The Animals
The Animals (1964)
Traditional, Alan Price
This 1964 masterpiece transformed a traditional folk ballad into a gritty rock anthem through Eric Burdon's raw vocals and Hilton Valentine's iconic arpeggios. It became a global number-one hit, marking a pivotal moment where the blues met the emerging energy of 1960s rock.
The song's harmony is distinctive for its 'modal mixture.' While in A minor, it uses a Major IV (D), which is borrowed from the A Dorian mode, giving it a brighter, rising quality. This is immediately followed by a Major VI (F), grounding it back in Natural Mi…
The song is a traditional folk ballad of uncertain authorship. While its roots may trace back to 16th-century English broadside ballads, it was first collected in the United States in the 1930s by folklorists like Alan Lomax. The Animals' version was a blues-r…
“It was the first 'folk-rock' hit, preceding the success of artists like The Byrds.”
The song's harmony is distinctive for its 'modal mixture.' While in A minor, it uses a Major IV (D), which is borrowed from the A Dorian mode, giving it a brighter, rising quality. This is immediately followed by a Major VI (F), grounding it back in Natural Minor. Finally, it uses a Major V (E), borrowed from the A Harmonic Minor scale, to create a strong leading-tone resolution back to the tonic. This rotation through three different minor-key flavors (Dorian, Natural, and Harmonic) within a single 8-bar cycle is what gives the song its haunting, cyclical intensity.
The song is a traditional folk ballad of uncertain authorship. While its roots may trace back to 16th-century English broadside ballads, it was first collected in the United States in the 1930s by folklorists like Alan Lomax. The Animals' version was a blues-rock arrangement of the song, which they began performing while on tour with Chuck Berry to provide a distinct closing number.
This 1964 masterpiece transformed a traditional folk ballad into a gritty rock anthem through Eric Burdon's raw vocals and Hilton Valentine's iconic arpeggios. It became a global number-one hit, marking a pivotal moment where the blues met the emerging energy of 1960s rock.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
Rock
Era
60s
Mood
Dark
Tempo
Mid-tempo
Key
Minor
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Swing
3.9M
Plays
691K
Listeners
2.7M
Genius Views
8
Annotations
100%
Popularity
4:28
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album The Animals Retrospective
Harmony The song's harmony is distinctive for its 'modal mixture.' While in A minor, it uses a Major IV (D), which is borrowed from the A Dorian mode, giving it a brighter, rising quality. This is immediately followed by a Major VI (F), grounding it back in Natural Minor. Finally, it uses a Major V (E), borrowed from the A Harmonic Minor scale, to create a strong leading-tone resolution back to the tonic. This rotation through three different minor-key flavors (Dorian, Natural, and Harmonic) within a single 8-bar cycle is what gives the song its haunting, cyclical intensity. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Request Full Analysis
No musician information available for this song yet.
Composition The song is a traditional folk ballad of uncertain authorship. While its roots may trace back to 16th-century English broadside ballads, it was first collected in the United States in the 1930s by folklorists like Alan Lomax. The Animals' version was a blues-rock arrangement of the song, which they began performing while on tour with Chuck Berry to provide a distinct closing number. Inspiration: The lyrics tell of a life gone wrong in New Orleans, often interpreted as being about a brothel or a prison. The Animals were inspired to record it after hearing the folk version and wanting to create a high-energy rock arrangement that showcased Alan Price's organ playing. Recording Studio: De Lane Lea Studios Producer: Mickie Most It was the first 'folk-rock' hit, preceding the success of artists like The Byrds. The song was recorded in a single take to save time and money during a tour break. Only Alan Price was credited for the arrangement, which meant he received all the royalties for the song, eventually causing friction within the band. Hilton Valentine used a Gretsch Tennessean guitar to play the famous opening A-minor arpeggio.
Chord Sheet Chords Used Hide functions Am i T C III T D IV P F VI T Am i T C III T E V D Am i T E V D Progression by Section Solo Am i T C III D IV P F VI Am i T C III E V D E V D Am i T C III D IV P F VI Am i T E V D Am i T E V D Verse Am i T C III T D IV P F VI P Am i T C III T E V D E V D Am i T C III T D IV P F VI P Am i T E V D Am i T E V D Chord Fingerings Am Standard C Standard D Standard F Standard Am Standard C Standard E Standard Am Standard E Standard Harmony Analysis The song's harmony is distinctive for its 'modal mixture.' While in A minor, it uses a Major IV (D), which is borrowed from the A Dorian mode, giving it a brighter, rising quality. This is immediately followed by a Major VI (F), grounding it back in Natural Minor. Finally, it uses a Major V (E), borrowed from the A Harmonic Minor scale, to create a strong leading-tone resolution back to the tonic. This rotation through three different minor-key flavors (Dorian, Natural, and Harmonic) within a single 8-bar cycle is what gives the song its haunting, cyclical intensity. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
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