History
First incarnation
Formed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne during 1962 and 1963 when Burdon joined the existing Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, the original line-up comprised Eric Burdon (vocals), Alan Price (organ and keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums), and Bryan "Chas" Chandler (bass). The Animals' moderate success in their hometown and a connection with The Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky motivated them to move to London in 1964, in time to be grouped with the British Invasion. They performed fiery versions of the staple rhythm and blues repertoire (Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Nina Simone, etc). Signed to the Columbia Graphophone subsidiary of EMI, a rocking version of the standard "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" (retitled Baby Let Me Take You Home) was their first UK hit single.
It was followed in June 1964 by the huge transatlantic hit "House of the Rising Sun". Burdon's howling vocals and the dramatic arrangement created arguably the first folk rock hit. Whether the arrangement was inspired by Bob Dylan's version of the song (which in turn was inspired by folk singer Dave Van Ronk) or by blues singer Josh White's (who recorded it twice in 1944 and 1949) or by singer/pianist Nina Simone (who recorded it in 1962 on At The Village Gate, predating Dylan's interpretation) remains a subject of dispute, as does whether all five Animals deserved credit for the arrangement and not just Price.
The Animals' two-year chart career, masterminded by producer Mickie Most, featured singles that were intense, gritty pop covers such as Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me and the Nina Simone number Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. In contrast their album tracks stayed with rhythm and blues, with Hooker's Boom Boom and Ray Charles' I Believe to My Soul being notable examples. Burdon's powerful, deep voice and the use of keyboards as much or more than guitars were two elements that made the Animals' sound stand out.
By May 1965 the group was starting to feel internal pressures. Price left due to personal and musical differences as well as a fear of flying on tour; he went on to a successful career as a solo artist and with the Alan Price Set. Mickey Gallagher filled in for him on keyboards for a spell, until Dave Rowberry replaced him and was on hand for the hit working-class anthems We Gotta Get Out of this Place and It's My Life. Around that time, an Animals Big Band even made a one-time appearance.
Many of The Animals' hits had come from Brill Building songwriters recruited by Most; the group, and Burdon in particular, felt this was too restrictive. As 1965 ended the group switched to Decca Records and producer Tom Wilson, who gave them more artistic freedom. In early 1966 MGM Records, their American label, collected their hits onto The Best of The Animals; it became their best-selling album in the U.S. In February 1966 Steel left and was replaced by Barry Jenkins; a leftover cover of Goffin-King's Don't Bring Me Down and the powerful hard rock tune See See Rider were the last hits as The Animals.
By this time their business affairs "were in a total shambles," according to Chandler (who would go on to manage Jimi Hendrix), and the group disbanded. Even by the standards of the day, when artists tended to be financially naïve, the Animals made very little money from their successes, eventually claiming mismanagement and theft on the part of their manager Mike Jeffery.
Second incarnation
A group with Burdon, Jenkins, and new sidemen John Weider (guitar/violin/bass), Vic Briggs alias Antion (guitar/piano), and Danny McCulloch (bass) was formed under the name Eric Burdon and the New Animals (or sometimes just Eric Burdon & the Animals) in October 1966, and changed direction. The hard-driving blues was transformed into Burdon's version of psychedelia, as the former heavy-drinking Geordie (who later said he could never get used to Newcastle, "where the rain comes at you sideways") relocated to California and became a spokesman for the Love Generation, but also a former heavy metal act and one of the upcoming stars of the genre such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple..
Some of this group's hits included "San Franciscan Nights", "Monterey" (a tribute to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival), and the anti-war "Sky Pilot". There were further changes to this line-up: George Bruno (a/k/a Zoot Money, keyboards) was added in April 1968, and in July 1968 Andy Summers [sic] (guitar)—later of The Police—replaced Briggs and McCulloch.
By 1969 these Animals had dissolved, and Eric Burdon joined forces with a Latin group from Long Beach, California called War.
The first hit under Eric Burdon & War was the funky/chill-out song Spill the Wine. The Group with 8 members disbanded in July 1971.
Later incarnations
The original Animals line-up of Burdon, Price, Valentine, Chandler, and Steel briefly reunited for a benefit concert in Newcastle in 1968, for an album in 1977 and again for an album and tour (supplemented by Zoot Money on keyboards and Steve Grant on guitar) in 1983. Chandler died in 1996.
