BEND IT! COVERS
The Potatoes - The Bend / Bend Ahead (UK: Fontana TF 756) 7/10/66
This song, also written by Howard Blaikley, is not a cover of "Bend It" but a variation on the same theme. It was released as part of a campaign to launch a new dance, The Bend, choreographed by deejay Mike Quinn, based on the sirtaki from Zorba’s Dance (Mike Quinn was signed by Howard Blaikley for a one-off single in October).
The steps to dance The Bend were printed on its music sheet, as well as on the German sleeve of the record. There was even a British national “Bend” competition, with finals at the Cromwellian Club, London, SW7.
The song became a Radio London Climber on 9 October, and the same week, Patrick Kerr and his Go-Go Girls (from “Ready Steady Go”) were filmed dancing The Bend at London’s Playboy Club while Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich were playing “Bend It”. The film was included in a Pathe Pictorial, released on the ABC cinema circuit later the same month.
The Potatoes were producer Steve Rowland and his musical director Alan Caddy, with a little help from Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley.
Guitarist Alan Caddy had been an original member of Johnny Kidd’s Pirates, and then Joe Meek’s protégés the Tornados. Becoming a musical director and arranger, he worked for the Spencer Davis Group, Kiki Dee, the Pretty Things at Philips/Fontana. (Johnny Kidd was killed in a car crash on October 7th, the very day this single was issued).
| THE BEND (Howard/Blaikley) |
BEND AHEAD (Rowland/Caddy) |
| There’s a crazy place I know It’s a place you gotta go Where the wild kids hang around And they found a different sound And they’re callin’ it the Bend You know it really is the end Baby won’t you come and bend With me? Gotta start it off real slow Well then baby get down low Then you gain a little speed And there’s nothing else you need Cause baby when you do the Bend I’ll be more than just a friend Baby won’t you come and bend With me? Smokey Joe is on the scene Dancing with that movie queen Brother Legs is dancing too It’s the only dance he’ll do Everybody’s with the Bend You know it really is the end Baby won’t you come and bend With me? Inspired by the song “Bend It” (Howard Blaikley) |
Now everybody’s ready ... Let’s sneak it on real easy But be careful! ... There’s a bend ahead Ah, you’re lookin’ marvelous tonight That’s it baby, real easy! Nothing to it I sure love that smile on your face, Honey, you’re looking great Ah yeah baby, do it! That’s it, you got the hank Look out babe, we’re gonna pick up a little speed here Here we go! ... Love, you look fantastic I think I heard the term used “super” Ah baby you’re doin’ it, you’re doing that thing! Look out now! ... Not too fast! Well I'm sure baby everybody’s having a good time You know, we need about half a bottle Well man, break it out! Break it out, will you? Well send someone down to help me Hey listen, do you know what they do with this kinda record all the time? Everybody stands round in circle, you know They all stand round in a circle, you know And they all raise their little lillywhite palm And they begin to clap like this, now listen! Come on! That’s it! ... Then they start to get off Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! |
Alan Caddy, as a member of Johnny Kidd’s Pirates, is featured on this web-page:
Omega - Bend It / I Put A Spell On You (Hungary: Qualiton SP 345) 1966
Formed in Budapest in September 1962 by winds player László Benkő on organ and János Kóbor as singer and rhythm guitarist, with József Laux on drums, they initially performed covers of British and American rock songs, frequently changing members. In 1967 Tamás Mihály came in on bass, and Gábor Presser joined on keyboards. Then György Molnár became lead guitarist, completing the lineup that recorded their first album in 1968.
Their first singles in 1966 were:
Paint It Black/Bus Stop (Qualiton SP 336)
Bend It/I Put A Spell On You (Qualiton SP 345)
Little Man/What Now My Love (Qualiton SP 346)
Sunny/No Milk Today (Qualiton SP 348)
Various Artists - LP Beat aus England Vol. 14 (Germany: Pop Schallplatten ZS 10.014) ca. 11/66
The Beat Kings: Bend It, When I Come Home, I'm A Boy, Yellow Submarine, Have You Seen Your Mother, All Or Nothing, Black Is Black
The Ravers - LP Little Man (Tip 63-3065) ca. 11/66 [The Tonics] 
For more info: see covers Hold Tight
The Pros And Cons - Bend It / No Time (UK: CBS 202.341) 2/12/66 [instrumental]
No info available on The Pros and Cons
Gaylord Parry's Carnival Band - Let's Bend / Bending Kremlin' Gremlin' (Germany: Hansa 19 302 AT) ca. 12/66
This single, like The Potatoes earlier in 19
66, is some kind of private joke from the Howard/Blaikley team. This is not a cover of "Bend It", but an extension on "The Bend" dance craze. The A-side is sung by Ken Howard and the flip is mostly instrumental, with some "Russian" growls all along the rhythm à la "Okay". It was released only in Germany.
