Although the band Burdon formed in the late 1960s was sometimes called Eric Burdon and the New Animals, it wasn't until 1998 that the name Eric Burdon and the New Animals was officially adopted. The 1998 band had bassist Dave Meros, guitarist Dean Restum, drummer Aynsley Dunbar and keyboard guitarist Neal Morse. They recorded Live at the Coach House on 17 October 1998, released on video and DVD in December that year. In 1999 they released The Official Live Bootleg No. 2 and in August 2000 The Official Live Bootleg 2000, with Martin Gerschwitz on keyboards.
Read Eric Burdon's full bio here: Eric Burdon
Tobacco Road
Eric Burdon & The New Animals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My mother died
My daddy got drunk
They Left me here
To die or grow
In the middle of
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
I Grew up in a rusty shack
All I ever owned babe
Was hangin' on my back
Lord above know
How much I loathe
This mean ol' place called
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
But it's home yes
The only life I've ever known
And the lord knows
How much I loathe
Tobacco Road (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
I'm talkin' 'bout road (Road, Road, Road)
I'm talkin' 'bout that road (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Everybody's got one (Road, Road, Road)
Everybody's got some (Road, Road, Road)
Everybody's got feel one (Road, Road, Road)
Everybody remember (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
But it's home mmm
The only life this boy has ever known
And the lord knows
How much I loathe
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
I'm gonna leave (Road, Road, Road)
And get myself a job (Road, Road, Road)
With the help (Road, Road, Road)
And the grace from above (Road, Road, Road)
I'll get me some dynamite (Road, Road, Road)
And I'll get me a crane (Road, Road, Road)
And I'll blow it all up, tear it down (Road, Road, Road)
Start all over again (Road, Road, Road)
And I'll build me a town (Road, Road, Road)
I'll be proud to show (Road, Road, Road)
And I'll keep the name (Road, Road, Road)
And I'll keep the name (Road, Road, Road)
And I'll keep the name Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road
Tobacco Road
You're dirty and you're filthy
But I love you
'Cause you're my home, baby
You are my home
The only life I've ever known
You are my home
You are my home
Yes, you're my home
Ya hear me, you're my home
You're my home
Yes it's home, yes
The only life I've ever known
And the lord knows
How much I loathe
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Tobacco Road, yeah (Road, Road, Road)
Do it again, ya feel a thing (Road, Road, Road)
Do it again, ya feel a thing (Road, Road, Road)
The lyrics to Eric Burdon/The Animals's song Tobacco Road, originally written by John D. Loudermilk, paint a vivid picture of the harsh realities of growing up in poverty on Tobacco Road. The singer describes how he was born in a dump, his mother died, and his father got drunk, which left him alone to either die or grow up in the middle of Tobacco Road. He speaks of growing up in a rusty shack and owning nothing but what he carried on his back. Despite loathing the place, he acknowledges that it's home and the only life he's ever known.
The repeated phrase "Tobacco Road" serves as a symbol of the singer's tough upbringing and poverty. The lyrics depict the despair and suffocation that come with living in a place like that, yet it remains home, a place of familiarity and comfort. The song expresses the hope that exists within this environment, as the singer plans to leave and build a new town, but the memories of Tobacco Road will always remain with him.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born in a dump
I was born in a place with no value and without proper living standards
My mother died
My mother passed away when I was young
My daddy got drunk
My father struggled with an addiction to alcohol
They Left me here
My parents abandoned me in this place
To die or grow
I had no guarantee of survival or nourishment
In the middle of
This place was located in the center of
Tobacco Road
An impoverished, run-down part of town where tobacco was commonly grown
I Grew up in a rusty shack
I had to live in a rundown, dilapidated shack
All I ever owned babe
I never owned much throughout my life
Was hangin' on my back
I had to carry all my possessions with me everywhere I went
Lord above know
I prayed to God about
How much I loathe
How much I hated
This mean ol' place called
This terrible location known as
But it's home yes
But it's the only place I've ever known as home
The only life I've ever known
I've never experienced anything outside of this place
And the lord knows
And God is aware of
Everybody's got one
Everyone has a place they call home
Everybody's got some
Everyone has their own struggles and hardships
Everybody's got feel one
Everyone has feelings about their home
I'm gonna leave
I plan on leaving this place
And get myself a job
To seek employment and a better life
With the help
With assistance
And the grace from above
And with the help of God
I'll get me some dynamite
I plan on using explosives to destroy
And I'll get me a crane
And I'll hire a crane
And I'll blow it all up, tear it down
And I'll destroy everything in the area
Start all over again
To rebuild from scratch
And I'll build me a town
And construct a new community or city
I'll be proud to show
I will take pride in what I have built
And I'll keep the name
I will keep the name of the former location
You're dirty and you're filthy
This place is unclean and rundown
But I love you
But despite its flaws, I have attachment to it
'Cause you're my home, baby
Because this is where I come from, where I am from
Ya hear me, you're my home
You are what I consider my true home
Do it again, ya feel a thing
Repeat the experience and emotional connection to this place
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John D. Loudermilk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elisabeth Axelsson
Eric is one of a kind what a voice , his feling of blues as great all the emotions and soul in his voice is outstanding a true blues man
Carol Desmond
Just discovered in 2022.
I heard of the Animals, but didn't know anything about them.
Now I am learning and loving their great talent.
Love Eric.
Dwayne Wladyka
Eric Burdon is my favorite male vocalist, along with Ray Charles. I like the range and delivery he has with his singing. Cheers!
Roberto Cappadona
Now you take me to my roots .
Drink Locally
Eric can sing everything and do an excellent job
Butler Crow The Guitar Player
They were and still are the greatest English blues band.
Sid
No the small faces was.
Alan Lane
@Sid Pretty Things ???
Sid
@Alan Lane Yes with ! 🙃
Har Par
sorry SAVOY BROWN .....