House of the rising sun
Eric Burdon's i Band Lyrics

There is a house in New Orleans
In New Orleans, there is a certain house that people refer to as the Rising Sun.

They call the Rising Sun
The house is nicknamed the Rising Sun.

And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
This house has caused the downfall of many young men.

And God I know I'm one
The singer is admitting that he is one such poor boy who has been ruined by this house.

My mother was a tailor
The singer's mother was a skilled dressmaker who sewed clothing.

She sewed my new bluejeans
She made him a new pair of blue jeans.

My father was a gamblin' man
The singer's father was a gambler who enjoyed taking risks with his money.

Down in New Orleans
He used to gamble in New Orleans.

Now the only thing a gambler needs
The only item a gambler truly requires to survive is a suitcase and trunk.

Is a suitcase and trunk
These two items are all a gambler really needs to get by.

And the only time he's satisfied
The only moment when a gambler is truly content is when he's drinking alcohol excessively.

Is when he's on a drunk
This is the only time a gambler reaches a state of satisfaction.

Oh mother tell your children
The singer is urging mothers to warn their kids.

Not to do what I have done
He is warning them not to make the same mistakes he has made in his life.

Spend your lives in sin and misery
He warns that the house called the Rising Sun will only lead them to a life of pain and suffering.

In the House of the Rising Sun
The Rising Sun is the very house that will cause them to suffer.

Well, I got one foot on the platform
The singer is preparing to make a journey somewhere.

The other foot on the train
His other foot is currently boarding a train to leave this place behind.

I'm goin' back to New Orleans
He is returning to New Orleans after some time away.

To wear that ball and chain
The singer is anticipating returning to his old and burdensome ways in New Orleans.

And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
The house called the Rising Sun has destroyed many boys who were already living in poverty.

And God I know I'm one
The singer includes himself among those boys who were ruined by the house called the Rising Sun.