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 Used To Be An Animal
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Once upon a time
There were five young guys
Hanging in and out of Newcastle,
Playing Rhythm and Blues
They had nothing to lose
They didn't need that tin-pan hassle
Over the Reeperbahn where the beat was born
Sign of the times
A new search in life
Start of a new rock generation
From day one to kingdom come
I'd do it all again
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
I used to be an animal (whoa, oh)
But I'm all right now
All right now, baby
Twenty years ago we were children of war
But we danced to the Bo Diddley beat
There were rockers and mods,
We didn't take it too hard
We had blue suede shoes on our feet
A revolution in France and James Brown's dance
A new world coming our way
We'd talk that talk in the streets of New York
And never looked back to this day
From day one to the risin' sun
I'll do it all again
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
I used to be an animal (whoa, oh)
But I'm all right now
All right, all right, all right
Yeah, yeah, all right, whoa baby
We were flippin' and trippin'
And rockin' and rollin'
And generally havin' a ball
For the price of a drink
There was no time to think about the morality of it all
There was freaks and queens and love-ins and has-beens
Whisky-a-gogos and all night flamingos
A psychedelic explosion in slow motion,
Dr Strangelove's bomb
From day one to the risin' sun
I'll do it all again (whoa, oh, oh)
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
I used to be an animal (whoa, oh)
But I'm all right now
All right, all right,
Yeah, yeah,
All right, all right,
I'm all right now...
The song "I Used to Be an Animal" by Eric Burdon is a reminiscence of Burdon's early days as a member of The Animals. The lyrics take us on a journey back to the 60s in Newcastle, where a group of young guys had formed a band and were playing rhythm and blues. The band members were carefree and unburdened by the "tin-pan hassle" of the music industry. They were influenced by the beat coming from the Reeperbahn and were part of a new rock generation.
The song then takes us to the height of the 60s, the time of the revolution in France and James Brown's dance. The band members danced to the Bo Diddley beat with their blue suede shoes on their feet. They were part of the rockers and mods scene but did not take it too hard. The song also refers to the hippie subculture with their love-ins and has-beens, Whisky-a-gogos and all-night flamingos. The band members were flippin' and trippin' and rockin' and rollin', generally having a ball, without worrying about the morality of it all.
The chorus "I used to be an animal" is repeated throughout the song. This probably represents the wild and free spirit of the band members during their heydays. It could also refer to the animalism of the rock music culture of the time. The line "But I'm all right now" indicates that the band members have mellowed with age but still cherish those wild and carefree days of their youth.
Overall, the song celebrates the spirit of rock music in the 60s and the subcultures that flourished around it. It is a nostalgic tribute to a time when life was simpler and carefree, and music was an expression of youthful rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to tell you a story
Eric Burdon is about to recount an important experience.
Once upon a time
He is taking us back in time to an earlier period.
There were five young guys
Eric Burdon is talking about his bandmates, The Animals.
Hanging in and out of Newcastle,
The band was located in Newcastle.
Playing Rhythm and Blues
The genre of music the band was playing.
They had nothing to lose
The band had no financial or personal attachments holding them back.
They didn't need that tin-pan hassle
The band did not enjoy the difficulty of succeeding in the music industry.
Over the Reeperbahn where the beat was born
The Reeperbahn is a street in Hamburg, Germany where The Beatles began playing their music.
Shocking the heart of the nation
The band managed to shock the country with their unique style of music.
Sign of the times
The band's music was representative of the changing times that were occurring.
A new search in life
The band was undergoing a major shift in their identity and direction.
Start of a new rock generation
The Animals were one of the pioneers of rock music.
From day one to kingdom come
Eric Burdon is reflecting on the entirety of his journey as a musician.
I'd do it all again
Despite any hardships, Eric Burdon would still choose to pursue music.
I used to be an animal (he used to be an animal)
Eric Burdon is referring to his wild and free-spirited nature as a musician.
But I'm all right now
Eric Burdon has since matured and become more settled in his personal life.
Twenty years ago we were children of war
The band members were young men when they first started playing music together during wartime.
But we danced to the Bo Diddley beat
Despite the hardships of war, the band could still enjoy the music of Bo Diddley.
There were rockers and mods,
The bandmates were part of the fashion and music subcultures that were common at the time.
We didn't take it too hard
The band did not let societal pressures get in the way of their pursuit of music.
We had blue suede shoes on our feet
The band members wore popular footwear as a part of their style.
A revolution in France and James Brown's dance
Eric Burdon is reminding us of the significant cultural events of the time.
A new world coming our way
The band was excited and optimistic about their future.
We'd talk that talk in the streets of New York
The band found solidarity with other musicians while touring in New York.
And never looked back to this day
Eric Burdon has never regretted his decision to pursue music.
From day one to the risin' sun
Eric Burdon is reflecting on the entirety of his journey as a musician.
I'll do it all again (whoa, oh, oh)
Despite any hardships, Eric Burdon would still choose to pursue music.
I'm all right now
Eric Burdon is currently in a good place in his personal life.
All right, all right,
Eric Burdon is affirming that he is happy and content.
Yeah, yeah,
Eric Burdon is expressing his enthusiasm about his current situation.
Contributed by Peyton M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Владимир Смирнов
Eric , как всегда - на высоте . 👍👍👍
Douglas Carlos Corcuy Rios
Lo mejor del mundo Eric Burdon
Edgar Khundadze
BRAVO ERIC...SUPPER!!!!!
Edgar Khundadze
ჩემი საყვარელი ვოკალისტი 1964 წლიდან,რომელიც დღემდე2022 წლამდე გრძელდება...
The Major
Awesome !!!
Carmen Marcelli
👍👍❤️❤️
Silvana Ligas
❤️❤️❤️
CryingFossil
Wow he really didn’t pull through with this album
KB-P2730
I've never seen this cover version before,which version is it exactly?!
Wandique Jr
... but now I am OK.