Burdon left also this band and run back to stardome in the mid-70s with The Eric Burdon Band producing heavy rocking songs. He went on forming short-living groups such as Eric Burdon's Fire Dept. in 1980, another Eric Burdon Band in 1981, especially for a motion picture-starring role in Comeback for which he made the soundtrack and a reunion band with The Animals in 1983 to get back to the Mainstream Charts. The 1980s saw Burdon in genres such as heavy metal, new wave, pop, reggae, disco, blues, rock and roll, punk, funk and rap. He also published his album "I Used To Be An Animal" as well as his autobiography with the same title. He went on touring in stadiums as well as in small clubs around the world.
In 1990 he formed the Eric Burdon & Robby Krieger Band who toured mainly in America. They recorded some demo tapes, but never released them. In 1991 he toured the world again as Eric Burdon & Brian Auger Band. They released a double-live album, "Access All Areas" in 1993, showing versions of Burdon's old hits in new musical outfits, once again as a blues, metal, reggae and fusion performer.
In 1994 they got disbanded, Burdon got introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where he performed 1995 with Bon Jovi and created a new group of high-professional musicians, Eric Burdon's i Band. They disbanded in 1998 and he formed Eric Burdon & The New Animals. In 2003 they changed their name in Eric Burdon & The Animals, after some band changes. In 2004 the long awaited studio-album "My Secret Life" was released and brought him back into the mainstream charts and in late 2005 the live album "Athens Traffic Live" was released.
Burdon formed a new band-line-up, also touring as Eric Burdon & The Animals. In January 2006 he released "Soul of a Man", with good critics worldwide. He wanted to create an album who is dedicated to the blues and rnb. Since then he toured the world without a break, always looking for new material, performing with other famous musicians.
Recently, Burdon wrote a screenplay called "Twisted Oliver" and is working on a new studio album. He turned down tours with War and Linkin Park in the last year, but it seems that the new year is bringing many surprises.
Many of his bands also used elements of speed metal, thrash metal, grindcore and death metal.
He's definitely one of the most important people in music history, while recording the first #1 hit with a length more than four minutes, "House of the Rising Sun", the most popular anti-vietnam song "We Gotta Get out of this Place", the first song recorded in stereo, "Sky Pilot" and the first latin rap in pop music, "Spill the Wine". His self-written rock song "Year of the Guru" (1968) proves that he created the first rap rock-song. His political environment can be seen in his multi-racial project with the band War from late 1969 to early 1971. In 2008 he reunited with the band at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Without his experimental vocals, hip hop, rap, heavy metal, rock, pop and rnb would have a completely different face.
His singing style and music also influenced artists such as Joe Cocker, The Doors, Deep Purple, The Brute Chorus, Ted Nugent, Janis Joplin, The Sonics, Steppenwolf, Chester Bennington, Bruce Springsteen, The Black Crowes, Tom Petty, The White Stripes, Ryan Adams, John Mellencamp, The Compulsive Gamblers, The Vines, Julian Thome, The Hives, MC5 and many more.
In November 2008 the magazine Rolling Stone ranked him #57 on their list of the Best Singers of all Times.
Formations:
The Animals & Sonny Boy Williamson (December 30, 1963)
The Animals (1964 - September 1966, 1976, 1983/84)
Eric Burdon & The Animals (1967 - 1968)
Eric Burdon & War (1969 - 1971)
Eric Burdon & Jimmy Witherspoon (1971)
The Eric Burdon Band (1973 - 1975)
Eric Burdon's Fire Department (1980)
Eric Burdon, Robbie Krieger & Friends (1990)
Eric Burdon & Brian Auger Band (1991 - 1993)
Eric Burdon's I Band (1995 - 1998)
Eric Burdon & The New Animals (1999 - 2002)
Eric Burdon (1976 - ...)
Broken Records
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Paris traffic spinning round and round
So I stood there with James Brown
A king in a cape of Saturn
He's the man with the golden voice
And for him there can be no real choise
And the years of all the screaming fans
Within the years of gladness
For we are hungry for what is real
There will always be a need for us to feel
There will always be something beyond this
Cold steel workaday world
All computer systems go now
And the beat is moving slower now
But you stood there like a boxing pro
And took off for the stars
Cause there is one thing you should know now
That your spirit can't be broken
And the memory is so sweet
To see you alive and kicking
For we are hungry for what is real
There will always be a need for us to feel
There will always be something beyond this
Cold steel workaday world
This Cold Steel World
The song Broken Records by Eric Burdon is a beautiful tribute to James Brown, the king of soul. The lyrics speak of a moment in which Burdon finds himself on the streets of Paris, surrounded by chaotic traffic and broken records scattered everywhere. In the midst of all this mess, he sees James Brown standing there, wearing a beautiful cape made of Saturn. Brown is described as the man with the golden voice, and the lyrics suggest that for him, there can be no other choice than to sing his heart out. Burdon acknowledges the years of screaming fans that Brown has accumulated throughout his career, and yet, he doesn't seem to mind it. In fact, Burdon sees the years of gladness within the man, a testament to his passion and talent for music.
The lyrics go on to suggest that we, as human beings, are always hungry for what is real. There will always be a need for us to feel something beyond the cold, workaday world that we inhabit. The beat of the song slows down after this, but Burdon takes this moment to acknowledge the strength and resilience of James Brown. He likens him to a boxing pro, someone who can take off for the stars at any moment. Burdon emphasizes that Brown's spirit cannot be broken, and that the memory of him being alive and kicking is so sweet. In the end, the song serves as a reminder that there is always something beyond the cold steel world of our everyday lives, something that can inspire us and keep us going.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken records on the ground
Discarded vinyl records strewn on the pavement
Paris traffic spinning round and round
The busy streets of Paris in constant motion
So I stood there with James Brown
The singer is standing with the legendary musician James Brown
A king in a cape of Saturn
James Brown is regally and fashionably attired
He's the man with the golden voice
James Brown is renowned for his exceptional singing abilities
And for him there can be no real choise
James Brown's talent and career path were predetermined
And the years of all the screaming fans
The many years of devoted fans expressing their adoration
Within the years of gladness
Amidst the joyful times
For we are hungry for what is real
We have a strong desire for authentic experiences
There will always be a need for us to feel
We will always have the need to experience emotion
There will always be something beyond this
There will always be more to life than this mundane existence
Cold steel workaday world
A dull and monotonous daily routine
All computer systems go now
The technology and machinery are fully operational
And the beat is moving slower now
The pace of the music has slowed down
But you stood there like a boxing pro
The person being addressed remained strong and unyielding
And took off for the stars
They pursued their dreams with passion and determination
Cause there is one thing you should know now
The artist is about to impart an important piece of knowledge
That your spirit can't be broken
One's inner strength and willpower cannot be overcome
And the memory is so sweet
The singer fondly recalls a past event
To see you alive and kicking
To witness the person being addressed thriving and succeeding
This Cold Steel World
The unfeeling and harsh reality of everyday life
Contributed by Layla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.