River Deep, Mountain High ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS

For the double album LOVE IS, Eric Burdon and the New Animals opened with a cosmic go at a mysterious two-year-old classic.

The stories around the original Phil Spector production of “River Deep, Mountain High” are true horror show.

Take after take in serious LA Gold Star studio heat. No air conditioning. Phil swore he could hear it in his porcelain bowl size headphones. Tina tossed her shirt and sang a few hundred takes in her bra. Wrecking Crew wrecked. Confusion, clashing personalities (especially Phil and Ike Turner), and Dennis Hopper snapping pictures.

For Eric Burdon’s version, also recorded in LA, he decided it was all about Tina Turner.

Enjoy. It’s a long song, plenty of time to subscribe to the Old School You Tube Channel.

River Deep, Mountain High
When you were a young girl
Did you have a rag doll
The only doll you ever owned
Well you can treat me
The way you used to treat that rag doll
But hurry up cause I'm gettin' old
And I get older baby, day by day
And it gets stronger baby, let me say
And it goes deeper baby,
Than you'll ever know
Stand back baby, and watch my love grow
And do I love you, my oh my
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Bet your life, baby
When you were a young girl
Did you have a puppy
That always followed you around
Well you can treat me
The way you used to treat that puppy, baby
I swear I'll never put you down, no I won't
And I get thankful baby, in every way
And it gets less painful baby, let me say
And I'm gonna love you every night and day
Look out baby, my love way is comin' your way
Yes it is
And do I love you my oh my
River deep, mountain high
And if I lost you would I cry
Bet your life, baby
I love you baby like a flower needs the spring
I love you baby like Aretha Franklin needs to sing
And I love you baby like a schoolboy loves his pie
I love you baby, river deep, mountain high
Well take it higher, higher

By Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich

Trivia: The “New Animals” featured Andy Summers, late of Soft Machine and nine years before he joined The Police.