Songfacts®:

• Their first hit, this song launched the Ohio Express into "stardom." However, it was not recorded by the same Yummy Yummy" artists. It was originally released under the Attack label by The Rare Breed, and the same exact song was later released under the label Cameo Parkway by the Ohio Express. According to Rare Breed keyboard player Barry Stolnick, producers Jeff Katz and Jerry Kasenetz named the group when 'Beg Borrow and Steal' was first released on the Attack label. They were 16-17 year old kids, and weren't under contract, which made it very easy to take advantage of them. According to Stolnick, the song sold about a half a million copies, and the 5 young artists that recorded this song never received their recognition. The Rare Breed members were Stolnick, John Freno, Alexander (Botts) Norbett, Joel Feigenbaum and Tony Cambria. Stolnick adds: "We never expected it to be a hit, and did not know they would call us the Rare Breed. We were playing locally under different names. Being in High School we were in no position to go on tour, and that's part of the reason Katz and Kasenetz got other people to do the tour.
• Joey Day and Lou Zerato wrote this song.

Comments: 6

• Grip Edwards from MarsBarry is wrong on one thing:
  The Hughes/Thrall song "Beg Borrow Steal" is in title only. The are two completely different songs.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 28th 1969 The Ohio Express performed "Mercy" on the ABC-TV afternoon weekday program 'American Bandstand'...
  "Mercy" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart on March 23rd, 1969 at position #77; five weeks later on April 27th it peaked at #30 {for 1 week} and it spent 8 weeks on the chart...
  Between 1967 and 1969 the Mansfield, Ohio quintet had nine Top 100 records; one made the Top 10, "Yummy Yummy Yummy", it peaked at #4 in 1968...
  Their next biggest hit was "Chewy Chewy", it reached #15, also in 1968.
  
  
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 1st 1967, "Beg, Borrow, and Steal" by the Ohio Express entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #96; and on November 26th, 1967 it peaked at #29 {for 2 weeks} and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
  It reached #27 in Canada...
  Between October 1967 and September 1969 the 'many different members' group had nine Top 100 records; with one reaching the Top 10, "Yummy Yummy Yummy", it peaked at #4 {for 3 weeks} on June 9th, 1968.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1983 the duo of Hughes/Thrall released a record titled "Beg, Borrow, or Steal", it peaked at #79 and in 1972 The New Seekers released "Beg, Steal or Borrow", it reached #81!!!
• Ted from Phoenix, AzAs Larry Neal, the former host of the 1990's forgotten oldies show on KOMA in Oklahoma City, The Wax Museum, once said: "This group begged, borrowed and stole this song from "Louie, Louie," by the Kingsmen."
• John from Cincinnati, OhThe bass is out of tune with the rest of the instruments on this recoed.

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