Eric Is Here
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Album Summary
Eric Is Here arrived in 1967 on MGM Records, marking a pivotal moment when Eric Burdon was steering The Animals away from their raw British R&B roots and into something deeper, more introspective, and altogether soulful. Produced by Tom Wilson — the man who had his hands on some of the most important recordings of that era — this album found Burdon stretching his voice and his vision, leaning into American soul, folk, and pop balladry with a passion that was undeniable. Recorded as the original Animals lineup had dissolved and Burdon was assembling a new chapter around himself, the album captured an artist in genuine transition, hungry to prove that he was more than just a frontman riding a hit wave — he was a vocalist with something real to say.
Reception
- The album performed modestly on the charts, finding more traction in the United States than in the UK, reflecting Burdon's deepening connection to American musical sensibilities during this period.
- Critical reception at the time was mixed, with some reviewers appreciating Burdon's soulful ambition while others felt the album lacked the raw urgency of the earlier Animals sound.
- The inclusion of Randy Newman's 'I Think It's Gonna Rain Today' and Harry Nilsson's 'Mama Told Me Not To Come' drew attention from critics who recognized Burdon's ear for exceptional outside material before those composers became household names.
Significance
- Eric Is Here stands as an early and striking example of a British Invasion artist fully embracing the American singer-songwriter movement, with Burdon interpreting compositions by Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson at a time when those writers were barely known to the wider public.
- The album documents a genuine artistic evolution — Burdon shedding the straightforward blues-rock identity and reaching toward a more emotionally complex, soul-drenched sound that would define his work through the late 1960s.
- Tracks like 'It's Been A Long Time Comin'' and 'True Love (Comes Only Once In A Lifetime)' reveal a tenderness and vocal maturity that challenged audiences to hear Eric Burdon not just as a rock and roll animal, but as a serious interpreter of song.
Tracklist
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A1 In The Night 110
2:28
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A2 Mama Told Me Not To Come 80
2:15
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A3 I Think It's Gonna Rain Today 133
2:01
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A4 This Side Of Goodbye 117
3:24
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A5 That Ain't Where It's At 158
2:58
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A6 True Love (Comes Only Once In A Lifetime) 112
2:33
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B1 Help Me Girl 145
2:39
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B2 Wait Till Next Year 106
2:15
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B3 Losin' Control 158
2:45
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B4 It's Not Easy 79
3:07
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B5 The Biggest Bundle Of Them All —
2:11
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B6 It's Been A Long Time Comin' 111
2:42
Artist Details
Eric Burdon & The Animals were a bold reinvention of the original British Invasion Animals, led by the raw and soulful voice of Newcastle-born Eric Burdon, who reshaped the group in 1966 with a new lineup and a sound that leaned deep into psychedelic rock, blues, and the swirling spirit of the San Francisco counterculture movement. They gave the world timeless grooves like San Franciscan Nights and Monterey, painting musical portraits of the late-60s zeitgeist that felt like dispatches from the front lines of a generation in beautiful, turbulent flux. Their work stands as a crucial bridge between the British blues boom and the psychedelic era, cementing Eric Burdon as one of rock and soul's most passionate and underappreciated voices.
