”Religion Was Being Born”

Signerede har længe ledt efter en god grund til at skrive dette indlæg om en lovprisningen eller mere nøjagtigt et elektrisk vækkelsesmøde. Den, mener han nu, at have fundet på musik-bloggen Akustikken, der forleden fortalte, at et 'revitaliseret' The Animals skal optræde i Stengade 30.

Umiddelbart er der vel ingen, der forventer at se en line-up af The Animals, der minder om første halvdel af 60’erne og dagene hjemme i Newcastle. I så fald bliver de grumme skuffet. Det oprindelige band var allerede i 1966 spredt for alle vinde. Ja, det var faktisk kun Eric Burdon og trommeslageren Barry Jenkins, der var tilbage. Under bandnavnet Eric Burdon & The Animals begyndte de at eksperimentere med den psykedeliske dille. I november 1967 udsendte de singlen ’Monterey’, som man ikke kan undgå at læse, som et sakralt skriftstykke over den festival, hvor de selv havde spillet i juni samme år.

”The people came and listened
Some of them came and played
Others gave flowers away, yes they did
Down in Monterey
Down in Monterey

Young Gods smiled upon the crowd
Their music being born of love
Children danced night and day
Religion was being born
Down in Monterey

The Byrds and the Airplanes did fly
Oh, Ravi Shankars music made me cry
The Who exploded into fire and light
Hugh Masakela's music was black as night
The Grateful Dead blew everybodies mind
Jimi Hendrix baby,believe me, set the world on fire, yeah
His Majesty, Prince Jones, smiled as he moved among the crowd
Ten thousand electric guitars were grooving real loud, yeah

You want to find the truth in life
Don't pass music by
and you know I would not lie, no I would not lie,
No, I would not lie
Down in Monterey

Three days of understanding
of moving with one another
Even the cops grooved with us
Do you believe me, yeah?
Down in Monterey

I think that maybe I'm dreaming
Monterey
Down in Monterey
Did you hear what I said?”

© Vic Briggs/Eric Burdon/Barry Jenkins/Danny McCulloch/John Weider