The Go-Go Girls on the picture are known as Tomorrow's People, from the “Ready Steady Go” TV show.
Various Artists - LP Schlager, Hits und Spitzenreiter (Germany: Gloria SMGL 14 088) 1966
The Cats: With A Girl Like You, Bend It
A Dutch group from Volendam, The Cats lineup in early 1964 was already Piet Veerman (vo/gt), Cees Veerman (vo/gt), Jaap Schilder (gt/piano), Arnold Muhren (bs) and Theo Klouwer (dr), who stayed together until they split in 1980.
They had 4 chart toppers in the Netherlands between 1968 and 1970: "Lea", "Why", "Marian" and "Where Have I Been Wrong". In their early years they covered Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich's "Bend It". The song was recorded solely for the German market and appeared on this Various Artists album.
For more information, check the Cats website: thecatsvolendam
Various Artists - LP Beat Parade 67/1 (Germany: Hansa 75.755 ZT) ca. 2/67 
The German Outlaws: Bend It, I Can’t Control Myself, Paint It Black, Hanky Panky, Love Of My Life
The German Outlaws were a quintet from Recklinghausen.
Other artists include: The Beathovens, The Dakotas, Dave Gordon & His Rebel Guys, Mama Betty's Band, The Classix, Gisela & The Spirits, Giorgio.
The Pick-Ups - LP Keep On Dancing II (Germany: Metromone HLP 10.084 ZT) ca. 3/67 [group is in fact The Tonics]
For more info: see 'The Ravers' entry in covers Hold Tight
French cover: Elsa Martinelli - Bandit EP (France: Disc’AZ 1107) 4/67
Better known title on this record is "Non pas ce soir, ni demain" (No Milk Today), although that version was beaten by Frank Alamo's "A travers les carreaux" (with different lyrics) which made the Top 20. Elsa Martinelli only made one more EP in 1968, and a few singles later on.
She was born Elsa Tia, on 13 January 1935 in Grossetto, Tuscany (Italy), an Italian actress and former fashion model. In 1956 she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 6th Berlin International Film Festival for playing the title role in Mario Monicelli's Donatella.
A video of "Bandit" by Elsa Martinelli may be seen on Dailymotion.
James Last Band - LP Non Stop Dancing '67 (Germany: Polydor 249.122) 4/67 [Medley]
This is the first time James Last included any hit by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich in one of his Party Albums. This '67 medley was composed of "Bend It/Little Man/Save Me".
James Last released an album in 1965, "Non-Stop Dancing", a recording of brief renditions of popular songs, all tied together by an insistent dance beat and crowd noises. It was a hit and made him a major European star. Over the next four decades, he released over 190 records, including several more volumes of Non-Stop Dancing. On these records, he varies his formula by adding different songs from different countries and genres, as well as guest performers.
Dan Hill - LP Music To Watch Girls By (South Africa: CBS ASF 1188) ca. 6/67 [Instrumental medley]
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South-African organist recording Party albums since the 50's. These consist of hits of the day played as pot-pourri. He produced 10 albums entitled "Sounds Electronic" from 1965 to 1970, all housed in sexy covers, all more daring as the decade moved on.
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Dan Hill also covered "The Legend Of Xanadu" on the album "Sounds Electronic Vol. 5".
Lynn Holland - LP Oh Darling How I Miss You (UK: Polydor 236.217) 12/67 ?
The album includes:
Come And Love (Hava Nagila)
All The Love In The World
Bend It (Howard Blaikley)
One Man In My Life (Howard Blaikley)
Wand'ring Boy
Oh Darling How I Miss You
My Yiddishe Momma
Face In The Crowd (Howard Blaikley)
May God Help You And Protect You (Howard Blaikley/Supran)
Before
No Regrets (Non, je ne regrette rien)
Loneliness (Howard Blaikley)
For more info: see page Lynn Holland
The Charing Cross Boys - LP Dance To The Songs Of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (Germany: Decca ND 186) Early 1968
Titles:
Save Me / Zabadak / It’s So Hard To Love You / Nose For Trouble / Touch Me Touch Me / I'm On The Up // Hold Tight / Bend It / Hideaway / Okay / You Make It Move / No Time
The Howard Blaikley Orchestra - LP Silhouettes Of Success (UK: Rim ZS 3) 10/68 [instrumental]
Titles:
Zabadak / Hideaway / Dreamer Of Dreams / Touch Me / I Love / Have I The Right // Bend It / From The Underworld / Okay / Hold Tight / Goodbye / That's The Way
Since the end of the 60's, "Bend It" was not quite forgotten.
Jo Ment’s Happy Sound - LP Explosion Party (Germany: SR International 77.761) 1977
German cover : Pierre Mertien - Komm doch (Germany: toi,toi,toi Records 9644-5) 2005
Janus - CD Zabadak A Howard/Blaikley Songbook (UK: Hitsong Records) 2008
