The Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out of the Place”
The (Unofficial) Vietnam War Veterans’ National Anthem
2025 marked the 60th anniversary of the release of ‘The Animals’ version of a song that has become the unofficial Vietnam War Veterans’ anthem, and to many veterans who served in the war, the song hasn’t aged a day.
Hearing it stirs up strong memories and deep emotions, emotions unified through the hope the song brought to American troops who wanted nothing more than to get home safely.
-By Colin McGuire, The VVA Veteran, January/February 2026
“Think about the actual song – it’s all taken out of context…it’s about two lovers getting away from family. You don’t think about that. You associate it to a time in your life and remember all those guys you were with. It’s not so much about the song itself; it’s about what it brings back to you in your life experience.”
-Kimo Williams American composer, musician, professor, and Vietnam War Veteran