The House of the Rising Sun - wikipedia The House of the Rising Sun For other uses, see The House of the Rising Sun ( disambiguation ). `` 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 British rock group the Animals, was a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart and also in the United States and France. As a traditional folk song recorded by an electric rock band, it has been described as the `` first folk - rock hit ''. Contents 1 Origin and early versions 1.1 Origin 1.2 Early folk and blues releases 1.3 Van Ronk arrangement 2 The Animals ' version 2.1 Recording and releases 2.2 Reception 2.3 Charts 3 Frijid Pink version 3.1 Sales and certifications 4 Billboard Country Chart 4.1 Jody Miller version 4.2 Dolly Parton version 5 Five Finger Death Punch version 6 IRIS version 7 French version 8 Possible real locations 9 References 10 External links Origin and early versions Origin Like many classic folk ballads, `` The House of the Rising Sun '' is of uncertain authorship. Musicologists say that it is based on the tradition of broadside ballads, and thematically it has some resemblance to the 16th - century ballad The Unfortunate Rake. According to Alan Lomax, `` Rising Sun '' was used as the name of a bawdy house in two traditional English songs, and it was also a name for English pubs. He further suggested that the melody might be related to a 17th - century folk song, `` Lord Barnard and Little Musgrave '', also known as `` Matty Groves '', but a survey by Bertrand Bronson showed no clear relationship between the two songs. Lomax proposed that the location of the house was then relocated from England to New Orleans by white southern performers. However, Vance Randolph proposed an alternative French origin, the `` rising sun '' referring to the decorative use of the sunburst insignia dating to the time of Louis XIV, which was brought to North America by French immigrants. `` House of Rising Sun '' was said to have been known by miners in 1905. The oldest published version of the lyrics is that printed by Robert Winslow Gordon in 1925, in a column `` Old Songs That Men Have Sung '' in Adventure Magazine. The lyrics of that version begin : There is a house in New Orleans, it 's called the Rising Sun It 's been the ruin of many a poor girl Great God, and I for one The oldest known recording of the song, under the title `` Rising Sun Blues '', is by Appalachian artists Clarence `` Tom '' Ashley and Gwen Foster, who recorded it for Vocalion Records on September 6, 1933. Ashley said he had learned it from his grandfather, Enoch Ashley. Roy Acuff, an `` early - day friend and apprentice '' of Ashley 's, learned it from him and recorded it as `` Rising Sun '' on November 3, 1938. Several older blues recordings of songs with similar titles are unrelated, for example, `` Rising Sun Blues '' by Ivy Smith ( 1927 ) and `` The Risin ' Sun '' by Texas Alexander ( 1928 ). The song was among those collected by folklorist Alan Lomax, who, along with his father, was a curator of the Archive of American Folk Song for the Library of Congress. On an expedition with his wife to eastern Kentucky, Lomax set up his recording equipment in Middlesboro, Kentucky, in the house of singer and activist Tilman Cadle. In 1937 he recorded a performance by Georgia Turner, the 16 - year - old daughter of a local miner. He called it The Rising Sun Blues. Lomax later recorded a different version sung by Bert Martin and a third sung by Daw Henson, both eastern Kentucky singers. In his 1941 songbook Our Singing Country, Lomax credits the lyrics to Turner, with reference to Martin 's version. Early folk and Blues releases This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( November 2016 ) In 1941, Woody Guthrie recorded a version. A recording made in 1947 by Libby Holman and Josh White ( who is also credited with having written new words and music that have subsequently been popularized in the versions made by many other later artists ) was released by Mercury Records in 1950. White learned the song from a `` white hillbilly singer '', who might have been Ashley, in North Carolina in 1923 -- 1924. Lead Belly recorded two versions of the song, in February 1944 and in October 1948, called `` In New Orleans '' and `` The House of the Rising Sun '', respectively ; the latter was recorded in sessions that were later used on the album Lead Belly 's Last Sessions ( 1994, Smithsonian Folkways ). In 1957 Glenn Yarbrough recorded the song for Elektra Records. The song is also credited to Ronnie Gilbert on an album by The Weavers released in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Pete Seeger released a version on Folkways Records in 1958, which was re-released by Smithsonian Folkways in 2009. Andy Griffith recorded the song on his 1959 album Andy Griffith Shouts the Blues and Old Timey Songs. In 1960 Miriam Makeba recorded the song on her eponymous RCA album. Joan Baez recorded it in 1960 on her self - titled debut album ; she frequently performed the song in concert throughout her career. Nina Simone recorded her first version for the album Nina at the Village Gate in 1962. Tim Hardin sang it on This is Tim Hardin, recorded in 1964 but not released until 1967. The Chambers Brothers recorded a version on Feelin ' the Blues, released on Vault records ( 1970 ). Van Ronk arrangement In late 1961, Bob Dylan recorded the song for his debut album, released in March 1962. That release had no songwriting credit, but the liner notes indicate that Dylan learned this version of the song from Dave Van Ronk. In an interview for the documentary No Direction Home, Van Ronk said that he was intending to record the song and that Dylan copied his version. Van Ronk recorded it soon thereafter for the album Just Dave Van Ronk. I had learned it sometime in the 1950s, from a recording by Hally Wood, the Texas singer and collector, who had got it from an Alan Lomax field recording by a Kentucky woman named Georgia Turner. I put a different spin on it by altering the chords and using a bass line that descended in half steps -- a common enough progression in jazz, but unusual among folksingers. By the early 1960s, the song had become one of my signature pieces, and I could hardly get off the stage without doing it. The Animals ' version `` The House of the Rising Sun '' Single by The Animals from the album The Animals B - side `` Talkin ' ' bout You '' Released June 19, 1964 ( 1964 - 06 - 19 ) ( UK ) August 1964 ( USA ) Format 7 - inch single Recorded May 18, 1964 Genre Rock Length 2 : 59, 4 : 29 Label Columbia Graphophone Songwriter ( s ) Traditional, arranged by Alan Price Producer ( s ) Mickie Most The Animals singles chronology `` Baby Let Me Take You Home '' ( 1964 ) `` The House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1964 ) `` I 'm Crying '' ( 1964 ) `` Baby Let Me Take You Home '' ( 1964 ) `` House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1964 ) `` I 'm Crying '' ( 1964 ) An interview with Eric Burdon revealed that he first heard the song in a club in Newcastle, England, where it was sung by the Northumbrian folk singer Johnny Handle. The Animals were on tour with Chuck Berry and chose it because they wanted something distinctive to sing. The Animals ' version transposes the narrative of the song from the point of view of a woman led into a life of degradation to that of a man whose father was now a gambler and drunkard, rather than the sweetheart in earlier versions. The Animals had begun featuring their arrangement of `` House of the Rising Sun '' during a joint concert tour with Chuck Berry, using it as their closing number to differentiate themselves from acts that always closed with straight rockers. It got a tremendous reaction from the audience, convincing initially reluctant producer Mickie Most that it had hit potential, and between tour stops the group went to a small recording studio on Kingsway in London to capture it. Recording and releases The song was recorded in just one take on May 18, 1964, and it starts with a now - famous electric guitar A minor chord arpeggio by Hilton Valentine. According to Valentine, he simply took Dylan 's chord sequence and played it as an arpeggio. The performance takes off with Burdon 's lead vocal, which has been variously described as `` howling, '' `` soulful, '' and as ``... deep and gravelly as the north - east English coal town of Newcastle that spawned him. '' Finally, Alan Price 's pulsating organ part ( played on a Vox Continental ) completes the sound. Burdon later said, `` We were looking for a song that would grab people 's attention. '' As recorded, `` House of the Rising Sun '' ran four and a half minutes, regarded as far too long for a pop single at the time. Producer Most, who initially did not really want to record the song at all, said that on this occasion : `` Everything was in the right place... It only took 15 minutes to make so I ca n't take much credit for the production ''. He was nonetheless now a believer and declared it a single at its full length, saying `` We 're in a microgroove world now, we will release it. '' In the United States however, the original single ( MGM 13264 ) was a 2 : 58 version. The MGM Golden Circle reissue ( KGC 179 ) featured the unedited 4 : 29 version, although the record label gives the edited playing time of 2 : 58. The edited version was included on the group 's 1964 U.S. debut album The Animals, while the full version was later included on their best - selling 1966 U.S. greatest hits album, The Best of the Animals. However, the very first American release of the full - length version was on a 1965 album of various groups entitled Mickie Most Presents British Go - Go ( MGM SE - 4306 ), the cover of which, under the listing of `` House of the Rising Sun '', described it as the `` Original uncut version. '' Americans could also hear the complete version in the movie Go Go Mania in the spring of 1965. `` House of the Rising Sun '' was not included on any of the group 's British albums, but it was reissued as a single twice in subsequent decades, charting both times, reaching number 25 in 1972 and number 11 in 1982, using the famous Wittlesbach organ. The Animals version was played in 6 / 8 meter, unlike the 4 / 4 of most earlier versions. Arranging credit went only to Alan Price. According to Burdon, this was simply because there was insufficient room to name all five band members on the record label, and Alan Price 's first name was first alphabetically. However, this meant that only Price received songwriter 's royalties for the hit, a fact that has caused bitterness ever since, especially with Valentine. Reception `` House of the Rising Sun '' was a trans - Atlantic hit : after reaching the top of the UK pop singles chart in July 1964, it topped the U.S. pop singles chart two months later, on September 5, 1964, where it stayed for three weeks, and became the first British Invasion number one unconnected with the Beatles. It was the group 's breakthrough hit in both countries and became their signature song. The song was also a hit in a number of other countries, including Ireland, where it reached No. 10 and dropped off the charts one week later. Bob Dylan said he first heard The Animals ' version on his car radio and `` jumped out of his car seat '' because he liked it so much ; but he stopped playing the song after the Animals ' recording became a hit because fans accused him of plagiarism. Dave Van Ronk said that The Animals ' version -- like Dylan 's version before it -- was based on his arrangement of the song. Dave Marsh described the Animals ' take on `` The House of the Rising Sun '' as ``... the first folk - rock hit, '' sounding ``... as if they 'd connected the ancient tune to a live wire. '' Writer Ralph McLean of the BBC agreed that `` It was arguably the first folk rock tune, '' calling it `` a revolutionary single '', after which `` the face of modern music was changed forever. '' The Animals ' rendition of the song is recognized as one of the classics of British pop music. Writer Lester Bangs labeled it `` a brilliant rearrangement '' and `` a new standard rendition of an old standard composition. '' It ranked number 122 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of `` 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ''. It is also one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's `` 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll ''. The RIAA ranked it number 240 on their list of `` Songs of the Century ''. In 1999 it received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. It has long since become a staple of oldies and classic rock radio formats. A 2005 Channel Five poll ranked it as Britain 's fourth - favourite number one song. Charts Chart ( 1964 ) Peak position Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 5 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Germany ( Official German Charts ) 9 Ireland ( IRMA ) 10 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 5 New Zealand ( Listener ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 Chart ( 1972 ) Peak position Ireland ( IRMA ) 5 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 25 Chart ( 1982 ) Peak position UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 11 Preceded by `` Where Did Our Love Go '' by The Supremes Billboard Hot 100 number - one single September 5, 1964 -- September 19, 1964 Succeeded by `` Oh, Pretty Woman '' by Roy Orbison Preceded by `` It 's Over '' by Roy Orbison UK Singles Chart number - one single July 9, 1964 -- July 15, 1964 Succeeded by `` It 's All Over Now '' by The Rolling Stones Frijid Pink version `` House of the Rising Sun '' Single by Frijid Pink from the album Frijid Pink B - side `` Drivin ' Blues '' Released March 1970 ( 1970 - 03 ) Format 7 - inch single Genre Psychedelic rock Length 4 : 44 ( album ) 3 : 23 ( single ) Label Parrot Records Songwriter ( s ) Traditional, arranged by Alan Price Producer ( s ) Michael Valvano Frijid Pink singles chronology `` House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1970 ) `` Sing a Song for Freedom '' ( 1970 ) `` House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1970 ) `` Sing a Song for Freedom '' ( 1970 ) In 1969, the Detroit band Frijid Pink recorded a psychedelic version of `` House of the Rising Sun '', which became an international hit in 1970. Their version is in 4 / 4 time ( like Van Ronk 's and most earlier versions, rather than the 6 / 8 used by the Animals ) and was driven by Gary Ray Thompson 's distorted guitar with fuzz and wah - wah effects, set against the frenetic drumming of Richard Stevers. According to Stevers, the Frijid Pink recording of `` House of the Rising Sun '' was done impromptu when there was time left over at a recording session booked for the group at the Tera Shirma Recording Studios. Stevers later played snippets from that session 's tracks for Paul Cannon, the music director of Detroit 's premier rock radio station, WKNR ; the two knew each other, as Cannon was the father of Stevers 's girlfriend. Stevers recalled, `` we went through the whole thing and ( and Cannon ) did n't say much. Then ' House ( of the Rising Sun ) ' started up and I immediately turned it off because it was n't anything I really wanted him to hear. '' However, Cannon was intrigued and had Stevers play the complete track for him, then advising Stevers, `` Tell Parrot ( Frijid Pink 's label ) to drop God Gave Me You ( the group 's current single ) and go with this one. '' Frijid Pink 's `` House of the