I grew up listening to a lot of classic rock. I think this is in part because it’s what my older brothers listened to (along with punk rock and heavy metal). Whatever they listened to, I listened to. I think it’s also due in part to the fact that radio choices were limited in my small town. Since I was one of those kids who thought disliking popular music made me cool, the only other options were easy listening or classic rock. It may come as no surprise to you that I chose classic rock.
My absolute favorite classic rock band is Jethro Tull. Someday, when I can finally commit to just one song of theirs to showcase, I’ll do a post about them. Until that time, I’ll just keep talking about other music.
I wouldn’t call myself a “fan” of The Animals. Until recently, I didn’t even own any of their music. But they’re one of those bands that I always enjoy. I never turn the channel when they come on. Whenever I hear them, I think to myself, “that band never got the love they deserved.” Lately, I’d been hearing their version of “The House of the Rising Sun” on the radio a lot. “I always liked that song,” I thought to myself. “Maybe I should buy it.” However, I’m a cautious buyer, so I decided to listen to it a few times on YouTube before committing. And that’s when, through the magic of the internet, I was reminded of my love for “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”
This song almost perfectly captures how I felt about my hometown. My mother, working and slaving her life away, in bed, gray and tired (dead before her time was due for sure), and me, saying to myself,
We gotta get out of this place
If it’s the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
Girl, there’s a better life for me and you
The lyrics aren’t amazing, and they’re repetitive, but they’re almost painfully true. That bass line thumps hard in your chest. And when Eric Burdon, one of the best voices of the 1960s IMO, belts it out, especially when he does that primal scream, a chill runs down my spine. Now that I’ve been listening to them more, I’m thinking that maybe I never gave them the love they deserved either. It's time to rectify that.
Note: I normally prefer to post videos with the studio version of the song, because I feel studio quality is far superior to live quality, but how could I pass up showing this stage set to you?
2 comments:
I wasn't going to listen to the song because I know it so well, but your last comment got me curious and I've just spent too much time trying to find the movie this is from. The person who posted it on YouTube (oh wait, it's Eric Burdon himself) says, "from an American motion picture". But which motion picture Eric. Surely you remember! You were there! (One of the comments is that he's bombed out of his mind, so perhas Mr. Burdon doesn't remember. But still!)
I love the Animals too. The House of the Rising Sun is a good belter for me. He really wails on "AND IT'S BEEN the ruin of many a poor boy" Being somewhat of a belter myself, I enjoy hitting that line.
Well, there were a lot of drugs floating around in the 1960s and 70s! It's entirely possible he doesn't remember. I didn't see that this was from a film. Now I'm curious too!
"The House of the Rising Sun" is the other song I downloaded. :)
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