

I'm in Cicero too.

Didja see the lineup comming June 20-22 for the Town-Hall farwell?

[BestTits]

no who is playing and when?

[LanceGrey]

Goodbye to the old Town Hall June 20-22

Kreatures of Habit, Rick Derringer

Bill O'Connell's Chicago Skyliner Big Band,

Retroactive, PUSH!, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels,

Johnny 3:16, The Angel Melendez Tropical Band,

The Chicago Catz

The Classic Rock All-Stars

[BestTits]

wow thats awesome, I might have to check that out

[homeborn]

So cool

always thought it was "bend me shake me"

should be "bend me shag me"

[Maribee1CD]

I thought so too...bend me shake me...hahaha

[billgbg]

They did a great job with the song, but the demo came out of some LA session musicians. You can hear a 1967 release by "The Models" a girl group making a hallucinatory rave up with the song. This version is far more rockin'.

[flairboys]

thats hot.

[flairboys]

hop step hop step.

[soxbearshwks]

if you look at old Temptations footage, that was their dance step while singing....

[soxbearshwks]

there was a new years eve party at a hotel in Rosemont Il. Buckinghams,cryan shame,american breed, and new colony six, what a great show that night, think it was 68 or 69

[kricolma]

Are you kidding.

This is s***e!

See Amen Corner!!

[eli2lewy]

conkyjoe,Thanks Man!

[judex54]

Me vuelve loco westa cancion ! y el bailecito , ja, ja

[robertlaberge]

Go see British band Amen Corner's equally fantastic version, in a more soulful vein.

[nixjag1]

Man, I remember when they were "Gary & The Nite Lites" playing at the teen club in Lemont, Illinois.

We'd see the the Buckinghama, New Colony Six, Cryan

Shames, The Flock and the Mauds at the Fickle Fox in Plainfield, The Crimson Cougar in Montgomery and the Blue Village in Westmont. But there was never any filming at those shows. Geez, forgot about H.P. Lovecraft and the Shadows of Knight. Does anyone remember the Knights? Played around Joliet, a lot and did a great Rolling Stones show.

[puppypoo1978]

The thing I always wondered, is that when they produced these, where were they played, i know they werent called videos , they were like "promotional" but where what was the venue, I nstill havnet found out where they were played

[TuneInTurnOnDropOut]

They were called "promos" and they were for the band to their record label, as a way of saying "here's our latest single, do you like it?". They were never meant to be played for public consumption.

[Wagmusic]

I knew these guys slightly, my band opened for them back in the day. Nice guys and a great band, thanks for the memories. Note, Part of the band went on to become RUFUS of Chaka Kahn Fame!

[lukejake777]

Didn't know that

[suesoch]

Great song! Love that saltwater taffy! And the drummer playing horn, too!

[squyres]

Thanks for the memories !!!!

[wjv4me]

Great upload...dig this song! Please post more:-)

[KennyWrites]

Great song! I've also heard "The Brain" by them, decent, but not as great as this classic.

[NostalgiaBob]

CCOL!!

[ericcollins81]

LOVE THIS SONG