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 - ...)
Invitation to the White House
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Contrasting against the sky.
Tumble down black shacks over the tracks,
Children so hungry they could cry.
The chrome the steel, the metal dream,
Leaving the teeth which will rot.
The escapist young mind left behind,
Saving dimes for community pot.
Better get straight
You better, you better get straight, babe
I feel, you better get straight right now
You better get it
You better, you better get straight baby
They're crying out for love all the time,
But they fail to see the neighbors eyes.
The TV is on the six o'clock news,
And the channels are full color lies.
Company meets, the president speaks,
He's young but his bones creak.
Young girl dresses for the high school dance
And the guy next door is dying for a peek.
Get straight, you better,
Yeah, you better get straight, baby
Oh, did you get what I say?
I say it to you
That you, you better,
You better get it, babe
You better, you better get straight, yeah
Before it's too late
They put the Bible in the drawer of the motel room,
And its crying out to be read.
But is stays right there collecting dust,
No one understands what's being said.
Lovers make love in concrete boxes,
What will tomorrow bring?
They've been told that its wrong but they don't give a damn,
Soon another life it will bring
You better get straight baby
Yeah, you,
You better get straight baby
Oh and I think I'd better get myself together too, babe
You know what I mean?
I've been angry so very long
I want to fly right here
I want to do it all right
I want to get it get it baby
You better get it, you better get it
You better get straight right now
Because I've been told
And I'm telling you baby
Pass it on
Its really good advice
The first verse of the song White Houses by Eric Burdon & The Animals paints a stark contrast between the white houses in neat little rows and the tumble-down black shacks over the tracks. The sunlit, orderly world of the white houses stands in sharp contrast to the dark, dismal and poverty-ridden world of the shacks. The children living in the shacks are so hungry they could cry, while in the white houses, people are able to indulge in the metal dream the companies are selling them, leaving them with teeth that will eventually rot. The escapist young mind is left behind, saving dimes for the community pot, while the masses are being lured into the false promises of consumerism.
The second verse highlights the irony of people crying out for love all the time, but failing to see their neighbor's eyes. The television is on, broadcasting six o'clock news, but the channels are full color lies. The president speaks at a company meeting, showing that he is young, but his bones creak. Meanwhile, a young girl dresses for the high school dance, and the guy next door is dying for a peek. The chorus urges people to get straight and get it right before it's too late, emphasizing the importance of seeing things for what they are, rather than being lured into the false promises of consumerism.
The final verse of White Houses speaks to the loss of faith and spirituality in the modern world. The Bible is put into the drawer of the motel room and is crying out to be read, but no one understands what's being said. Lovers make love in concrete boxes, unsure what tomorrow will bring. They've been told that what they're doing is wrong, but they don't give a damn, soon another life it will bring. The repetition of the chorus serves as a reminder that getting straight is essential before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
White houses in neat little rows,
Houses neatly arranged in rows, standing out against the sky.
Contrasting against the sky.
Standing out sharply against the sky.
Tumble down black shacks over the tracks,
Dilapidated shacks collapsing over the railroad tracks.
Children so hungry they could cry.
Children suffering from hunger so severe that they could weep.
The chrome the steel, the metal dream,
Materialistic dreams of a technologically advanced society full of metal and chrome.
Leaving the teeth which will rot.
These dreams of a materialistic society will lead to eventual decay and destruction.
The escapist young mind left behind,
The desire to escape reality for a better life, especially among the young, is left behind.
Saving dimes for community pot.
Saving small amounts of money for a communal pot, suggesting a sense of community and sharing.
Better get straight
Straighten up and get your life together.
You better, you better get straight, babe
The artist urges someone to get their life together before it's too late.
I feel, you better get straight right now
The singer feels that it is urgent for the person to turn their life around immediately.
You better get it
Get your life together, seize the opportunity.
They're crying out for love all the time,
People constantly yearn for love and connection with others.
But they fail to see the neighbors eyes.
Individuals fail to recognize the struggles and suffering of those around them.
The TV is on the six o'clock news,
People are distracted by the media, particularly fake news.
And the channels are full color lies.
The channels on TV are full of lies.
Company meets, the president speaks,
Corporate meetings where the president of the company speaks.
He's young but his bones creak.
Despite his youth, the president of the company is getting old and his body is breaking down.
Young girl dresses for the high school dance
A young girl prepares for a high school dance.
And the guy next door is dying for a peek.
Her neighbor is desperate for a glimpse of her.
They put the Bible in the drawer of the motel room,
The Bible is left unused in a motel room drawer.
And its crying out to be read.
The Bible seeks to be read and interpreted.
But is stays right there collecting dust,
Instead of being read and understood, the Bible is simply ignored and collecting dust.
No one understands what's being said.
People cannot comprehend the message of the Bible.
Lovers make love in concrete boxes,
People express intimacy in loveless, urban environments.
What will tomorrow bring?
The future seems uncertain.
They've been told that its wrong but they don't give a damn,
Despite being warned that their actions are wrong, they continue to act without regard.
Soon another life it will bring
Their actions will lead to the creation of another life, despite their ignorance.
You better get straight baby
Get your life together, don't wait.
Oh and I think I'd better get myself together too, babe
The singer acknowledges that they too need to get their life in order.
You know what I mean?
You understand what I'm saying?
I've been angry so very long
The artist has been perpetually angry for an extended period of time.
I want to fly right here
The artist desires to enjoy their life and freedom to the fullest.
I want to do it all right
The artist wants to live life in the right way, without regrets.
You better get it, you better get it
Seize the day, don't waste your life.
You better get straight right now
Get your life together before it's too late.
Because I've been told
The singer has been advised.
And I'm telling you baby
The singer passes on this advice to others.
Pass it on
Spread this message to others.
Its really good advice
This message contains valuable wisdom that is worth heeding.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC VICTOR BURDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind