The Animals (music group)

The Animals are a music group from England that was part of the British Invasion, a musical phenomenon in the 1960s in which British bands found success in the United States. The band is best known for its hit single "House of the Rising Sun." The group also had success with other singles, most notably "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." Additionally, the Animals released several albums, including The Animals, Animal Tracks, Animalisms, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, and Ark.

Formation and Early Years

The Animals formed in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, in 1963. The band materialized from several other bands of the time. Eric Burdon (1941–), Alan Price (1942–), and John Steel (1941–) were part of a group based in Newcastle known as the Kansas City Five. Burdon left the band for London, England, and Price also left to join another band called the Kontours, which included Bryan "Chas" Chandler (1938–1996). Steel soon joined the Kontours, and the band changed its name to the Alan Price R&B Combo. Upon returning to Newcastle in 1963, Burdon joined the group. Soon after, Hilton Valentine (1943–) also became a member of the band, which again changed its name—this time to the Animals. The lineup consisted of Burdon on vocals, Price on keyboards, Steel on drums, Chandler on bass, and Valentine on guitar.

Early on, the Animals played as the backing band for such blues artists as John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson. In 1964, manager Giorgio Gomelsky noticed the band and sent them to London. Shortly afterward, producer Mickie Most signed the group to EMI's Columbia label. The band then released its debut single, "Baby Let Me Take You Home" (1964), which peaked at number twenty-one on the British charts.

"House of the Rising Sun"

The Animals scored a hit single with "House of the Rising Sun" in 1964. The song is a traditional folk song with no known date of origin or author. The subject matter of the song also is unclear, though it is believed that the song involves either a house of prostitution in New Orleans or a women's prison in New Orleans. Blues singer Alger "Texas" Alexander recorded a version of the song in the 1920s. Many other artists recorded their own versions during the decades that followed, including Georgia Turner, Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Josh White, Nina Simone, and Bob Dylan.

The Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun," whose arrangement was credited to Price, shot up the singles charts. The song reached number one in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It also was featured on the band's first studio album, The Animals (1964).

"House of the Rising Sun" helped the Animals become an integral part of the British Invasion, in which British bands became famous in the United States. The Beatles were at the forefront of the British Invasion. Other notable bands of the invasion included the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who, and the Zombies.

Continued Success

Following the success of "House of the Rising Sun," the Animals continued to stake their claim as a significant British band. In 1964, the group's single "I'm Crying" reached number eight in the United Kingdom and number nineteen in the United States. The following year, the band released the single "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," which peaked at number three on the British charts and number fifteen on the American charts. That same year, the group's single "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" also had success, reaching number two in the United Kingdom and number thirteen in the United States. In 1965, the Animals released their sophomore album, Animal Tracks.

Despite the band's success, the group began to disband in 1965. Price was the first member to leave the band that year. He claimed that fear of flying was his reason for leaving; however, it is believed that his departure was actually a result of problems between him and the other band members.

Although Price was gone, the remaining members of the Animals continued to create hit music. For example, later in 1965 the group came out with the single "It's My Life," which peaked at number seven on the British charts and number twenty-three on the American charts. That same year, the band left Columbia and signed with Decca/London Records, releasing the album Animalisms soon after. In 1966, the band secured a hit single with "Don't Bring Me Down," which reached number six in the United Kingdom and number twelve in the United States. Band members, however, continued to leave the group. By the end of 1966, Burdon was the only original member remaining. He selected new members for the band and changed its name to Eric Burdon and the New Animals. The new lineup had some success, particularly with the single "San Franciscan Nights," which peaked at number seven on the British charts and number nine on the American charts. But by the 1970s, Burdon had moved on to other ventures.

The original members of the Animals reunited in 1976 to record the album Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, which was released the following year. The group reunited again in 1983, releasing the album Ark. The Animals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Bibliography

"The Animals." British Invasion Bands. British Invasion Bands. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://britishinvasionbands.com/the-bands/the-animals/

"The Animals Biography." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. https://rockhall.com/inductees/the-animals/bio/

"Awards." AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-animals-mn0000751019/awards

"British Invasion." AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.allmusic.com/subgenre/british-invasion-ma0000002484

Eder, Bruce. "Biography." AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-animals-mn0000751019/biography

"The House of the Rising Sun by the Animals." Songfacts. Songfacts, LLC. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=439