Rising Sun '' debuted at # 29 on the WKNR hit parade dated January 6, 1970 and broke nationally after some seven weeks -- during which the track was re-serviced to radio three times -- with a number 73 debut on the Hot 100 in Billboard dated February 27, 1970 ( number 97 Canada 1970 / 01 / 31 ) with a subsequent three - week ascent to the Top 30 en route to a Hot 100 peak of number 7 on April 4, 1970. The certification of the Frijid Pink single `` House of the Rising Sun '' as a gold record for domestic sales of one million units was reported in the issue of Billboard dated May 30, 1970. The Frijid Pink single of `` House of the Rising Sun '' would give the song its most widespread international success, with Top Ten status reached in Austria ( number 3 ), Belgium ( Flemish region, number 6 ), Canada ( number 3 ), Denmark ( number 3 ), Germany ( two weeks at number 1 ), Greece, Ireland ( number 7 ), Israel ( number 4 ), the Netherlands ( number 3 ), Norway ( seven weeks at number 1 ), Poland ( number 2 ), Sweden ( number 6 ), Switzerland ( number 2 ), and the UK ( number 4 ). The single also charted in Australia ( number 14 ), France ( number 36 ), and Italy ( number 54 ). Sales and certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) Gold 1,000,000 Billboard country chart `` The House of the Rising Sun '' Single by Dolly Parton from the album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs B - side `` Workin ' Girl '' Released September 1981 ( 1981 - 09 ) Format 7 - inch single Recorded November 1980 Genre Country pop Length 4 : 02 Label RCA Songwriter ( s ) Traditional Producer ( s ) Mike Post Dolly Parton singles chronology `` But You Know I Love You '' ( 1981 ) `` The House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1981 ) `` Single Women '' ( 1982 ) `` But You Know I Love You '' ( 1981 ) `` House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1981 ) `` Single Women '' ( 1982 ) The song has twice been a hit record on Billboard 's country chart. Jody Miller version In 1973, Jody Miller 's version reached number 29 on the country charts and number 41 on the adult contemporary chart. Dolly Parton version In September 1981, Dolly Parton released a cover of the song as the third single from her album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs. Like Miller 's earlier country hit, Parton 's remake returns the song to its original lyric of being about a fallen woman. The Parton version makes it quite blunt, with a few new lyric lines that were written by Parton. Parton 's remake reached number 14 on the U.S. country singles chart and crossed over to the pop charts, where it reached number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 ; it also reached number 30 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Parton has occasionally performed the song live, perhaps most notably on her 1987 -- 88 television show, in an episode taped live in New Orleans. Five Finger Death Punch version `` House of the Rising Sun '' Single by Five Finger Death Punch from the album The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2 Released February 3, 2014 ( 2014 - 02 - 03 ) Recorded November 2013 Genre Hard rock Length 4 : 07 Label Prospect Park Songwriter ( s ) Traditional Five Finger Death Punch singles chronology `` Battle Born '' ( 2013 ) `` House of the Rising Sun '' ( 2014 ) `` Mama Said Knock You Out '' ( 2014 ) `` Battle Born '' ( 2013 ) `` House of the Rising Sun '' ( 2014 ) `` Mama Said Knock You Out '' ( 2014 ) The American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch released a cover of `` House of the Rising Sun '' on their fifth studio album, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2, which was later released as the album 's second single and the band 's third single of the Wrong Side era. The references to New Orleans have been changed to Sin City, a reference to the negative effects of gambling in Las Vegas. The song was a top ten hit on mainstream rock radio in the United States. IRIS version `` Oh Mãe ! ! '' Single by IRIS ( pt ) from the album Vão Dar Banhó Cão Released 1995 ( 1995 ) Recorded 1995 Genre Rock Length 2 : 57 Label Vidisco Songwriter ( s ) Traditional The Portuguese band IRIS released a cover of `` House of the Rising Sun '' named `` Oh Mãe ! ! '' on their first studio album, Vão Dar Banhó Cão, which was later released as the band 's first single. The lyrics where completely changed with the accent from Algarve ( which is on the south of Portugal ) and the sound is much heavier. This song became a huge national success. French version In French, Johnny Hallyday 's version Le pénitencier, released in October 1964, made it to the French Billboard Top 10, and he performed the song in his 2014 USA tour. Possible real locations Various places in New Orleans have been proposed as the inspiration for the song, with varying plausibility. The phrase `` House of the Rising Sun '' is often understood as a euphemism for a brothel, but it is not known whether or not the house described in the lyrics was an actual or a fictitious place. One theory is that the song is about a woman who killed her father, an alcoholic gambler who had beaten his wife. Therefore, the House of the Rising Sun may be a jailhouse, from which one would be the first person to see the sun rise ( an idea supported by the lyric mentioning `` a ball and chain, '' though that phrase has been slang for marital relationships for at least as long as the song has been in print ). Because women often sang the song, another theory is that the House of the Rising Sun was where prostitutes were detained while treated for syphilis. Since cures with mercury were ineffective, going back was very unlikely. 1867 ad noting the `` Rising Sun Coffee House '' building for rent or lease Only three candidates that use the name Rising Sun have historical evidence -- from old city directories and newspapers. The first was a small, short - lived hotel on Conti Street in the French Quarter in the 1820s. It burned down in 1822. An excavation and document search in early 2005 found evidence that supported this claim, including an advertisement with language that may have euphemistically indicated prostitution. Archaeologists found an unusually large number of pots of rouge and cosmetics at the site. The second possibility was a `` Rising Sun Hall '' listed in late 19th - century city directories on what is now Cherokee Street, at the riverfront in the uptown Carrollton neighborhood, which seems to have been a building owned and used for meetings of a Social Aid and Pleasure Club, commonly rented out for dances and functions. It also is no longer extant. Definite links to gambling or prostitution ( if any ) are undocumented for either of these buildings. A third was `` The Rising Sun '', which advertised in several local newspapers in the 1860s, located on what is now the lake side of the 100 block of Decatur Street. In various advertisements it is described as a `` Restaurant, '' a `` Lager Beer Salon, '' and a `` Coffee House. '' At the time, New Orleans businesses listed as coffee houses often also sold alcoholic beverages. Dave Van Ronk claimed in his biography `` The Mayor of MacDougal Street '' that at one time when he was in New Orleans someone approached him with a number of old photos of the city from the turn of the century. Among them `` was a picture of a forbidding stone doorway with a carving on the lintel of a stylized rising sun... It was the Orleans Parish women 's prison. '' Bizarre New Orleans, a guidebook on New Orleans, asserts that the real house was at 1614 Esplanade Avenue between 1862 and 1874 and was said to have been named after its madam, Marianne LeSoleil Levant, whose surname means `` the rising sun '' in French. Another guidebook, Offbeat New Orleans, asserts that the real House of the Rising Sun was at 826 -- 830 St. Louis St. between 1862 and 1874, also purportedly named for Marianne LeSoleil Levant. The building still stands, and Eric Burdon, after visiting at the behest of the owner, said, `` The house was talking to me. '' There is a contemporary B&B called the House of the Rising Sun, decorated in brothel style. The owners are fans of the song, but there is no connection with the original place. Not everyone believes that the house actually existed. Pamela D. Arceneaux, a research librarian at the Williams Research Center in New Orleans, is quoted as saying : I have made a study of the history of prostitution in New Orleans and have often confronted the perennial question, `` Where is the House of the Rising Sun ? '' without finding a satisfactory answer. Although it is generally assumed that the singer is referring to a brothel, there is actually nothing in the lyrics that indicate that the `` house '' is a brothel. Many knowledgeable persons have conjectured that a better case can be made for either a gambling hall or a prison ; however, to paraphrase Freud : sometimes lyrics are just lyrics. References Notes ^ Jump up to : York, Barry ( July 9, 2004 ). `` House of worship ''. The Age. Retrieved January 12, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Dave Marsh, The Heart of Rock & Soul : The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, NAL, 1989. Entry # 91. ^ Jump up to : McLean, Ralph. `` Stories Behind the Song : ' House of the Rising Sun ' ''. BBC. BBC. Archived from the original on September 8, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2007. Jump up ^ Anthony, Ted ( 2007 ). Chasing the Rising Sun : The Journey of an American Song. Simon & Schuster. p. 21. ISBN 9781416539308. Retrieved February 23, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Sullivan, Steve ( 2013 ). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 2. Scarecrow Press. pp. 97 -- 98. ISBN 9780810882966. Retrieved February 23, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Matteson, Jr., Richard L., Richard Matteson. Bluegrass Picker 's Tune Book. Mel Bay Music. p. 111. ISBN 9781609745523. Retrieved February 23, 2016. CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter ( link ) ^ Jump up to : `` House of the Rising Sun - the History and the Song ''. BBC h2g2. July 28, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2009. ^ Jump up to : Harvey, Todd ( 2001 ). The Formative Dylan : Transmission and Stylistic Influences 1961 - 1963. Scarecrow Press. pp. 48 -- 50. ISBN 978 - 0810841154. ^ Jump up to : Steve Sullivan, Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 1, Scarecrow Press ( 2013 ) ISBN 0810882965, 9780810882966, p. 98. Jump up ^ The same opening lyrics are in the first recorded version in 1933 : Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle, `` House of the Rising Sun, The, '' The Traditional Ballad Index, 4.0, Fresno State University, ( 2016 ) ( accessed October 19, 2016 ) ^ Jump up to : `` Pete Seeger - American Favorite Ballads '' ( PDF ). Volume 2 ( pages 11 -- 12 ). Smithsonian Folkways. 