"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 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1968 and #24 in the United Kingdom.[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 #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 theGumby 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, a 2002 TV commercial for Gap Stretch Jeans, and the 2001 Futurama episode "Bendless Love".