This somewhat autobiographical song tells about Burdon's father, who was a soldier during tough times, as well as young Eric's adventures - including his first cigarette at 10, to his meeting his first love at 13. The final verse shows his disillusionment with society:
"My faith was so much stronger then,
I believed in fellow men,
And I was so much older then.
When I was Young".
This song is noted for its Indian riff, played by an electric guitar and a violin. It is also distinctive for its introduction, which featured a heavily distorted guitar's whammy bar descent from E to D. The song begins in E Minor and ends in G Minor.
The group recorded "When I Was Young" in December 1966 at Barnes studio in London, with Tom Wilson in the producer's seat. It was the first song recorded by the new band although earlier sessions in September 1966 using studio musicians would be released as an album in March 1967 called Eric Is Here and credited to Eric Burdon & . The B-side "A Girl Named Sandoz" would be recorded in early February 1967 in New York City, and is named after the Swiss drug company that invented and manufactured LSD. "When I Was Young" was first premiered on The Mike Douglas Show on February 21, with the band miming to the song and "See See Rider".
