"Down On My Knees" by Bread

More bands should be named after food. Soft rock kings, Bread, dominated AM radio in the early 70s with their catchy songs and gorgeous harmonies. All of their hits were written and produced by David Gates, whose smooth and heartfelt vocals kept the band on the charts for years. After a couple great songs like "Dismal Day" failed to chart, the band debuted in a big way with the #1 smash "Make It With You" in 1970.

Legend has it that the boys came up with the band name after getting stuck behind a Wonder Bread truck. All these years I always thought they were being clever, since bread was popular 70s slang for money and their self-titled record even featured them on dollar bills. I wonder if they would have had the same success if they had gotten stuck in traffic behind an Oscar Meyer Weiner truck.

Along with Gates, guitarist James Griffin wrote and sang a number of songs for the band. However, none of his tunes were ever selected by the record company to be released as a single. This spurred rifts in the band leading to their first breakup in 1973. Griffin provided more of a muscular edge to the band's usual light rock fare and his songs should not be overlooked. 

"Down On My Knees" is one of my favorites sung by Griffin, and just listen to the excitement in the drums played by Mike Botts, who was probably thrilled at the chance to do an upbeat song for a change! The tune comes from the mega-successful 1972 record, "Baby I'm-a Want You", which got to #3.