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 - ...)
Factory Girl
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One fine summer morning
The birds in the bushes
Did whistle and sing
The lads and the lassies
In couples were courting
Going back to the factory
Their work to begin
I spied one among them
She was fairer than most
Her cheeks like the red rose
That blooms in the spring
Her hair like the lily
Thet grows in yon valley
She was only a hard working
Factory Girl
I steps up aside her more closely to feel her
She says my young man
Don't stare me so
She said I've got gold in my pocket
And silver as well
No more will I answer
That factory call
Now the years have all passed
From the days of our youth
Our home is now teeming
With children at play
Life goes on in the village
You can still hear the whistle
Hey there goes the lad
With his factory girl
Eric Burdon's song, Factory Girl, is a story of admiration for a hardworking girl. The song paints a picture of the singer's experience as he walks around and discovers a girl leaving to go to work in a factory. The girl is described as fair, with red rosy cheeks and hair that resembles the lilies in the valleys. The singer feels a connection with her and steps closer to observe her, but she warns him not to stare. When prompted, she reveals that she has gold and silver and will no longer answer the factory's call.
As time goes by and the years pass, the singer has settled down with his family, and life goes on. The song ends on a note of reminiscence as the singer hears the whistle and sees the "lad" with the factory girl. The song portrays the life of those who work in factories, their hardships, their aspirations, and their resilience.
The lyrics of the song depict the beauty and strength of the working-class women, who despite the harsh realities of life, continue to toil to make ends meet. The song's message resonates with the working-class people who strive hard to provide for their families while sacrificing their desires and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
As I went out walking
The singer recalls a specific moment in time when he went for a walk.
One fine summer morning
It was a warm and pleasant day in the summer season.
The birds in the bushes
The singer recalls hearing the cheerful songs of birds.
Did whistle and sing
The birds made beautiful melodies with their singing.
The lads and the lassies
The young men and women of the town.
In couples were courting
They were romantically involved with each other.
Going back to the factory
This implies that they were leaving their personal lives behind to return to their jobs at the factory.
Their work to begin
They were starting a new workday at the factory.
I spied one among them
The singer noticed a particular girl among the crowd.
She was fairer than most
The girl stood out to the singer because she was unusually beautiful.
Her cheeks like the red rose
The girl's cheeks were a bright and rosy color, like a red rose.
That blooms in the spring
This refers to the season of spring when flowers begin to bloom.
Her hair like the lily
The girl's hair was as white and pure as a lily flower.
Thet grows in yon valley
This line describes a place where lilies grow - likely a valley.
She was only a hard working
Despite her beauty, the girl was just an ordinary factory worker.
Factory Girl
The girl's identity and station in life is defined by her work in the factory.
I steps up aside her more closely to feel her
The singer approaches the girl to get a closer look at her and perhaps touch her in some way.
She says my young man
The girl addresses the singer as a young man.
Don't stare me so
The girl is uncomfortable with the singer's intense gaze upon her and tells him to stop staring.
She said I’ve got gold in my pocket
The girl tells the singer that she has money.
And silver as well
She also mentions that she has silver - both gold and silver are regarded as valuable metals.
No more will I answer
The girl declares that she will no longer respond to the call to work at the factory.
That factory call
The call of the factory is a metaphor for the girl's work and the industrialization of society as a whole.
Now the years have all passed
The singer reflects on the passage of time.
From the days of our youth
This implies that the singer is now older, and perhaps wiser.
Our home is now teeming
The singer's home is filled with life and activity.
With children at play
The children are playing and enjoying life in their home.
Life goes on in the village
While the years have passed, life continues in the same way in the singer's village.
You can still hear the whistle
The sound of the factory whistle can still be heard in the village.
Hey there goes the lad
The singer sees a young man heading to the factory.
With his factory girl
The young man is accompanied by his romantic partner who also works in the factory.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: TONY BRAUNAGEL, ERIC BURDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind