“The House of the Rising Sun” is a traditional folk song, sometimes called “Rising Sun Blues”. It tells of a life gone wrong in New Orleans; many versions also urge a sibling to avoid the same fate. The most successful commercial version, recorded in 1964 by the British rock group the Animals, was a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart and also in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The song has been described as the “first folk-rock hit”
The song has been covered by a TON of artists including Doc Watson, The Ventures, Takeshi Terauchi, Bon Jovi, Toto, Santa Esmeralda, Gregory Isaacs, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Burdon, Alan Price, The White Stripes, Sinéad O’Connor, Tommy Emmanuel, Tracy Chapman, The Gaslight Anthem, The White Buffalo Haley Reinhart, Julian Thome, Demis Roussos, Manfred Krug, Sandi Thom, Miriam Makeba, Muse, Evereve, Sentenced, Wardance, Brand New Sin and many more. Lauren O’Connell released a version in 2012 which was used for the trailer of American Horror Story: Coven. Frijid Pink, Jodie Miller, Dolly Parton, Five Fever Death Punch and U2 alongside Green Day in Benefit of the victims of Hurricane Katrina all released their versions of the famed song as radio singles.
“The House Of The Rising Sun”
There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I’m oneMy mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin’ man
Down in New OrleansNow the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he’s satisfied
Is when he’s on a drunkOh mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising SunWell, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I’m goin’ back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chainWell, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I’m one
Lyrics from azlyrics.com