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 - ...)
They Can
Eric Burdon Lyrics
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It?s so proud and it?s so pure.
And it comes from deep within,
It?s got no hair it?s got no skin.
As we travel far and near,
We bring the world for you to hear.
And the message that we bring,
Is the light in the words we sing.
And no matter how bad you feel,
We got something, they can?t steal.
No they can?t, no they can?t, no they can?t,
Take away our music, no.
No they can?t, no they can?t, no they can?t,
Take away our music.
In the ghetto, it gets cold,
But we got something to warm our souls.
Like the blanket of our faith,
Keeps us covered when we shake.
Though they take my brother?s life,
And deny his given rights.
Yes, the message will be heard,
As the four winds spread the word.
And our spirit, they can?t break,
?Cause we got power to communicate, yea.
No they can?t, no they can?t, no they can?t,
Take away our music, Lord.
No they can?t, no they can?t,
I say, they can?t take our music, music, little baby (unintelligible)
But his message is my book, my book, is your book, is everybody?s book. Come on.
Music is fine, music is alright, alright with me, yea.
Come on, come on, sing it mom, sing it pop, sing it brother, sing it sister.
Everybody, come on. Get up on your feet, now, and stomp your feet, clap your hands, come on. Oh.
Sing it to your man, sing it to your woman, sing it to your baby, sing it to the sky,
Sing to ev?, sing it to the ground, sing it to the earth, my, my, my, my, come on.
They can?t take it away, they can?t take it away. Oooo. Come on, come on, come on.
Eric Burdon & WAR's "They Can't Take Away Our Music" is a song about the empowering and unifying nature of music. The opening lines, "Oh, there's one thing that I'm sure, it's so proud and it's so pure," suggest that the thing being referred to is something integral and essential, and it is revealed to be music. The second line, "It's got no hair, it's got no skin," perhaps suggests that music is universal, something that doesn't discriminate and can be appreciated by all, regardless of race or appearance.
The song continues with lyrics about how, as they travel and perform, they bring their music to people all over the world. The message they bring is one of hope and light, something that cannot be taken from them. The lyrics also allude to the struggles of those living in the ghetto, but that their music provides warmth and solace for their souls. The song ends with an invitation for everyone to join in and sing, emphasizing the power of music to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, there?s one thing that I?m sure,
There is one thing I am certain of,
It?s so proud and it?s so pure.
It is both proud and pure.
And it comes from deep within,
It comes from within the soul,
It?s got no hair it?s got no skin.
It has no physical form,
As we travel far and near,
As we journey both near and far,
We bring the world for you to hear.
We bring the world's sounds to your ears.
And the message that we bring,
And the message that we convey,
Is the light in the words we sing.
Is the illuminating essence of our lyrics.
And no matter how bad you feel,
Regardless of one's emotional state,
We got something, they can?t steal.
We possess something that cannot be taken away.
No they can?t, no they can?t, no they can?t,
No, they cannot take it away,
Take away our music, no.
They cannot take away our music.
In the ghetto, it gets cold,
The ghetto can be quite harsh and bitter,
But we got something to warm our souls.
Yet we have something to soothe our spirits.
Like the blanket of our faith,
Similar to a comforting blanket made of faith,
Keeps us covered when we shake.
It provides a protective cover when we are vulnerable.
Though they take my brother?s life,
Even if they take my brother's life,
And deny his given rights.
And deny his inherent rights,
Yes, the message will be heard,
The message will still be shared,
As the four winds spread the word.
As the winds carry it to every corner.
And our spirit, they can?t break,
Our spirit cannot be crushed by them,
?Cause we got power to communicate, yea.
Because we have the power to communicate.
No they can?t, no they can?t, no they can?t,
No, they cannot strip it away,
Take away our music, Lord.
Take away our music, Lord.
No they can?t, no they can?t,
No, they cannot take our music,
I say, they can?t take our music, music, little baby (unintelligible)
I am saying they cannot take our music, dear little one.
But his message is my book, my book, is your book, is everybody?s book. Come on.
However, the message belongs to everyone, not just me. Come on.
Music is fine, music is alright, alright with me, yea.
Music is good, music is fine, I like it, yes.
Come on, come on, sing it mom, sing it pop, sing it brother, sing it sister.
Come on, everyone, sing it - mom, dad, brother, sister.
Everybody, come on. Get up on your feet, now, and stomp your feet, clap your hands, come on. Oh.
Everyone, come on. Rise up on your feet, start moving, come on
Sing it to your man, sing it to your woman, sing it to your baby, sing it to the sky,
Sing it to your loved ones - your partner, your child, your heavens.
Sing to ev?, sing it to the ground, sing it to the earth, my, my, my, my, come on.
Sing to everything - ground, earth, and more. Come on.
They can?t take it away, they can?t take it away. Oooo. Come on, come on, come on.
They cannot take it away. Come on, come on.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHARLES MILLER, HAROLD RAY I. BROWN, HOWARD E. SCOTT, JERRY GOLDSTEIN, LE ROY L. JORDAN, LEE OSKAR, MORRIS DEWAYNE DICKERSON, SYLVESTER ALLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind