STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS - ERIC IS HERE

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Good morning Sunday people and welcome back to Stuck In The Vinyl Again . Today we remember English skiffle and rock and roll guitarist, Hilton Valentine (Hilton Stewart Paterson Valentine), best known for his work in The Animals, on what would have been his 80th Birthday. He was born in 1943 and passed away January 29, 2021, age 77. No cause or place of death has been given. With him in mind, we spotlight the group's first LP billed as Eric Burdon & The Animals, as their previous efforts were released under the moniker, The Animals. Eric Is Here was released March 1967 on the MGM label and produced by Tom Wilson. It peaked at #121 on the Billboard 200, #82 on the Cash Box, and #54 on the Record World survey. "Help Me Girl" (#33 Canada, #29 Hot 100, #18 Australia, #14 UK). The LP sees Burdon and drummer Barry Jenkins backed by the Benny Golson and  Horace Ott Orchestras covering the works of various pop songwriters. Our copy was purchased a few years back at Lakeland's own The Wax & The Needle.

"In the Night" (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) 2:28 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

"Mama Told Me Not to Come" (Randy Newman) 2:15 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

"I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" (Randy Newman) 2:01 (Arranged and conducted by Benny Golson)

"This Side of Goodbye" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) 3:24 (Arranged and conducted by Benny Golson)

"That Ain't Where It's At" (Martin Siegel) 2:58 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

"True Love (Comes Only Once in a Lifetime)" (Bob Haley, Nevel Nader) 2:33 (Arranged and conducted by Benny Golson)

Side two

"Help Me Girl" (Scott English, Larry Weiss) 2:39 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

"Wait Till Next Year" (Randy Newman) 2:15 (Arranged and conducted by Benny Golson)

"Losin' Control" (Carl D'Errico, Roger Atkins) 2:45 (Arranged and conducted by Benny Golson)

"It's Not Easy" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) 3:07 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

"The Biggest Bundle of Them All" (Ritchie Cordell, Sol Trimachi) 2:11 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

"It's Been a Long Time Comin'" (Jimmy Radcliffe, Joey Brooks) 2:42 (Arranged and conducted by Horace Ott)

Eric Burdon - vocals

Barry Jenkins - drums

The Horace Ott and Benny Golson Orchestras

Val Valentin - direction

Benny Golson – arranger, conductor

Horace Ott – arranger, conductor

Nancy Reiner - cover art

Acy Lehman - cover design

Bill McMeehan - recording engineer

Gene Radice - sound mixer