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 - ...)
Circuit rider
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a circuit rider and I'm on my way,
I got to roll, down the highway,
I got to roll roll roll down the lonesome highway,
Well a bird got a nest and a fox got a hole,
Well the cc rider just got the roll,
With a beat up bible and a bottle of wine,
I'm travelling light and testifying,
I got to roll roll roll down the lonesome highway,
I got a slow ass mule, and cold blue steel,
The sword of the spirit and, and a soul like the wheel,
I got to roll, I got to roll,
I got to roll roll roll, yeah I got to roll,
Don't you worry bout me mama, I'll be back in town,
Girls the cc rider got to spread the world around,
I got to roll down the highway,
I got to roll roll roll down the lonsome highway,
With a slow ass mule, and cold blue steel,
I got the sword of the spirit and, and a soul like the wheel,
I got to roll roll roll, I got to roll roll roll,
I got to roll down the lonsome highway
Eric Burdon's song "Circuit Rider" tells the story of a travelling preacher who roams from town to town spreading the word of God, much like a circuit rider in the American Old West. The lyrics speak of the sacrifices that the circuit rider must make, including leaving his family behind, and the challenges he faces on the road. The circuit rider is both a spiritual and physical warrior, armed with the sword of the spirit and a slow-ass mule, ready to take on whatever comes his way. The song is both an ode to the resilience and perseverance of these travelling preachers and a call to live a life of service to a higher power.
The lyrics are also rich in symbolism. The circuit rider's beat-up Bible and bottle of wine represent the dichotomy of being both a messenger of God and a human being with earthly desires. The slow-ass mule and cold blue steel represent the circuit rider's humble origins and the tools he uses to fight for what he believes in. The soul like a wheel symbolizes the cyclical nature of the circuit rider's journey, always returning to the road to continue his mission.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you cry for me mama, cause I can't stay,
I am leaving and cannot stay, so please don't be upset
I'm a circuit rider and I'm on my way,
I am a traveling preacher and I am on my journey
I got to roll, down the highway,
I must continue moving forward on the road
I got to roll roll roll down the lonesome highway,
I have to keep going on this lonely path, no matter what
Well a bird got a nest and a fox got a hole,
Just as animals have their homes, I too have my own lifestyle
Well the cc rider just got the roll,
I am now traveling on the road as a circuit rider
With a beat up bible and a bottle of wine,
I have minimal possessions, only a bible and some wine
I'm travelling light and testifying,
I am traveling with very little baggage and preaching the word of God
I got to roll down the highway,
I have to continue moving forward on my journey
I got to roll roll roll down the lonesome highway,
I have to keep going on this lonely path, no matter what
I got a slow ass mule, and cold blue steel,
I have a slow mule and a gun for protection on my journey
The sword of the spirit and, and a soul like the wheel,
I have my faith as my sword and my soul as my driving force
I got to roll, I got to roll,
I have to keep moving forward no matter what
I got to roll roll roll, yeah I got to roll,
I have to continue on my journey, no matter the hardships or obstacles
Don't you worry bout me mama, I'll be back in town,
Do not worry, I will return to the town someday
Girls the cc rider got to spread the world around,
I must spread the word of God to everyone, especially women
I got to roll down the highway,
I have to keep on moving forward on my journey
I got to roll roll roll down the lonsome highway,
I have to keep going on this lonely path, no matter what
With a slow ass mule, and cold blue steel,
I have a slow mule and a gun for protection on my journey
I got the sword of the spirit and, and a soul like the wheel,
I have my faith as my sword and my soul as my driving force
I got to roll roll roll, I got to roll roll roll,
I have to continue on my journey, no matter the hardships or obstacles
I got to roll down the lonsome highway
I have to keep going on this lonely path, no matter what
Contributed by Skyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.