In 1966 The Animals changed labels to Decca and started writing their own material. This song was one of their most adventurous, with every bar in the same minor chord. Frontman Eric Burdon admitted to the NME in an interview to publicize its release that they took "a liberty" with this number. He added: "It's the first number we've recorded without a tune. It originates from a Mississippi prison song, the kind of blues we've always wanted to do."
Grand Funk Railroad covered this on their 1969 Grand Funk album, and it remains a cornerstone of the band's live concerts today.
Like The Who, The Kinks, and The Beatles, The Animals were a British invasion band that made a big impact in America. When we asked Eric Burdon, how The Animals compared to these groups, he replied: "I thought that we were darker than any of the other bands initially. I thought The Kinks were fantastic though. Their attitude outstripped the Stones and the Beatles." (Read more in our interview with Eric Burdon)
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