The Animals - It's My Life

It's a hard world to get a break in
All the good things have been taken
But girl there are ways
To make certain things pay
Though I'm dressed in these rags
I'll wear sable
Someday
Hear what I say
I'm gonna write this sermon
No more time spent
Sweatin' rent
Hear my command
I'm breakin' loose
It ain't no use
Holdin' me down
Stick around

But baby, but baby
Remember, remember
It's my life and I'll do what I want
It's my mind and I'll think what I want
Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime
But some day, I'll treat you real fine

There'll be women and their fortunes
Who just want to mother orphans
Are you gonna cry
When I'm squeezing them dry?
Taking all I can get
No regrets
When I
Openly lie (ha)
And live on their money
Believe me honey
That money
Can you believe?
I ain't no Saint
No complaints
So girl throw out
Any doubt

And baby, and baby
Remember, remember
It's my life and I'll do what I want
It's my mind and I'll think what I want
Show me I'm wrong, hurt me sometime
But some day, I'll treat you real fine

It's my life and I'll do what I want
Don't push me
It's my mind and I'll think what I want
It's my life
It's my life and I'll do what I want
And I can do what I want
It's my mind and I'll think what I want
You can't tell me
It's my life and I'll do what I want
****************************************
It's My Life by The Animals
Album: The Best Of The Animals Released: 1965Animals lead singer Eric Burden sings about how he's going to go from "Rags to Sable," meaning he'll do what it takes to make it.

This was written by Carl D'Errico (music), and Roger Atkins (lyrics). The duo were at the time working for Screen Gems Music, part of the the New York City music scene that included the Brill Building. "We've Gotta Get Out of This Place" (Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil) and "Don't Bring Me Down" (Gerry Goffin and Carole King) were also hits for the Animals, which originated from the Brill Building songwriting scene.

Carl D'Errico: "'It's My Life" came about when Mickie Most, the producer of The Animals, said he was looking for songs for the group. The writers got busy writing and then handed in their acetates and there was a tall stack of them waiting for Mickie when he came in from London. Three of the songs in that stack were "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," "Don't Bring Me Down" and "It's My Life." Actually, the melody for "It's My Life" was the second one that I wrote for it. When I played the first one for Emil, he said that it didn't have enough punch and it was the wrong groove, so I rewrote it. After the rewrite everyone knew it was a hit. Some of the writers would play their songs for one another to get feedback - we used these small rooms with pianos in them, so people would hop around and check out what was happening next door."

The Animals recorded this when they were touring America in 1965.

Burden recorded a new version of this as a solo artist in 1974.

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1176