In the 2000s Burdon has toured with a new set of musicians under the name "Eric Burdon and the Animals". Periodically during the 1990s and 2000s Valentine, Steel, and Dave Rowberry toured under the name "(Hilton Valentine's) The Animals" and Valentine and Steel under the name "Animals II". Rowberry died in 2003. As of 2005 "Animals & Friends" was also active, consisting of Steel and Mickey Gallagher; this group frequently play gigs on a Color Line ship that travels between Scandinavia and Germany.
Legacy
The original Animals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Their influence can be heard in artists as varied as The Doors, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Canned Heat, David Johansen, Joe Cocker, Fine Young Cannibals, Iggy Pop, Mando Diao and many, many more.
Hallelujah I Love Her So
The Animals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She my woman and she lives next door
Every morning 'fore the sun comes up
She brings me coffee in an old tin cup
That's why I know
Yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so
I know she'll love with me until the end
Everybody asks me how I know
I smile at them and say she told me so
That's why I know
Yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so
When she calls me on the telephone
Baby, I'm all alone
By the time I count, one to four
I hear that woman on my door
And In the evening when the sun goes down
And there is no one else around
She kisses me and she holds me tight
Eric, baby everythings all right
That's why I know
Yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so
All right now
Now when I call her on the telephone
Hey baby I'm all alone
By the time I count, one, two, three, four
I hear that woman on my door
And in the evening when the sun goes down
And there ain't nobody else around
She kisses me holds me tight
Says baby everythings all right
That's why I know
Yes, I know
Hallelujah, I just love her so
Whoa yeah
Hallelujah, I just love her so
She's my woman
Hallelujah, I just love her so
One more time
Hallelujah, I just love that gal so
Oh baby yeah
In The Animals' song "Hallelujah I Love Her So," the singer describes his deep love and admiration for his woman who lives next door. The song is filled with tender moments as the singer describes the everyday things she does for him that make him love her more, such as bringing him coffee in an old tin cup every morning before the sun comes up. Throughout the song, he describes how she is always there for him, especially when he is in trouble and has no friends. He knows that she will always be by his side until the very end. When people ask him how he knows, he simply tells them that she told him so.
The song's repetitive "Hallelujah, I just love her so" chorus emphasizes the joy and happiness the singer feels from this love. He even notes that when she is not with him physically, he can count to four before she shows up, and everything feels right again. The lyrics and melody of "Hallelujah I Love Her So" show that the singer's love for his woman is pure and true.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me tell you bout a girl I know
I want to talk about my girlfriend who lives next door
She my woman and she lives next door
She's my partner and she lives close to me
Every morning 'fore the sun comes up
Every day before sunrise
She brings me coffee in an old tin cup
She makes me coffee and serves it in an old tin cup
That's why I know
This is the reason I am sure
Yes, I know
I'm absolutely certain
Hallelujah, I just love her so
I'm overjoyed, I really love her so much
When I'm in trouble and I have no friends
When I'm in distress and have no help from others
I know she'll love with me until the end
I'm confident that she'll always be there to support me
Everybody asks me how I know
People are curious to know how I'm so certain
I smile at them and say she told me so
I confidently say that she told me herself
When she calls me on the telephone
When she calls me on the phone
Baby, I'm all alone
I'm by myself
By the time I count, one to four
I can only count to four before she arrives
I hear that woman on my door
I hear her knocking on my door
And In the evening when the sun goes down
In the evening when there's no more sunlight
And there is no one else around
When no one else is present
She kisses me and she holds me tight
She kisses and embraces me
Eric, baby everythings all right
She reassures me that everything is okay
All right now
Now it's fine
Now when I call her on the telephone
When I call her on the phone now
Hey baby I'm all alone
I tell her I'm alone
By the time I count, one, two, three, four
I can only count to four before she comes
I hear that woman on my door
I hear her knocking on my door
And in the evening when the sun goes down
In the evening when there's no more sunlight
And there ain't nobody else around
If there isn't anyone else
She kisses me holds me tight
She kisses and embraces me
Says baby everythings all right
She assures me everything is alright
Hallelujah, I just love her so
I'm overjoyed, I really love her so much
Whoa yeah
An expression of excitement and agreement
Hallelujah, I just love her so
I'm overjoyed, I really love her so much
She's my woman
She belongs to me
Hallelujah, I just love her so
I'm overjoyed, I really love her so much
One more time
One more instance
Hallelujah, I just love that gal so
I'm overjoyed, I really love that lady so much
Oh baby yeah
An expression of excitement and agreement
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind