Comments: 12

• Pete from Allentown, PaSong was first done by The Models in 1966: I remember too the song used for a Pepsodent TV commercial "White teeth, bright teeth, any day and night teeth with Pepsodent power you turn on the light."
• Robert G from New YorkBend Me Shape Me was used in a Mister Softee commercial in the sixties. "Cones and shakes and anything you..." I can't find it on Youtube anywhere. Anybody have a lead?
• Tom U from St. Louis, MoI remember as a young man seeing a dance group perform to this song and I believe it was on the Carol Burnette Show. Trying to find a video. It was one of the most energetic performances of it's time. I would like my wife to see this performance.
• Sonia Laughlin from Belfast, Northern IrelandDoes any one know who the publisher is for this song? Need to know asap? thanks
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {01-18-2016}
  Gary Loizzo, lead singer and guitarist with Chicago's American Breed, died of cancer Saturday (January 16th, 2016) at the age of 70.
  Formed as Gary and the Knight Lites, the group saw some local success in 1963 with "If I'm Lonely Tomorrow" on Kedlen Records and continued recording for three other labels before being discovered by officials of ACTA Records who were snowed-in during Chicago's blizzard of 1967.
  With a name change to the American Breed, the group scored success that year with "Step Out Of Your Mind" (#24-1967) before hitting with "Bend Me, Shape Me" (#5) early the next year. But the follow-up, "Green Light" (#39-1968) proved to be their only other top 40 tune (though they charted locally with "Ready, Willing And Able" that year as well).
  Nevertheless, the American Breed were in high demand for commercial jingles, including such products as Coca-Cola, American Airlines, Partridge Weiners and the TV show, "Temperature's Rising."
  A change to more R&B-flavored records as Ask Rufus (later shortened to Rufus) followed Gary's departure and eventually led to fame for lead singer Chaka Khan. Gary, meanwhile, formed a suburban Chicago recording studio where he engineered (and sometimes produced) the city's top talent, including Styx, REO Spedwagon, Survivor and Dennis DeYoung.
  He was twice nominated for Grammys for his engineering work.
  May he R.I.P.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 16th 1967, the American Breed performed "Bend Me, Shape Me" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  At the time the song was at #23 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and thirty-six days later on January 21st, 1968 it peaked at #5 {See posts below}...
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 17th 1968, the American Breed performed "Anyway That You Want Me" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  Twenty days earlier on July 28th, 1968 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 at position #92; and the following week it peaked at #88 and spent a total of 4 weeks on the Top 100...
  "Bend Me, Shape Me" used similar lyrics; instead of 'anyway that you want me' it was 'Bend me, shape me, anyway you want me'...
  Besides "Bend Me, Shape Me" and "Anyway That You Want Me" the group had three other Top 100 records; "Step Out of Your Mind" {#24 in 1967}, "Green Light" {#39 in 1968}, and "Ready, Willing, and Able" {#84 in 1968}.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 21st 1968, "Bend Me, Shape Me" by the American Breed peaked at #5 (for 2 weeks) and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100 (and 7 of those 14 weeks were on the Top 10)...
  Was track seven on their 2nd studio album of the same name; the album reached #99 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
  One other track from the album made the Top 100, "Green Light, it peaked at #39 (for 3 weeks) on April 30th, 1968.
• Randy from Portage, InWhen at a STYX concert in 2008 they brought out the former lead singer of this song who worked in their crew and they played a great version of this song.
• Stormy from Kokomo, InThis song always reminds me of my friend Greg Glass because he would sing it CONSTANTLY at basketball practice our senior year at Kokomo High School in 1968!
• Dave from Scottsdale, AzThe American Breed added a female singer and changes their name in the early 70's. The singer was Chaka Khan and they became Rufus.
• Farrah from Elon, NcThis is one of those feel good songs that just makes you smile.

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