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 - ...)
I'm an Animal
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm an animal
I'm an animal...here to blow your mind
I'm an animal...of the English kind
I'm an animal...gonna flip your wig
I'm an animal...behave just like a pig
I'm an animal
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
And I won't monkey 'round with you
I'm an animal...I'll eat your body and soul
I'm an animal...tune to rock and roll
I'm an animal...I'm a throroughbred
I'm an animal...going to give your head
I'm an animal...a woman is my prey
I'm an animal...eat both night and day
I'm an animal...I've got to satisfy
I'm an animal...never been known to lie
I'm an animal...animal life
I'm an animal...animalism
I'm an animal...human system, breath, flesh, flesh and blood
Physique, strength, power, vigor, force, spring, elasticity, tone and grace
Animal Kingdom, fumour, root, creation, animal creature, creature, being, living thing
Dumb animal, dumb friend, dumb creature, brute
I'm an animal...of the English kind
I'm an animal...going to blow your mind
I'm an animal...behave like a pig
I'm an animal...your gonna flip your wig
Oh, yeah
I'm an animal
Let me be your best friend
I'm an animal
Let me be your best friend
I'm an animal
Let me be your best friend
I'm an animal
Let me be your best friend
The lyrics of "Animals" by Eric Burdon & The Animals is a boastful declaration of being an animal, specifically the English kind, that is going to "blow your mind". The song conveys the wild and untamed nature of the animal, with lyrics like "I'm a thoroughbred", "gonna flip your wig", and "behave just like a pig". The singer asserts that he will consume the body and soul of his prey, likening himself to a predator in the animal kingdom. While his behavior may seem barbaric, he also offers to be the listener's best friend, promising not to "monkey 'round with you".
The song is a celebration of the primal and instinctual nature within all of us, urging the listener to embrace their animalistic side. The repeated chorus, "I'm an animal, let me be your best friend", suggests that we should not only accept but also befriend our inner beast. The lyrics also reflect the rebellious spirit of the 60s counterculture movement, rejecting the constraints of social norms and conventions.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm an animal
I am a powerful, instinctive being
I'm an animal...here to blow your mind
I am here to impress and shock you
I'm an animal...of the English kind
I am a proud representative of my country
I'm an animal...gonna flip your wig
I am going to surprise and amaze you
I'm an animal...behave just like a pig
I may act wild and uninhibited
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Listen up! Pay attention!
Let me be your best friend
Allow me to be close to you and protect you
And I won't monkey 'round with you
I promise not to play tricks or deceive you
I'm an animal...I'll eat your body and soul
I am a passionate lover and will leave no part of you untouched
I'm an animal...tune to rock and roll
I am energized by music with a beat
I'm an animal...I'm a thoroughbred
I am of superior quality and breed
I'm an animal...going to give your head
I will engage you intellectually and romantically
I'm an animal...a woman is my prey
I am a hunter who seeks out and pursues women
I'm an animal...eat both night and day
I have an insatiable hunger and desire
I'm an animal...I've got to satisfy
I am driven to fulfill my needs and desires
I'm an animal...never been known to lie
I am honest and straightforward
I'm an animal...animal life
I embody the rawness and vitality of life
I'm an animal...animalism
I embrace my primal nature and instincts
I'm an animal...human system, breath, flesh, flesh and blood
I am part of the intricate web of human existence, with all its physicality and emotionality
Physique, strength, power, vigor, force, spring, elasticity, tone and grace
These are the qualities that make me a magnificent animal
Animal Kingdom, humor, root, creation, animal creature, creature, being, living thing
These are the concepts that define and connect all of us animals
Dumb animal, dumb friend, dumb creature, brute
I reject these labels that deny my complexity and intelligence
I'm an animal...going to blow your mind
I am going to amaze and impress you once again
Oh, yeah
Yeah, that's right
I'm an animal...Let me be your best friend
I am offering my loyalty and support to you once more
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind