Familiar with BOTH versions of The Animals' We Gotta Got Out Of This Place: which one do you prefer?

Me I have grown with the US version. I've been familiar with it since 1966, when a sister of mine bought the "Best Of The Animals" compilation LP. It impressed me a lot then, even though I couldn't even understand the lyrics at all. Only heard the UK version for the first time in my life a couple of years ago, and found the American one so vastly superior... But then I'm biased, so it's better I check this with a poll!

...The emotion in Eric's voice in the first verse, the color of his voice - its "blackness" - and it builds up so fine, mad and raging to the chorus... That's the take mistakenly sent by EMI to the US all right...

We Gotta Get out of This Place - Wikipedia

 

I like the Partridge Family version best. They also rule Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.

 

Growing up with the US version, that's the one I like the best. The vocal on that version is more gritty. The vocal on the UK version seems kind of hesitant. But I do like the prominent drumming on the UK version after the "girl there's a better life for me and you" portions.

 

The UK version, no contest.

 

The US version, no contest.

 

You mean the "See My Daddy" version vs the "Watch My Daddy" version (to clarify things).

 

Burdon goes astray in the UK lyrics ("watch my daddy in bed a-dyin'"; and, "I've been working too").

I never heard the UK version played on US radio until much later. When CDs came along, Allen Klein mandated that only the UK version would be used, until the "Retrospective" CD was released in 2004.

But why would a group would object to their producer finding them Brill Building material like this, and "It's My Life", and "Don't Bring Me Down"?

 

This video was the first time I ever heard the song (and "Don't Being Me Down" and " It's My Life")

 

Definitely prefer the US version. Sounds much more confident. The UK sounds like a warm-up take - although it still proves they were one of the best bands out there.

 

If it was the original UK version I heard on Radio Veronica 192 the other night for the first time ever...
The UK version; the drooms are more prominent.

 

US, natch.

It was our high school anthem.

 

Better:

..."My little girl yo so young and pretty..." instead of just "My girl"... Sounds better!

...The deep vibrato when he first sings "ain't no-o-o-o use in tryin'..."

..."Girl, there's a better life..." with a pitch slide down to the "life" note, whereas on the UK version he sings the note straight each time instead...

 

Thanks for this thread. I never knew there was a US version different from the UK one which I have certainly heard hundreds of times. Listening to the US version today for the first time (and it is the first time as I would have reacted to the little differences), it sounds great and the slight differences are fascinating. The trouble is, you get used to a version and then it's difficult to react to another one except by referring to the little differences. Anyway, they both sound bloody marvellous.

 

Didn't even know there was a U.S version..
Ok checked out the U.S version...The UK version wins..

 

U.S. version, no contest.

 

The "Most of the Animals" UK (Music For Pleasure) comp was one of the first 2 or 3 rock albums I ever heard, as a child. Anyone know which version is on that LP?

 

U.K. version for me.

 

I far prefer the US version (similar situation to Gimme Some Lovin'), but Mann's original is TERRIBLE!

 

I vote for the U.S. version.

 

Yeah, but the UK version was the one that the artist originally intended™

The UK naysayers are just being nostalgic, and if properly educated they would admit they were wrong (i.e. Beatles US albums ).

 

I honestly never knew there were two different versions!

 

Y a pas de quoi!

Of course everyone here is welcome, but the inputs to this thread from other parts of the world where the "US version" is unknown, or little known, is perhaps what I'm more eager to read.

 

I don't give a damn...after you've been weaned on the US version, the UK sounds like the equivalent of rearranged furniture in a familiar house.


(I'm sure you could say the same if the shoe was on the other foot.)