The House Of The Rising Sun
B.B. King and Mary Travers Lyrics

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There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
It has been the ruin of many a poor girl
And me, oh, God, I'm one

If I had listened to what my mother said,
I`d have been at home today,
But I was young and foolish, oh, God

Let a rambler lead me astray

Go tell my baby sisters
Don't do what I have done
To shun that house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun

And going back to New Orleans
My race is almost run

I'm going back to spend my life
Beneath the rising sun

Overall Meaning

The song "House of the Rising Sun" tells the story of a young woman who has fallen into a life of prostitution at a notorious brothel in New Orleans. The house is known as the Rising Sun, and it has caused the ruin of many girls before her, including the singer herself. She expresses regret for not heeding her mother's advice to stay away from the house, but instead followed a "rambler" who led her astray. The singer warns her younger sisters to avoid the same mistakes she made and steer clear of the Rising Sun.

The last stanza of the song suggests that the singer's life is coming to an end, and she plans to return to New Orleans to spend her remaining days there. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for death and the afterlife - going back to the place of one's downfall to face the consequences of one's actions.

Line by Line Meaning

There is a house in New Orleans
In New Orleans, there exists a house

They call the Rising Sun
This house is referred to as the Rising Sun

It has been the ruin of many a poor girl
This house has caused the downfall of numerous girls who were unfortunate and destitute

And me, oh, God, I'm one
I too have been one such girl who has suffered because of this house

If I had listened to what my mother said,
Had I heeded my mother's advice,

I'd have been at home today,
I would have been safe at home today,

But I was young and foolish, oh, God
But, being naive and imprudent, oh God

Let a rambler lead me astray
I allowed a wanderer to mislead me

Go tell my baby sisters
Please inform my younger sisters

Don't do what I have done
Not to repeat the mistake I committed

To shun that house in New Orleans
To avoid that house in New Orleans