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.
You can also see The Animals on Last.fm.
Shake
The Animals feat. Eric Burdon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listen while I talk to you, I'm tell you what we're gonna do
There's a new game to storm around
Mess it to the pot we're puttin' down, move your body all around
I said shake oh you can make it
Shake come on and shake it shake all right
But your hands on your hands try the make ball step
If your body look the light
I said shake make me feel good now
Shake oh shake shake that finger
The ring a ling a ling shakin' is the prettiest thing
The if you want to row gotta get that thing
When the whole last song
Put your hands on your hands woman break the back bones sleeves
Move your feelin' on the ground
Listen to what we're puttin' down now
If your body long around I said shake oh come on baby
Shake you make me feel good now
Shake shake it baby
Listen while I talk to you I'm tell you what we're gonna do
There's a new game to storm around
Mess it to the pot we're puttin' down move your body all around
I said shake what about say it
Living on a living stone (shake)
Oh babe come on oh right now
The ring a ling a ling shakin' is the prettiest thing
Yet if you want to row gotta get that thing
When the whole last song
Put your hands on your hands woman break the back bones sleeves
If you do it do it right shake with me tonight
If your body look the light I said shake shake
Feel good feel good shake oh right
Shake shake
The Animals feat. Eric Burdon's song Shake is an upbeat song that encourages listeners to move their bodies and dance. The lyrics emphasize this message repeatedly, with "shake" appearing numerous times throughout the song. The song describes the dance as a "new game" and invites the listener to participate in it by "messing it up" and "moving their body all around." The chorus encourages listeners to "shake" and "make it" while dancing.
The lyrics also mention a "ring a ling a ling shakin'" which is described as the "prettiest thing." The song suggests that if the listener wants to participate in this dance game, they must learn the right moves, such as the "make ball step" or breaking the backbones sleeves.
Overall, the song is a fun and energetic call to dance and participate in a new, exciting dance game with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Shake shake shake
Let's dance and have a good time by shaking our bodies
Listen while I talk to you, I'm tell you what we're gonna do
Pay attention to me as I explain what we are going to do next
There's a new game to storm around
We are going to do something new and exciting
Mess it to the pot we're puttin' down, move your body all around
Let's get wild and crazy while we enjoy ourselves
I said shake oh you can make it
We can all shake our bodies and have a great time
But your hands on your hands try the make ball step
Put your hands on your hips and try this new dance step
You do it do it right, come on we're shake shake tonight
Let's dance and do it the right way, we're here to shake it all night long
If your body look the light
If you feel the rhythm and the music just let it take over and dance
I said shake make me feel good now
Dancing and shaking makes everyone feel good and happy
Shake oh shake shake that finger
Let's dance and have fun while shaking our fingers
The ring a ling a ling shakin' is the prettiest thing
The sound of dancing and shaking is beautiful and enjoyable
The if you want to row gotta get that thing
If you want to dance and have fun, you need to get moving and shaking
When the whole last song
During the whole duration of the song
Put your hands on your hands woman break the back bones sleeves
Put your hands on your hips and dance with energy and enthusiasm
Move your feelin' on the ground
Let yourself feel the music and move to the rhythm
If your body long around I said shake oh come on baby
If you feel like dancing, let's do it together
Living on a living stone (shake)
Let's shake and dance with joy and energy
Oh babe come on oh right now
Come on and join us in this fun and lively dance
If you do it do it right shake with me tonight
Let's dance and do it correctly together tonight
Feel good feel good shake oh right
Dancing and shaking feels amazing and makes everyone happy
Shake shake
Let's keep dancing and shaking
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sam Cooke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JewelsFalcon
This is seriously one of the best things to have ever happened in the history of the universe.
Love is Back
Ohhh! You're right!!! ✌🎼
Alessandra from Italy
Terrapin Harvich
AGREE.
The GO Steady
😎👌
Torey Bowen
This is everything!
Kim Perkins
Right there withcha jewels!
Yesman 2
Otis is so totally immersed in his music, I think he almost forgot there were two other greats on the stage waiting to sing a line or two. Guess Eric and Chris were so in awe of him it didn’t matter that much. What a great piece of film.
Michael Jenkins
Yeah. Burdon does genuinely seem to be a little in awe of Otis, which is slightly odd, given that he was the first of the two to be properly famous. But then talent recognizes talent, above all. Feel sorry for Farlowe, whom Otis evidently forgets to let have his go solo. Either that or they'd fallen out!
James Hope
Three out and out legends belting out raw soul and R&B
Lynda Considine
I have only just seen this and I'm blown away!