The Animals: We Gotta Get Out Of This Place

This post is going to be brief as I’ve been a little under the weather this past weekend… Whenever I feel this way I tend to drift off somewhere out of the norm. I’m not sure why that is, but it happens every time… Shuffling slowly around the house, I glanced out the front window and shook my head in disbelief. As I watched my ridiculous next door neighbor continue to lower property values, I thought to myself, “What Animals.”

A few minutes later my wife and I started a discussion regarding these insensitive people. I will not go into detail, but I jokingly said to her I was going to hire a band one day, put them in the backyard and have a massive party early on a Saturday morning… Just as I said that, I heard a bass beat from the past start to fade in to my reflective mind. Then I started to sing (not very well I might add) a song I imagined would be good to cover. Oh well… No one should ever stop you from dreaming. 🙂

The Animals

is an English group from 1960s famous for their coarse bluesy rock sound with R&B textures. Part of the British Invasion, there were many incarnations of the group before emerging as a proponent of the psychedelic rock era. They were only around a few short years before disbanding. However, over time there’s been several reunions of the original group. In recent years Burdon and original drummer John Steel have toured with new versions of The Animals as Eric Burdon & the Animals and Animals & Friends respectively.

Perhaps the significance of this post, and another reason the song came to me, is the upcoming anniversary of Jimi Hendrix death on September 18th. A day that coincidentally also stands out as my son’s birthday…

What’s the correlation of The Animals and Hendrix some of you may ask? Well, original bass player Chas Chandler when he left the group went on to become Hendrix’s manager and recruited Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Chandler also produced Hendrix’s first two albums and was also responsible for introducing him to Eric Clapton. This is the famous meeting where Hendrix got a chance to play with Clapton and Cream.

There is so much to discuss about Eric Burdon and The Animals, but this post is really about a quick song that came to mind while being under the weather and feeling a little sardonic… If you’re looking for more information on The Animals or any of the original band members, I’ve included some links below:

Original Members of The Animals

Eric Burdon
Alan Price
Chas Chandler
John Steele
Hilton Valentine

As we all continue to juggle our day to day responsibilities, there are always challenges we have to face. But it’s the music that helps many of us with the curves life can toss. There is no better therapy in my mind!

How many of you have disruptive insensitive neighbors? Do you have a theme song that comes to mind when you’re under the weather and still have to deal with ridiculous people?

TheBluesBlogger

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Susan
Susan
14 years ago

I love this song! My husband’s band does a cover of it and it is just as rowdy as the Animals were. Seems funny to see them in suits and short hair — the music just doesn’t match.

marcel lemieux
marcel lemieux
14 years ago

One of my face band from way back..Eric Burdon is still kicking around actually..he is in his 60,s now….i use to love Sky Pilot and many other songs..this post brings back memories….thanks

OneStonedCrow
14 years ago

yeah, … I cut my rock ‘n roll teeth on the Animals …

do you remember The Pretty Things?

Daniel R. Lehrman
14 years ago

good stuff tbb.
Hope you feel better.
I get sorta bummed when I don’t feel good.

blues247
blues247
14 years ago

A warm summers eve. herbly inhanced 1970-71 by a lake . As the sun goes down and the quite of the eve. sets in ” A warm SanFrancisco night “, playing .
One of my best memories of early adulthood.

WHEVERgeek
14 years ago

This may not be my era, but I love songs from the 60s. This one is no exception. The chorus and bass line are my favorite parts. I love how recognizable it is, and I feel you on remember a bass line.

I’m a bass player myself, I play a Peavy Milestone III. Yes, I’m a girl. haha

Thanks for posting this song it’s great!

thewheverblog.blogspot.com

Arnie Reed
14 years ago

I’m a keyboard player and was 18 when House of the Rising Sun was released in 1964, and I remember playing it with my college band. My current band plays It’s My Life. The Animals, despite their short life, had a big impact on popular music.

D.S. Williamson
D.S. Williamson
14 years ago

Dang me, but I don’t remember them looking so young. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Sorry you feeling out of sorts. Get better. As for the neighbors, get moving on that Saturday morning gig and be sure to invite a lot of rowdy friends.
D.S. Williamson

Sherri Keller'Woo
14 years ago

I am 56 and played the guitar years back & always played “The House of the Rising Sun.” Animals were one of my favorite groups and never forget the feeling I had when I first heard this song and others by them; just put me in a special place mentally. Hope you don’t let neighbors bother you; life is too short! You turned your thoughts to music and that always helps me too. Good thinking!

Tom 'Ketchfish'
Tom 'Ketchfish'
14 years ago

We Gotta Get Out of This Place has been my ‘theme song’ for many situations in my life, from the last day of high school, to the last day working for several employers, the last few days of my failed marriage. It’s a perfect song for emotional endings. Eric Burdens vocal delivery is elemental, ripped right from the depth of his soul. (Never mind that often lyrics fall by the wayside, check out their version of “Paint it Black”)

re: One Stoned Crow
The Pretty Things – great band. I think that if they’d had the same PR as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, their commercial success would have been comparable as well. One of the great things about their back catalog is how the music changed over the years. For anyone who isn’t familiar with them, run a search and check them out. You’ll be glad you did.

Hermitbiker
Hermitbiker
13 years ago

…. the Animals, an awesome band with an awesome vocalist, Eric Burdon…. were among the tidal wave that hit our shores in late ’63 starting with “the Beatles”, the “Rolling Stones” and the Animals !! By Spring in early ’64 in which the “full assault” of dozens of bands was well on it’s way to becoming known as “the British Invasion” !! They came at a time in which we were reeling from assassinations, Vietnam becoming a well known “police action” and Civil Rights marches and more !! We were a generation searching for “freedom”…. unlike any other before or after us !! The Beatles, Dave Clark5,the Animals, the Kinks, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Rolling Stones and many other bands all landing on our shores, so many bands and so much music reaching our ears in a non-stop assault to our senses !! To the World of Rock & Roll…. that had somehow been searching for new direction…. it was a real magical time and in our lives too !! We were gonna change the World, we just knew it !! Then as the 60’s were coming to an end…. so were many of the bands, splitting up because of creative turmoil, alcohol, drugs, death’s and disillusionment !! The naivete of the hippies, the “all you need is love” concept and the “fun of recreational” mind expansion…. all giving way to the reality of drug overdoses, drug dependence and “rip-offs” !! Short-lived music icons who rocked our world…. dead long before their time…. but their music lived on into the 21st century !! We knew it was a very special time…. the 60’s, the British Invasion…. and the American bands counter-attack…. very special !! 🙂 I better go sit in the corner of my cave now !! 🙂

Hermitbiker
Hermitbiker
13 years ago

…. PS. ~~ sounds like the ol Hermit went off topic and into a long “rant”…. or was it a “flashback” !! Lol…. “It was the best of times and also, it was the worst of times”…. !! 🙂

Michael
13 years ago

This is cute stuff but what’s it got to do with the BLUES