Shapes of Things

Infobox Single
Name = Shapes of Things


Cover size =
Caption =
Artist = The Yardbirds
from Album =
A-side =
B-side = "You're A Better Man Than I" (Mike Hugg) (UK)
"I'm Not Talking"(USA, Epic 9891)
"New York City Blues"(USA, Epic 10006)
Released = February 1966
Format = 7" single
Recorded =
Genre = Psychedelic rock, blues-rock
Length =
Label = Columbia (EMI) DB7848 (UK)
Epic 9891 (USA)
Epic 10006 (USA)
Writer = Paul Samwell-Smith, Keith Relf, Jim McCarty
Producer = Giorgio Gomelsky
Certification =
Chart position = *UK #3
*USA #11
Last single = "Evil Hearted You"
(1965)
--
"I'm a Man"
(USA, 1965)
This single = "Shapes of Things"
(1966)
Next single = "Over Under Sideways Down"
(1966)
Misc = "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 his band's first album, "Truth" (1968), 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.

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. 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.