Play IT Loud - Song Information - The Shape of Things To Come

The Shape of Things To Come

"The Shape of Things to Come" was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, first performed by the band Max Frost and The Troopers on the 1968 album of the song's name.

The song was released as the lead single from the album, under Fontana Records, becoming the band's final release on that label. The band performed the song on Top of the Pops, their first appearance on the show, despite the song failing to chart in the UK. This performance has not been seen since the original broadcast.

The band appeared on the UK show Disco 2 to promote the Play It Loud album making three appearances during 1970. Three songs were performed from the album in total which were Shape of Things to Come, Know Who You Are and Sweet Box. All three performances have never surfaced since broadcasting.

Allmusic.com wrote "Also there is less cover music here. What sounds like the opening to the Yardbirds version of Graham Gouldman's "For Your Love" emerges as Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's "The Shape of Things to Come.""

Allmusic.com spoke of the song in a review for the 2006 Salvo double remaster of the 1969 Beginnings debut album and Play It Loud. "Dapple Rose, One Way Hotel, Pouk Hill, and covers of The Shape of Things to Come and Journey to the Centre of Your Mind are all dynamite, with the originals as indicative of the band's innate ear for a melody and the covers representing Slade at their floor-shaking, foot-stamping hardest."

The band performed the track in the early 70s during a live BBC studio session. This performance was officially released in 2009 on the two disc set Live at the BBC, after years of appearing on bootlegs.

The song featured on the 1972 compilation Coz I Luv You, the 1973 UK number one compilation Sladest, the 2006 box set compilation The Slade Box, the 2007 American compilation In for a Penny: Raves & Faves and the 2008 compilation Rockers.

The track is a recommended track by allmusic.com.