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 - ...)
The Night
Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And people of San Francisco
Who may not know it but they are beautiful
And so is their city
This is a very personal song
So if the viewer cannot understand it
Particularly those of you who are European residents
Save up all your bread
Then maybe you'll understand the song
It will be worth it
If not for the sake of this song
But for the sake of your own peace of mind
Strobe lights beam creates dreams
Walls move, minds do too
On a warm San Franciscan night
Old child, young child, feel alright
On a warm San Franciscan night
Angels sing leather wings
Jeans of blue Harley Davidsons too
On a warm San Franciscan night
Old angel, young angel, feel alright
On a warm San Franciscan night
I wasn't born there
Perhaps I'll die there
There's no place left to go
San Francisco
Cop's face is filled with hate
Heavens above, he's on a street called love
When will they ever learn?
Old cop, young cop, feel alright
On a warm San Franciscan night
The children are cool
They don't raise fools
It's an american dream
Includes Indians too
The opening lines to Eric Burdon & The Animals’ San Francisco Nights are an introductory dedication to the city of San Francisco, referred to as both beautiful and full of beautiful people. The lyrics imply that the song to follow is a personal one, one that may not be understood by European listeners or outsiders who have not experienced the magic of the city, and they are encouraged to save their money and fly to San Francisco. The song’s lyrics then describe the atmosphere of the city on a warm night, with strobe lights creating a dream-like setting, and the walls themselves seemingly dancing to the beat of the music. The chorus repeats the line “old child young child feel alright,” implying that the freedom and energy of the city can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The lyrics then turn darker, mentioning the hatred on “a street called love” as a cop’s face is described as being filled with that same hate. The chorus continues with the parallel imagery, describing both old and young cops feeling okay on a warm night, a nod to the political tensions of the late 1960s. The last verse calls out to the “cool” children of San Francisco, who are described as not being foolish, and the “American dream” is mentioned, calling attention to the struggles of the culture war of that era, and the inclusion of all races in the fight for freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
This following program is dedicated to the city and people of
San Francisco, who may not know it but they are beautiful and so
Is their city this is a very personal song, so if the viewer
Cannot understand it particularly those of you who are European
Residents save up all your bread and fly trans love airways to
San Francisco U.S.A., then maybe you'll understand the song, it
Will be worth it, if not for the sake of this song but for the
Sake of your own peace of mind.
The song is dedicated to the beautiful city and people of San Francisco. The song is very personal, and if the viewer doesn't understand it, especially for the European residents, they should save up money and fly to San Francisco, so that they could appreciate the song and find peace of mind.
Strobe lights beam create dreams
The beam of lights from strobe lights creates dreams.
Walls move minds to do
The walls seem to influence the mind to act in a specific way.
On a warm San Francisco night
Old child young child feel alright
On a warm San Francisco night
The warmth of the night in San Francisco makes everyone, young and old, feel good.
Angels sing leather wings
Jeans of blue Harley Davidsons too
On a warm San Francisco night
Old angels young angels feel alright
Even the old and young angels feel good on a warm San Francisco night, while the sound of the leather wings and the sight of blue Harley Davidson jeans mesmerize people.
I wasn't born there perhaps I'll die there
There's no place left to go, San Francisco.
The singer wasn't born in San Francisco, but there's a chance he might die there, and there's no other place he wants to go than San Francisco.
Cop's face is filled with hate
Heavens above he's on a street called love
When will they even learn
Old cop young cop feel alright
On a warm San Francisco night
A cop with a hateful face is on a street called love. The old and young cops feel fine, especially on a warm night in San Francisco. The singer is questioning when they'll ever learn to love.
The children are cool
They don't raise fools
It's an American dream
Includes Indians too.
The children in San Francisco are cool and don't raise fools. The American dream includes Indians, too.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARRIE ERNEST JENKINS, DANNY MCCULLOCH, ERIC VICTOR BURDON, JOHNNY WEIDER, VIC BRIGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nikos Mpoutris
Καταπληκτικό τραγούδι από το μεγάλο Eric Burdon.
Theresa K. Greene
He is the bomb! Long may King Burden live!!
Christopher T. George
One of the great rock and roll voices. Eric forever.
Noblemon55
Just saw him Friday night. The man still has the voice! great show!
Shannon Lee
I seen Eric live in 2008, best live act I have ever seen personally!
AlkisGR
one of my all time favorite songs.thanks for uploading this
iro kafk
the voice.... just ERIC BURDON!!!!!
Brian Semple
This song was my soundtrack !
Chris Sam
Όταν ο Θεός έχει κέφια, φτιάχνει φωνές σαν αυτή.
Horacio González
la verdad no lo van a creer esta rola la escuchaba hace 25 años creo y es el mismo tiempo ke no la escuchaba, esto del youtube es otra cosa, basta decir ke en esos años era de mis favoritas chidoooooooooo