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 - ...)
Jazzman
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw the sweet life going down the drain
The Adonis of the horn standing in the door way
Bayonet fixed waiting for the dealer
And his current trick
Chet was god and I was just 15
And he was already dead inside his dream
Blowing the blues away
Jazz man, Jazz man
Don't blow yourself away
On Broadway New York
When I was being re-burn
At the Copper Rail
With Philly Joe on the drums
Rapping about how he could stop the war
You know the one that's still going on
Up in Harlem and Vietnam
Nothing changed as far as I can see
They just upped the tempo
And changed the melody
Jazz man, Jazz man
Blowing the blues away
Jazz man, Jazz man
Don't blow yourself away
Within the tiny room
In which this child grew up
The family we got our dreams
From a silver cup
Live from the Paladium
Sunday night TV
Billie I believe you were singing judt for me
She was dying a little everyday
You touched me in my solitude Lady Day
Keep a talking
Jazz man, Jazz man
Blowing the blues away
Jazz man, Jazz man
Don't blow yourself away
Jazz man, Jazz man
Blowing the blues away
Jazz man, Jazz man
Don't blow yourself away
The lyrics to Eric Burdon's song "Jazzman" are vivid and paint a picture of the world of jazz and its artists. The song is essentially a tribute to the jazz musicians who helped shape the genre and bring it to the forefront of the music scene. The opening lines describe a scene in Paris, a place that has always been synonymous with the arts. It's raining, which suggests a certain gloom, but it's the image of an Adonis of the horn standing in the doorway with a bayonet fixed that adds a sense of danger and desperation to the atmosphere. The dealer and his trick are presumably involved in something illegal, and Burdon is a mere teenager caught up in the glamour and sophistication of the jazz world.
As the song progresses, Burdon takes us to New York, specifically to the Copper Rail, where he is watching Philly Joe on the drums. The lyrics get political as Philly Joe raps about stopping the war. Burdon observes that nothing has changed since the days of Harlem and Vietnam; the tempo may have been upped and the melody changed, but war and social injustice still persist. Finally, the song ends with a tribute to Billie Holiday, with whom Burdon felt a deep connection. He acknowledges that she was dying a little every day, but her music touched and uplifted him in his solitude.
In summary, "Jazzman" is a poignant reminder of the power of music to soothe the soul and express the desires and frustrations of the human spirit. It is a tribute to the jazz greats who paved the way for future generations and a lament for a world that still struggles with many of the same issues.
Line by Line Meaning
58 in Paris in the pouring rain
It was raining in Paris in 1958 when Eric Burdon saw the life he had dreamed of fading away.
I saw the sweet life going down the drain
Eric Burdon saw his idyllic view of life disappear before his eyes.
The Adonis of the horn standing in the door way
A handsome horn player was standing at the doorway.
Bayonet fixed waiting for the dealer
The horn player was eagerly waiting for the dealer with a bayonet fixed in his hand.
And his current trick
The dealer was probably performing some trick to attract customers to purchase his drugs.
Chet was god and I was just 15
Chet Baker was the epitome of excellence in jazz music and Eric Burdon was only fifteen years old at that time.
And he was already dead inside his dream
Chet Baker had already lost interest in his dream of playing jazz music.
Jazz man, Jazz man
Addressing the horn player as the artist of the song.
Blowing the blues away
Jazz music helps to ease one's sorrows and pains.
Don't blow yourself away
Do not get carried away by the flow of music to the extent that it affects your well-being.
On Broadway New York
Eric Burdon's memory of being in Broadway in New York.
When I was being re-burn
Eric Burdon being reborn into the jazz culture.
At the Copper Rail
Eric Burdon remembers being at the Copper Rail, an establishment in New York that hosted jazz performances.
With Philly Joe on the drums
Philly Joe Jones was playing the drums at that time.
Rapping about how he could stop the war
Philly Joe was probably expressing his views on how jazz music can be used to create world peace.
You know the one that's still going on
The war that Philly Joe was referring to is still ongoing even today.
Up in Harlem and Vietnam
The war had a global impact and was being fought in places like Harlem and Vietnam.
Nothing changed as far as I can see
Despite years passing by, the war has managed to persist and rage on.
They just upped the tempo
The same war was fought with an increased pace and intensity.
And changed the melody
The way war was fought might have changed, but the outcome remained the same.
Within the tiny room
The humble abode in which Eric Burdon grew up.
In which this child grew up
Eric Burdon's childhood room.
The family we got our dreams
Eric Burdon's family always nurtured and encouraged his dreams.
From a silver cup
Eric Burdon's family was always comfortable, and they passed on that comfort to him.
Live from the Paladium
Eric Burdon remembers watching a televised show called 'Live from the Palladium.'
Sunday night TV
The show Eric Burdon was watching was broadcasted on a Sunday night.
Billie I believe you were singing just for me
Eric Burdon felt like Billie Holiday was singing her soulful songs just for him.
She was dying a little everyday
Billie Holiday had a tragic life and was in the process of slowly dying.
You touched me in my solitude Lady Day
Billie Holiday's music alleviated Eric Burdon's loneliness.
Keep a talking
An encouragement to carry on in jazz music.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC BURDON, DEAN RESTUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind