In 1967, lead singer Eric Burdon planned to make a solo career, but then he thought about "New Animals". He took Barry Jenkins (from The Nashville Teens and the last "Animals" line-up, drums), John Weider (later member of Family, violin, guitar), Danny McCulloch (bass) and Vic Briggs alias Antion (from The Echoes and The Steampacket, guitar, piano, vibes) and recorded the single When I Was Young which charted in USA #15 and in Australia #2.
For the gig at the Monterey Pop Festival they were officially named "Eric Burdon & The Animals" and they performed their next single San Franciscan Nights (USA #9, UK #7, Australia #4, Germany #17, Netherlands #6 and Canada #14).
After releasing the first album, Winds of Change, they recorded in 1968 three other albums.
After the second album, The Twain Shall Meet, which featured the hits Monterey and Sky Pilot, Zoot Money (piano, vocals) joined the band for the third album, Every One Of Us, which included the hit single White Houses.
In July 1968, the fourth and last album of the band, Love Is, was recorded. For this album, Vic Briggs and Danny McCulloch were fired and guitarist Andy Summers joined the band. John Weider went on bass.
For this album the songs Ring of Fire and River Deep Mountain High were recorded and released worldwide in 1969.
After Eric Burdon jammed with Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles and Lee Oskar at the Newport Festival, he formed the Latino/Funk/Soul/Gospel band Eric Burdon & War which had international success in 1970 and 1971 before they disbanded and Burdon began a solo career.
Danny McCulloch released a solo album, Wings of a Man, 1969, with Vic Briggs as producer. He also released a Animals reunion album in 1993.
John Weider in 1970 went to the band Family and released his first solo album in 1976 and the following in 1987, 1988 and 1990.
Vic Briggs changed his religion and now records under the name Antion. He also released a 64-minute track.
Barry Jenkins manages a guitar shop in California.
Zoot Money went on a solo career and released many albums through the years.
Andy Summers joined the successfull 70s and 80s band The Police and also released a few solo albums.
In The Night
Eric Burdon & The Animals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you
Gazing at people,
Some hand in hand,
Just what I'm going thru'
They can understand
Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend,
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end,
And I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you
Oh, how, I love you
Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore
'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you
Oh, how, I love you
'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you
Oh, how, I love you
Eric Burdon's "Nights in White Satin" is a deeply introspective song that explores the complexities of love and the inevitable passing of time. The opening lines immediately set a melancholic tone with the mention of "never reaching the end," suggesting a sense of longing and perhaps even futility. The hauntingly beautiful melody and Burdon's powerful voice add to the haunting mood. The next verse appears to be about missed opportunities, with the singer lamenting that he had never appreciated beauty before. However, the meaning is somewhat ambiguous, as the following line twists the sentiment: "Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore." The implication seems to be that the truth about the singer's blindness to beauty is something painful or unresolved.
The chorus is one of the most memorable aspects of the song, with the repeated declaration of love. However, it's worth noting that the tone here is slightly desperate, as if the singer is trying to cling to something that may be slipping away. He then goes on to describe seeing other people, some happy and in love, which only heightens his sense of isolation. The final verse is about the future, and the idea that who we ultimately become is shaped by our internal desires and self-perception. The final repetition of the chorus feels like a bittersweet catharsis, with Burdon's voice rising to a climax that seems to suggest both joy and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Nights in white satin,
The singer often finds himself in a state of melancholy and introspection, symbolized by the white satin nights he experiences.
Never reaching the end,
These white satin nights never seem to end, and the singer feels stuck in his thoughts.
Letters I've written,
The singer has written many letters, but he has never sent them. Perhaps he is unsure of how to properly express his feelings.
Never meaning to send
Although he hasn't sent these letters, he may have hoped to gain some cathartic release simply by writing them.
Beauty I'd always missed
Even though there has always been beauty in his life, the artist has been too caught up in his own thoughts and feelings to notice it.
With these eyes before,
Despite having seen these beautiful things before, the singer has never truly appreciated them.
Just what the truth is
At this point, the singer is unsure what is true and what is not; his thoughts and feelings have been muddled for so long.
I can't say anymore
It has become difficult for the artist to articulate his thoughts and feelings in a coherent way.
'Cause I love you,
Despite all of his confusion and melancholy, the artist loves someone deeply.
Yes, I love you,
The artist is adamant about the strength of his feelings.
Oh, how, I love you
His love is so intense that he feels compelled to express it in every way he can.
Gazing at people,
The artist often finds himself watching others and making observations about human interaction.
Some hand in hand,
While watching these people, he observes some of them holding hands and being affectionate.
Just what I'm going thru'
These observations might prompt the singer to reflect on his own emotional state.
They can understand
He seeks solace in these observations; knowing that others also experience strong emotions helps him feel less alone in his own turmoil.
Some try to tell me
Though people may try to offer advice, the artist feels that nobody really knows what he's going through.
Thoughts they cannot defend,
Despite their best intentions, the advice people offer may not be relevant or useful to his personal experiences.
Just what you want to be
The singer believes that everyone has a destiny or identity that they are meant to fulfill.
You will be in the end,
He believes that a person will ultimately end up fulfilling their destiny or becoming who they are truly meant to be.
Oh, how, I love you,
The artist reiterates the intensity of his love for someone special to him.
Yes, I love you,
He stresses again that his love is true and strong.
'Cause I love you,
The artist's love is the root of all of his introspection and emotional turmoil.
Oh, how, I love you
And he must declare how much he loves this person over and over again to keep himself grounded and sane.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Justin Hayward
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind