THE ANIMALS UK FIRST ALBUM

Original released on LP EMI-Columbia 33SX 1669

(UK, November 1964)

The group's U.K. debut long-player, containing - in the custom of the time in England - not one of their singles up to that point, including "House of the Rising Sun." Apart from "Story of Bo Diddley" (which is, itself, heavily steeped in conventions out of Bo Diddley's repertory), everything here is a cover of traditional blues and R&B material, and a bit on the dry side, as though the band was trying too hard to prove themselves. This is one of the more serious and dour British Invasion-era albums, with none of the cheerfulness evident on the work of the Liverpool, Birmingham, or Manchester-based bands of the period - the Chuck Berry covers, in particular, seem rather joyless compared to rival versions by the Rolling Stones, et al. For adult orientation, The Animals is roughly on a par with the Rolling Stones' debut LP (though that album is also more fun). The group would do better in the future in a less stiff and intense posture, but this is a strong debut.

DISCOGRAPHY

Formed 1962, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, United Kingdom

Disbanded 1984

Eric Burdon (born 1941): vocals

Alan Price (born 1942): vocals, keyboards

Bryan ‘Chas’ Chandler (born 1938 > died 1996): bass

John Steel (born 1941): drums

Hilton Valentine (born 1943): guitar

Dave Rowberry (born 1940 > died 2003): keyboards (1965-1966)

1963-10 Ep I WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU (UK Graphic Sound ALO 10867): A1. I Wanna Make Love to You; A2. Big Boss Man; B1. Boom Boom Boom; B2. Pretty Thing

1964-03 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7247): A. Baby, Let Me Take You Home; B. Gonna Send You Back to Walker

1964-06-19 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7301): A. The House of the Rising Sun; B. Talkin’ About You

1964-09 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7354): A. I’m Crying; B. Take It Easy

1964-11 Ep THE ANIMALS IS HERE (UK EMI Columbia SEG 8374): A1. The House of the Rising Sun; A2. Gonna Send You Back to Walker; B1. I’m Crying; B2. Baby, Let Me Take You Home

1964-11 LP THE ANIMALS (UK EMI Columbia 33SX 1669): A1. Story of Bo Diddley; A2. Bury My Body; A3. Dimples; A4. I’ve Been Around; A5. I’m In Love Again; A6. The Girl Can’t Help It; B1. I’m Mad Again; B2. She Said Yeh; B3. The Right Time; B4. Memphis; B5. Boom Boom; B6. Around and Around

1965-01-29 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7445): A. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood; B. Club-A-Go-Go

1965-03 Ep THE ANIMALS Nº 1 (UK EMI Columbia SEG 8400): A1. Boom Boom; A2. Around and Around; B1. Dimples; B2. I’ve Been Around

1965-04-02 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7539): A. Bring It On Home to Me; B. For Miss Caulker

1965-05 LP ANIMAL TRACKS (UK EMI Columbia 33SX 1708): A1. Mess Around; A2. How You’ve Changed; A3. Hallelujah I Love Her So; A4. I Believe to My Soul; A5. Worried Life Blues: A6. Roberta; B1. I Ain’t Got You; B2. Bright Lights Big City; B3. Let the Good Times Roll; B4. For Miss Caulker; B5. Roadrunner

1965-07 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7639): A. We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place; B. I Can’t Believe It

1965-07 Ep THE ANIMALS Nº 2 (UK EMI Columbia SEG 8439): A1. I’m In Love Again; A2. Bury My Body; B1. I’m Mad Again; B2. She Said Yeh

1965-09 Ep AMIMAL TRACKS (UK EMI Columbia SEG 8499): A1. How You’ve Changed; A2. I Believe to My Soul; B1. Let the Good Times Roll; B2. Worried Life Blues

1965-10 Ep THE ANIMALS ARE BACK (UK EMI Columbia SEG 8452): A1. Bring It On Home to Me; A2. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood; B1. We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place; B2. Club-A-Go-Go

1965-10-22 Sg (UK EMI Columbia DB 7741): A. It’s My Life; B. I’m Going to Change the World

1966-02-11 Sg (UK Decca F 12332): A. Inside-Lookin’ Out; B. Outcast

1966-05 Sg (UK Decca F 12407): A. Don’t Bring Me Down; B. Cheating

1966-06 LP ANIMALISMS (UK Decca LK SKL 4797): A1. One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show; A2. Maudie; A3. Outcast; A4. Sweet Little Sixteen; A5. You’re on My Mind; A6. Clapping; B1. Gin House Blues; B2. Squeeze Her Tease Her; B3. What Am I Living For; B4. I Put a Spell on You; B5. That’s All I Am to You; B6. She’ll Return It

1975 LP THE ANIMALS WITH SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (LIVE) (UK Charly CR 30199 ): A1. Sonny’s Slow Walk; A2. Pontiac Blues; A3. My Babe; A4. I Don’t Care No More; A5. Baby, Don’t You Worry; A6. The Night Time Is the Right Time; B1. I’m Gonna Put You Down; B2. Fattening Frogs For Snakes; B3. Nobody But You; B4. Bye-Bye, Sonny, Bye-Bye - Coda

1977-08 LP BEFORE WE WERE SO RUDELY INTERRUPTED (UK Barn 2314 104): A1. The Last Clean Shirt; A2. It’s All Over Now Baby Blue; A3. Fire on the Sun; A4. As the Crow Flies; A5. Please Send Me Someone to Love; B1. Many Rivers to Cross; B2. Just a Little Bit; B3. Riverside Country; B4. Lonely Avenue; B5. The Fool

1983-08-09 LP ARK (UK I.R.S. SP 70037): A1. Loose Change; A2. Love Is For All Times; A3. My Favourite Enemy; A4. Prisoner of the Light; A5. Being There; A6. Hard Times; B1. The Night; B2. Trying to Get You; B3. Just Can’t Get Enough; B4. Melt Down; B5. Gotta Get Back to You; B6. Crystal Nights

1984-08-10 LP RIP IT TO SHREDS: THE GREATEST HITS LIVE (UK I.R.S. IRSA 70043): A1. It’s Too Late; A2. House of the Rising Sun; A3. It’s My Life; A4. Don’t Bring Me Down; A5. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood; B1. I’m Crying; B2. Bring It On Home to Me; B3. O Lucky Man; B4. Boom Boom; B5. We Gotta Get Out of This Place

1996 CD THE BEST OF THE ANIMALS (Re-recorded) (UK K-tel ECD 3278): 1. The House of the Rising Sun; 2. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood; 3. We Gotta Get Out of This Place; 4. Frisco Queen; 5. To Love Somebody; 6. Color of the Sunset; 7. Howlin’; 8. Scandinavian Dreams; 9. San Franciscan Nights; 10. When I Was Young; 11. Love Fire; 12. Night Fighter

2015-04-18 LP WE’RE GONNA HOWL TONIGHT (Archival) (UK Rhythm and Blues 2): A1. We’re Gonna Howl Tonight; A2. Baby What’s Wrong; A3. Rosie; A4. I Can’t Believe It; A5. Work Song; A6. Gonna Send You Back to Georgia; A7. Dimples; B1. C.C. Rider; B2. Heartbreak Hotel; B3. Corina, Corina; B4. House of the Rising Sun; B5. Boom Boom; B6. Talkin’ About You