We Gotta Get Out of This Place

Who it's for

Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and turned into a gritty working-class anthem by Eric Burdon, it's about a young couple determined to escape a hard, dead-end place.

Feelings it meets

• Feeling Stuck
• Coming of Age
• Class

What it is

"We Gotta Get Out of This Place" is a 1965 single by the English band the Animals, written by American songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and produced by Mickie Most. The song is about feeling trapped in a harsh city environment and longing to escape, and the Animals' reworded version became closely tied to the band's working-class roots in Newcastle.

Where to find it

All major streaming services.

Before you start

Age: All ages

However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names.Henry David Thoreau, Walden, “Conclusion”