2009. pp. 27 -- 28. Retrieved December 4, 2011. Jump up ^ Unterberger, Richie. `` This is Tim Hardin ''. Allmusic. Retrieved February 6, 2017. Jump up ^ The Mayor of MacDougal Street, ISBN 978 - 0 - 306 - 81479 - 2, p. 115 ^ Jump up to : BBC Radio 4 program January 18, 2008 ^ Jump up to : Eric Burdon, I Used to Be an Animal, but I 'm All Right Now, Faber and Faber, 1986, pp. 60 - 62. ^ Jump up to : Ray Marshall, `` The rise of supergroup '', Newcastle Evening Chronicle, August 17, 2005. Accessed May 5, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Anthony, Ted ( 2007 ). Chasing the Rising Sun : The Journey of an American Song. Simon & Schuster. p. 146. ISBN 9781416539308. Retrieved February 23, 2016. Jump up ^ Gina Vivinetto, `` More animal magnetism '', St. Petersburg Times, January 15, 2004. Accessed May 4, 2007. Jump up ^ `` '' House of the Rising Sun `` ''. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2007. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ), Rolling Stone, posted December 9, 2004. Accessed May 4, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Jon Kutner, Spencer Leigh, 1000 UK Number One Hits, Omnibus Press, 2005. Jump up ^ Sullivan, S. ( 2013 ), Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Volume 2, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 978 - 0810882959, p. 99. Jump up ^ Anthony, Ted ( 2007 ). Chasing the Rising Sun : The Journey of an American Song. Simon & Schuster. p. 149. ISBN 9781416539308. Retrieved February 23, 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Animals '', Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1994. Accessed May 4, 2007. Jump up ^ Muze article, `` Best Of The Animals ( Abkco ) '', Tower Records. Accessed May 4, 2007. Jump up ^ Dave Van Ronk : The Mayor of MacDougal Street. Then, sometime in 1968, Eric Burdon and the Animals made a number - one chart hit out of the damn thing. Same arrangement. I would have loved to sue for royalties, but I found that it is impossible to defend the copyright on an arrangement. Jump up ^ Lester Bangs, The British Invasion, in The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll, 1980, p. 176. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- The Animals -- The House of the Rising Sun '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 4715. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- The Animals -- The House of the Rising Sun ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. ^ Jump up to : `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- The House of the Rising Sun ''. Irish Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- The Animals -- The House of the Rising Sun '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ Hung, Steffen. `` charts.org.nz - Forum - 1964 Chart ( General ) ''. charts.org.nz. Retrieved December 30, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Animals : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` The Animals -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot 100 for The Animals. Jump up ^ Frijid Pink entry, Allmusic. Accessed May 19, 2007. Jump up ^ David A. Carson. Grit, Noise, and Revolution : The Birth of Detroit Rock ' n ' Roll The University of Michigan Press ( 2009 reprint ) p. 239 Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Frijid Pink -- House of the Rising Sun ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ Le Pénitencier -- Wikipédia Jump up ^ `` Unknown title ''. New Orleans Net ( NOLA ). Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009. Jump up ^ New Digs For Old Things, June 26, 2007, New Orleans Net ( NOLA ), retrieved December 11, 2011. Jump up ^ `` LEJ 's Blog ''. Jump up ^ Van Ronk, Dave and Wald, Elijah, `` The Mayor of MacDougal Street '' 2005, Da Capo Press, ISBN 978 - 0 - 306 - 82216 - 2 ^ Jump up to : `` In Search of the House of the Rising Sun ''. ABC News. Retrieved February 23, 2016. Jump up ^ B&B site, more theories External links Songfacts `` House Of The Rising Sun '' entry The sheet music The REAL Meaning Behind The Song `` House Of The Rising Sun Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Bob Dylan ( album ) Side one `` You 're No Good '' `` Talkin ' New York '' `` In My Time of Dyin ' '' `` Man of Constant Sorrow '' `` Fixin ' to Die '' `` Pretty Peggy - O '' `` Highway 51 '' Side two `` Gospel Plow '' `` Baby, Let Me Follow You Down '' `` House of the Risin ' Sun '' `` Freight Train Blues '' `` Song to Woody '' `` See That My Grave Is Kept Clean '' The Animals The ( Original ) Animals ( 1962 -- 1966, 1977, 1983 ) : Eric Burdon Chas Chandler Mick Gallagher Barry