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 - ...)
City Boy
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it wasn't very pretty,
It was dying
There were some who had more than they could eat
And other with no shoes up on their feet,
They were crying
While the cops held another,
They were laughing
I saw two dogs in the street,
A black one and a white one,
They were fighting
If it isn't very pretty
Why do they stay in the city
And watch it dying?
Why don't I go back to the country
And sit beneath a plum tree with my sweet little girl,
And listen to her singin'?
It's because I'm caught in a trap
Lord, and you know where that's at
It sure ain't the country
Oh, Lord knows, it ain't the country
It's because its the way I see it every night and day
I hope to change it
I'm just at city boy,
City boy, thats me
Hey! City boy, city boy
Yeah, yeah, city boy,
Oh Lord, city boy
The lyrics of Eric Burdon's song City Boy are a social commentary on the plight of people living in the cities, particularly those who are marginalized and forgotten. The song starts with the singer coming back to the city, and he finds it "wasn't very pretty, it was dying." The stark contrast between those who had more than they could eat and those without shoes on their feet who were crying is highlighted in the lyrics. The singer sees people betraying each other, and those in authority laughing as they watch it happen.
The singer also sees two dogs fighting in the street, a black one and a white one, which symbolizes the racial divide and conflict that exists in the city. The repetition of the phrase "It sure ain't the country" emphasizes the despair and hopelessness that pervades the city. The singer longs to go back to the country, where he can sit beneath a plum tree with his sweet little girl and listen to her singing. However, he knows that he can't because he's caught in a trap, and there's no escaping the way he sees the city every night and day. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that he's just a city boy, expressing his desire to change things.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I came back to the city
Returning to the city after some time.
And it wasn't very pretty,
The city had lost its charm.
It was dying
The city was in a state of decline.
There were some who had more than they could eat
There were rich people who had everything.
And other with no shoes up on their feet,
The poor people were struggling to survive.
They were crying
The poor people were in tears.
I saw a brother sell his brother
One person betrayed another for selfish gains.
While the cops held another,
The authorities were not impartial.
They were laughing
The wrongdoers seemed to enjoy their actions.
I saw two dogs in the street,
The artist witnessed a dogfight.
A black one and a white one,
The race of the dogs is irrelevant.
They were fighting
The dogs were engaging in a brutal battle.
If it isn't very pretty
If the city is not pleasant to look at.
Why do they stay in the city
Why do people continue to live there?
And watch it dying?
As the city falls apart in front of them, why do they stay?
Why don't I go back to the country
I should go back to a more peaceful way of living.
And sit beneath a plum tree with my sweet little girl,
Enjoying the simple pleasures of rural life with my family.
And listen to her singin'?
Appreciating the innocence and beauty of my child's voice.
It's because I'm caught in a trap
The city has trapped me.
Lord, and you know where that's at
The artist believes that the listener can understand their predicament.
It sure ain't the country
The city is not an idyllic place to live.
Oh, Lord knows, it ain't the country
There is no doubt that the city is not as good as the countryside.
It's because its the way I see it every night and day
The singer is painfully aware of the city's problems at all times.
I hope to change it
The artist desires to make a positive change.
I'm just a city boy,
The singer identifies as someone who lives in the city.
City boy, that's me
The singer sees their identity as inextricably linked to the city.
Hey! City boy, city boy
Acknowledging their own presence in the urban landscape.
Yeah, yeah, city boy,
Emphasizing their connection to the city.
Oh Lord, city boy
Appealing to a higher power for guidance.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ERIC VICTOR BURDON, JOHN STERLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind