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Very good. All the songs that are loved by the recipient of the CD.J Dutton.
Eric Burdon and the Animals were one of the bands that had a heavy impact on the London RnB and Rock scene, and this collection does a fair job of crediting them. The bulk of the album covers the songs Mickie Most brought to the group in 64-66, and before Alan Price (he who created the incredible organ riff on "House Of The Riding Sun") left the group. But it makes a big boner of a mistake by putting in an alternate version of "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place." Ah well.But if you want the cool songs "House of The Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," they are both here. Missing is "Sky Pilot" or any material from later albums like Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted or the 80's reunion Ark. As such, it has a lot of the band's covers and is a worthy set. Too much is missing to make it invaluable.
Great addition to the later album, Best of Eric Burden and the Animals.Has the classic favorites, House of the Rising Sun, Don't Let me Down,and other good songs.
I remember the 8 track player I wore out listening to these guys back in the late 60's
Burdon does a credible job singing this familiar Berry work, with classic lines such as "never stop rockin' until the moon went down." And Hilton Valentine plays nice Chuck Berry guitar work.John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" is a classic blues song. And this group made some of the best blues rock music of the 1960s. In short, a satisfying cover of a fine blues song.I could not resist commenting on their version of a Goffin-King composition, "I'm in Love Again." The Animals imbue this with a nice blues-rock sensibility.And then one of their classic anthems, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." Key line up front: "You'll be dead before your due." This is about living in a working/lower class situation; Burdon sings of his father's desperate life. He had one of the truest blues voices of the 1960s among younger singers.
This is the story of Bo Diddley, with mention of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, and references to Bob Dylan and so on. The organ of Alan Price adds a really neat element to this song, with foreboding lines such as "[this house] has been the ruin of many a poor boy, and Lord I'm one."I also enjoy their effort at singing Chuck Berry. His "Around and Around" is a wonderful little rock and roll piece, and the Animals cover it nicely. The Animals: Eric Burdon on vocals, Chas Chandler on bass, John Steel on drums, Hilton Valentine on guitar, Alan Price and Dave Rowberry on organ and piano. Obviously, one can argue that 15 cuts cannot do justice to the work of the Animals. Burdon isn't John Lee Hooker "listen to the latter's vocal styling)., but he does a nice job in his own terms.
He sings of how he and his girl have to escape, with the lines (poignantly and rawly sung): "We gotta get out of this place, if it's the last thing we ever do," in order to achieve a "better life." A pretty somber picture of life at the bottom. This contains an awful lot of social commentary, scaffolded by some fine rock and roll instrumental work.My last illustration of the work from this CD--"Story of Bo Diddley." They begin with that distinct Bo Diddley sound, played quite nicely.
But this is one unbelievable set of songs, so I have no beef on that point. This CD includes works recorded in 1964 and 1965.It starts out with the classic "House of the Rising Sun." This is rawly sung and sung in a compelling manner by Eric Burdon.
Enchanting.So, the bottom line. How well to the Animals cover this.
Good blues guitar work by Valentine and a nice organ element by Price add to the song greatly. This is a wonderful collection of the Animals' best works.
A must buy if you want the best of the Animals.
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