Jenkins Alan Price Dave Rowberry John Steel Hilton Valentine Eric Burdon & The ( New ) Animals ( 1966 -- 1969 ) : Vic Briggs Eric Burdon Barry Jenkins Danny McCulloch Zoot Money Andy Summers John Weider Studio albums The Animals ( 1962 -- 1966 ) ( UK ) The Animals Animal Tracks Animalisms ( US ) The Animals The Animals on Tour Animal Tracks Animalization Animalism Eric Burdon and the Animals Eric Is Here ( US only ) Winds of Change The Twain Shall Meet Every One of Us ( US only ) Love Is The Animals ( 1977, 1983 ) Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted Ark Compilations The Best of The Animals ( 1966 ) The Greatest Hits of Eric Burdon and The Animals The Most of Animals The Best of The Animals ( 1988 ) The Best of The Animals ( 1997 ) Absolute Animals 1964 -- 1968 Hit singles `` Baby Let Me Take You Home '' `` The House of the Rising Sun '' `` I 'm Crying '' `` Do n't Let Me Be Misunderstood '' `` Bring It On Home to Me '' `` We Gotta Get out of This Place '' `` It 's My Life '' `` Inside - Looking Out '' `` Do n't Bring Me Down '' `` See See Rider '' `` Help Me Girl '' `` When I Was Young '' `` Good Times '' `` San Franciscan Nights '' `` Monterey '' `` Sky Pilot '' `` The Night '' Related articles The Animals discography Eric Burdon discography Book Category Sandi Thom Albums Smile... It Confuses People The Pink & the Lily Merchants and Thieves Singles `` I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker ( With Flowers in My Hair ) '' `` What If I 'm Right '' `` Lonely Girl '' `` The Devil 's Beat '' `` Saturday Night '' `` This Ol ' World '' `` Gold Dust '' `` House of the Rising Sun '' `` Maggie McCall '' Related articles Discography RCA Records Dolly Parton Albums Singles Studio albums Hello, I 'm Dolly ( 1967 ) Just Because I 'm a Woman ( 1968 ) In the Good Old Days ( When Times Were Bad ) ( 1969 ) My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy ( 1969 ) The Fairest of Them All ( 1970 ) The Golden Streets of Glory ( 1971 ) Joshua ( 1971 ) Coat of Many Colors ( 1971 ) Touch Your Woman ( 1972 ) My Favorite Songwriter, Porter Wagoner ( 1972 ) My Tennessee Mountain Home ( 1973 ) Bubbling Over ( 1973 ) Jolene ( 1974 ) Love Is Like a Butterfly ( 1974 ) The Bargain Store ( 1975 ) Dolly ( 1975 ) All I Can Do ( 1976 ) New Harvest... First Gathering ( 1977 ) Here You Come Again ( 1977 ) Heartbreaker ( 1978 ) Great Balls of Fire ( 1979 ) Dolly, Dolly, Dolly ( 1980 ) 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs ( 1980 ) Heartbreak Express ( 1982 ) Burlap & Satin ( 1983 ) The Great Pretender ( 1984 ) Real Love ( 1985 ) Rainbow ( 1987 ) White Limozeen ( 1989 ) Eagle When She Flies ( 1991 ) Slow Dancing with the Moon ( 1993 ) Something Special ( 1995 ) Treasures ( 1996 ) Hungry Again ( 1998 ) The Grass Is Blue ( 1999 ) Little Sparrow ( 2001 ) Halos & Horns ( 2002 ) For God and Country ( 2003 ) Those Were The Days ( 2005 ) Backwoods Barbie ( 2008 ) Better Day ( 2011 ) Blue Smoke ( 2014 ) Pure & Simple ( 2016 ) Compilations As Long as I Love ( 1970 ) The Best of Dolly Parton ( 1970 ) Just the Way I Am ( 1972 ) Mine ( 1973 ) Best of Dolly Parton ( 1975 ) Dolly Parton 's Greatest Hits ( 1982 ) Collector 's Series ( 1985 ) Think About Love ( 1986 ) The Best There Is ( 1987 ) Best of Dolly Parton, Vol. 3 ( 1987 ) I Will Always Love You and Other Greatest Hits ( 1996 ) Ultimate Dolly Parton ( 2003 ) Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer ( 2006 ) The Very Best of Dolly Parton ( 2007 ) 16 Biggest Hits ( 2007 ) Playlist : The Very Best of Dolly Parton ( 2008 ) Dolly ( 2009 ) Exclusives Precious Memories ( 1999 ) Sha - Kon - O - Hey ! Land of Blue Smoke ( 2009 ) Collaborations Just Between You And Me Just the Two of Us Always, Always Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca Once More Two of a Kind The Right Combination Burning the Midnight Oil Together Always We Found It Love & Music Porter ' n ' Dolly Say Forever You 'll Be Mine Porter & Dolly The Winning Hand Trio Honky Tonk Angels Trio II Songs `` Dumb Blonde '' `` Mule Skinner Blues '' `` Joshua '' `` Coat of Many Colors '' `` Touch Your Woman '' `` My Tennessee Mountain Home '' `` Jolene '' `` I Will Always Love You '' `` Love is Like a Butterfly `` The Bargain Store '' `` The Seeker '' `` We Used To '' `` All I Can Do '' `` Light of a Clear Blue Morning '' `` Here You Come Again '' `` Two Doors Down '' / `` It 's All Wrong, But It 's All Right '' `` Heartbreaker '' `` Baby I 'm Burning '' `` You 're The Only One '' `` Sweet Summer Lovin ' '' `` Starting Over Again '' `` Old Flames Ca n't Hold a Candle to You '' `` 9 to 5 '' `` But You Know I Love You '' `` The House of the Rising Sun '' `` Single Women '' `` Heartbreak Express '' `` Hard Candy Christmas '' `` Potential New Boyfriend '' `` Save the Last Dance for Me '' `` Tennessee Homesick Blues '' `` Do n't Call It Love '' `` Real Love '' ( w / Kenny Rogers ) `` Think About Love '' `` Tie Our Love ( In a Double Knot ) '' `` We Had It All '' `` The River Unbroken '' `` Why 'd You Come in Here Lookin ' Like That '' `` Yellow Roses '' `` White Limozeen '' `` Rockin ' Years '' `` Silver and Gold '' `` Eagle When She Flies '' `` Romeo '' `` Little Sparrow '' `` Better