BEND IT! (USA VERSION) COVERS
Liittle Eva - Bend It / Just One Word Ain’t Enough (US: Verve VK-10.459) 11/66 ? [Rec. 17/10/66]
The perfect “One-Hit Wonder” (although she had three Top 20 records between 1962 and 63), she had disappeared from all music encyclopedias by the end of the 60s. The story goes she was baby-sitting for Goffin and King who wrote “The Loco-Motion” for her and created the Dimension label just to release that first hit.
It was a n°1 in the USA in June ‘62 (and a French n°1 for Sylvie Vartan), created a new dance in the wake of the twist and others, and was quickly followed by an album and another hit in “Keep Your Hands Off My Baby”. This one was even covered by an up-and-coming group called the Beatles.
Then Goffin & King tried a new dance with “Let’s Turkey Trot”. More records followed, but her last Billboard entry was a n°123 in December ’63 with “Let’s Start The Party Again”. She sang a duet with Big Dee Irwin on “Swinging On A Star” without being credited.
She issued only one single in 1964, and one more in ‘65 before switching to Amy for a one-off single, and then to Verve, where she recorded her next single in New-York on 17 October 1966 : “Bend It” / “Just One Word Ain’t Enough” (Verve VK 10459)
The lyrics are the American uncensored version of the Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich song, sung with a rather light musical production. Not too impressive, and the B-side is better. Little Eva continued to release some records for various labels and ended her career in 1971. “The Loco-Motion” re-entered the British charts in 1972, and also gave hits to Grand Funk Railroad and Kylie Minogue. Eva Boyd died of cancer in April 2003.
The Palm Beach Band Boys - Winchester Cathedral / Bend It (US: RCA 47-9739) 11/66 (+ LP Winchester Cathedral)
Leroy Holmes & His New Music - Bend It / Goofus (US: UA 50.104) 1967 [instrumental]
The Noblemen - Bend It / Stop Your Running Around (US: CJL 1001) 2/67
The Noblemen were formed in Oklahoma City in 1965 and broke up in late 1968.
The original band was: Ronnie Hicks (vo), Shan Shepard (rh), Steve Carpenter (bs), Greg Castner (org), Jerry Maxwell (gt) and Mike Tylzynski (dr). Mike Mathis replaced Jerry Maxwell (and sang lead on "Bend It").
Their first record “Bend It” got to N°2 in Oklahoma City in March 1967 and stayed in the charts for over 12 weeks. Their second single was a cover of Love's "My Flash On You".
Barbara Eden - I Wouldn't Be A Fool / Bend It (US: Dot Records 16.999) 3/67 ? (+ LP Miss Barbara Eden) 6/67 ?
Barbara Eden (Jeannie of I Dream Of Jeanie) released an album called "Miss Barbara Eden" in 1967.
Also released in 1967 were several singles, "I Wouldn't Be A Fool/Bend It", "Rebel/Heartaches", "I'm A Fool To Care/Pledge of Love".
