More U.K. Tracks On U.S. Labels: The Animals Do Sam Cooke

THE ANIMALS-Bring It On Home To Me/For Miss Caulker US MGM K13339 1965

The Animals fifth single in Britain was a cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" (Columbia DB 7539 in April 1965). It was issued here simultaneously on the MGM label where it was their sixth US 45 release. It reached #7 in the British charts but stalled at #32 here in the United States.

"Bring It On Home To Me" is, in itself a pretty mundane tune to cover. It holds a place in the band's tumultuous history as being the last single to feature keyboardist Alan Price.  It's his piano work that saves the number from sliding into mediocrity, which despite a decent showing by Eric Burdon on lead vocals is nothing I really feel like playing over and over again. It was also previously covered in 1964 covered in Liverpool by two bands, The Big Three (on the various artists compilation "At The Cavern) and by The Merseybeats on their untitled debut LP.

Looking miserable with each other, 1965.

"For Miss Caulker", a Burdon original reminds me a bit of "I Believe To My Soul" in it's delivery, especially Price's ivory tinkling.  I am tempted to assume that Miss Caulker was the married black woman who Burdon had a brief teenage romance with (also mentioned in "When I Was Young") but I don't have either of his autobiographies to verify it. Price's piano work on the track is incredible and Burdon's vocals are on point as well and though the track would obviously have had little commercial success as an A-side it would have been better suited to my ears than a run of the mill Sam Cooke cover.

Both tracks are available in a host of places. I have them both on a double EMI CD Anthology of all of their Columbia material 1964-1966 and there is also an EMI CD still in print called "A's B's & E.P.'s".

Hear "Bring It On Home To Me":

https://youtu.be/4nd3h3lQtb8

Hear "For Miss Caulker":

https://youtu.be/D2Mw3PHP1q4