Shapes of Things
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| “Shapes of Things” | |||||
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| Single by The Yardbirds | |||||
| B-side | "You're A Better Man Than I" (Mike Hugg) (UK) "I'm Not Talking"(USA, Epic 9891) |
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| Released | February 1966 | ||||
| Format | 7" single | ||||
| Genre | Pop music, Blues rock, Psychedelic Rock | ||||
| Label | Columbia (EMI) DB7848 (UK) Epic 9891 (USA) |
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| Writer(s) | Paul Samwell-Smith, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty | ||||
| Producer | Giorgio Gomelsky | ||||
| The Yardbirds singles chronology | |||||
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"Shapes of Things" is a song written by Paul Samwell-Smith, Keith Relf, and Jim McCarty, originally recorded by The Yardbirds and released as a single in 1966. The song title bears a striking resemblance to The Shape of Things to Come, the "future history" book by H.G. Wells which foresaw cities being destroyed by aerial bombing.
The song is one of The Yardbirds' best-known songs due to Jeff Beck's guitar solo, which contained heavy amounts of fuzztone and feedback, both rare at the time. Beck re-worked the song two years later with his own group, appearing as the lead-off track to the 1968 album Truth, with vocals by Rod Stewart. Co-writer McCarty recorded the song again with his band The British Invasion All-Stars for their Yardbirds Family Tree album on Mooreland St. Records, released in 2006.
In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Shapes of Things" at number 61 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
[edit] Cover versions
The song has received numerous cover versions. David Bowie recorded this song for his Pin Ups album in 1973. Scottish heavy metal band Nazareth placed this song on their 1974 LP Rampant, as well as on a later 1981 live album titled 'Snaz. Gary Moore covered the Jeff Beck Group version on his 1983 album Victims of the Future, and the Jeff Healey Band recorded it for their 1995 album titled Cover to Cover. An interesting cover appeared on the 2000 compact disc Live at the Greek by The Black Crowes featuring Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page, who played the solo from the 1966 version although he had yet to be hired by the band for the original single. The Beck Group version of the song from 1968 was covered by the band Rush on their 2004 EP Feedback. The eponymous debut album by Black Stone Cherry from 2006 contains a version of "Shapes of Things" as well.
The Allman Joys recorded a demo version of this song at Bradley's Barn in Nashville in 1966. It has also been covered by the Canadian prog rock band FM on their Surveillance album.
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