Get to Livin ' '' `` Together You and I '' Collaboration singles `` The Last Thing on My Mind '' `` Please Do n't Stop Loving Me '' `` Say Forever You 'll Be Mine '' `` To Know Him Is to Love Him '' `` Telling Me Lies '' `` Those Memories of You '' `` Wildflowers '' Guest singles `` Islands in the Stream '' ( w / Kenny Rogers ) `` Love Is Strange '' ( w / Kenny Rogers ) `` When I Get Where I 'm Going '' ( w / Brad Paisley ) Soundtracks The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Rhinestone Straight Talk Live albums A Real Live Dolly Heartsongs : Live from Home Live and Well Live from London An Evening With... Dolly Live ! Christmas albums Once Upon a Christmas ( w / Kenny Rogers ) Home for Christmas Children 's albums I Believe in You Films Hollywood to Dollywood The Book Lady For the Love of Dolly Dolly Parton 's Coat of Many Colors Dolly Parton 's Christmas of Many Colors : Circle of Love Tours Halos & Horns Tour Hello, I 'm Dolly Tour The Vintage Tour An Evening with Dolly Parton Backwoods Barbie Tour Better Day World Tour Blue Smoke World Tour Pure & Simple Tour Theme parks and attractions Dollywood Dollywood 's Splash Country Dolly Parton 's Dixie Stampede Related articles Awards and nominations Stella Parton Rachel Dennison Dollywood Foundation Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton discography Just Because I 'm a Woman : Songs of Dolly Parton Book Category Five Finger Death Punch Zoltan Bathory Jason Hook Chris Kael Ivan Moody Jeremy Spencer Caleb Bingham Darrell Roberts Matt Snell Studio albums The Way of the Fist War Is the Answer American Capitalist The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Volume 1 Volume 2 Got Your Six Extended plays Pre-Emptive Strike Singles `` The Bleeding '' `` Never Enough '' `` Stranger than Fiction '' `` Hard to See '' `` Walk Away '' `` Dying Breed '' `` No One Gets Left Behind '' `` Bad Company '' `` Far from Home '' `` Under and Over It '' `` Back for More '' `` Remember Everything '' `` Coming Down '' `` The Pride '' `` Lift Me Up '' `` Battle Born '' `` House of the Rising Sun '' `` Wrong Side of Heaven '' `` Jekyll and Hyde '' `` Wash It All Away '' `` My Nemesis '' Related articles Discography Invidia Miriam Makeba Studio albums The Many Voices of Miriam Makeba ( 1960 ) Miriam Makeba ( 1960 ) The World of Miriam Makeba ( 1963 ) The Voice of Africa ( 1964 ) Makeba Sings ! ( 1965 ) An Evening with Belafonte / Makeba ( 1965 ) The Magic of Makeba ( 1965 ) The Magnificent Miriam Makeba ( 1966 ) All About Miriam ( 1966 ) Pata Pata ( 1967 ) Makeba ! ( 1968 ) Keep Me in Mind ( 1970 ) A Promise ( 1974 ) Miriam Makeba & Bongi ( 1975 ) Country Girl ( 1978 ) Comme une symphonie d'amour ( 1979 ) Sangoma ( 1988 ) Welela ( 1989 ) Eyes on Tomorrow ( 1991 ) Sing Me a Song ( 1994 ) Homeland ( 2000 ) Reflections ( 2004 ) Compilations Harry Belafonte and Miriam Makeba ( 1975 ) The Queen of African Music ( 1987 ) Africa ( 1991 ) Singles `` The House of the Rising Sun '' ( 1960 ) `` The Click Song '' / `` The Lion Sleeps Tonight '' ( 1963 ) `` Malaika '' / `` Malcolm X '' ( 1965 ) `` Pata Pata '' ( 1967 ) `` Mas que Nada '' ( 1967 ) `` I Shall Be Released '' / `` Iphi Ndilela ( Show Me the Way ) '' ( 1969 ) `` Soweto Blues '' ( 1988 ) `` Brand New Day '' `` Chauffeur Blues '' `` Nkosi Sikelel ' iAfrika '' People Bongi Makeba ( daughter ) Hugh Masekela ( 3rd husband ) Stokely Carmichael ( 4th husband ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_House_of_the_Rising_Sun&oldid=806761465 '' Categories : American folk songs Music of New Orleans Songs about New Orleans Year of song unknown 1964 singles 1970 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles UK Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Germany Number - one singles in Norway The Animals songs Alan Price songs Bob Dylan songs Lead Belly songs Joan Baez songs Song recordings produced by Mickie Most Miriam Makeba songs Nina Simone songs Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Dolly Parton songs Jody Miller songs Alt - J songs Demis Roussos songs Deram Records singles Folk songs RPM Top Singles number - one singles Columbia Graphophone Company singles RCA Records Nashville singles Mercury Records singles Parrot Records singles MGM Records singles Five Finger Death Punch songs Songs about prostitutes Songwriter unknown Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Use mdy dates from October 2017 Articles needing additional references from November 2016 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017 Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Certification Table Entry usages for United States Interlanguage link template link number Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Čeština Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Euskara Français 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Lumbaart Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Română Русский Sicilianu Slovenčina Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 24 October 2017, at 00 : 16. 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Question: meaning of the house of the rising sun lyrics
Answer: a life gone wrong in New Orleans