The House Of The Rising Sun
Maria Daines Lyrics


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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

My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin′ man
Down in New Orleans

Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk

Oh, mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the house of the rising sun

Well, 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 chain

Well, 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

Overall Meaning

The song "The House of the Rising Sun" by Maria Daines is about a house in New Orleans where many poor boys have come to ruin their lives. The singer of the story is someone who has also fallen victim to the life of sin and misery in this house. He comes from a family where his mother is a tailor who sewed his new blue jeans while his father was a gambling addict who spent most of his time in the city.


The song is a warning to others to not follow in his footsteps and end up in the same place. The singer expresses regret for his choices and tells his mother to warn her children not to make the same mistakes he did. He has one foot on the platform and the other on the train, which suggests that he is leaving the city but it may already be too late for him as he is going back to wear the "ball and chain." This phrase refers to being imprisoned or held back by one's own bad choices.


The lyrics are reflective of the struggles present in New Orleans during the mid-20th century, including poverty, addiction, and the lure of the nightlife. The song has been interpreted in many ways, including as a cautionary tale about the dangers of gambling and addiction or as a commentary on the cyclical nature of poverty and despair.


Line by Line Meaning

There is a house in New Orleans
In New Orleans, there is a particular building that is notable for its reputation.


They call the Rising Sun
It is commonly known as the 'Rising Sun'.


And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
The establishment has been the downfall of several young, impoverished males.


And God, I know I'm one
The singer is among those who have been negatively affected by the 'Rising Sun'.


My mother was a tailor
The singer's mother was a person who sewed garments for a living.


She sewed my new blue jeans
One of the items the singer's mother created was a pair of blue pants for her child.


My father was a gamblin' man
The singer's dad was someone who frequently engaged in betting activities.


Down in New Orleans
These actions occurred in the city of New Orleans.


Now the only thing a gambler needs
Gamblers require just one item to indulge in their habit.


Is a suitcase and a trunk
They only need a couple of items of luggage.


And the only time he's satisfied
Gamblers only truly feel content in one particular scenario.


Is when he's on a drunk
They are only truly happy when they are inebriated.


Oh mother, tell your children
The singer implores mothers to give their offspring a valuable piece of advice.


Not to do what I have done
That advice is not to partake in certain behaviors, such as the ones that have negatively impacted the singer.


Spend your lives in sin and misery
If you do not follow this advice, you may experience lives filled with immoral actions and unhappiness.


In the house of the rising sun
The 'Rising Sun' is where one might experience these negative sensations and behaviors.


Well I got one foot on the platform
The singer is in a certain position within the train station.


The other foot on the train
Their other limb is located on board a mode of transportation.


I'm goin' back to New Orleans
The individual is returning to the city previously mentioned.


To wear that ball and chain
To face some sort of punishment or restriction.


And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
This 'Rising Sun' establishment has led a significant number of youngsters towards unfortunate circumstances.


And God, I know I'm one
Once again, the singer's personal experience falls in line with other individual's tragic outcomes.




Writer(s): Traditional

Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@petraszemgulys2305

Maria Daines is amazing... 🥰👍❤It's rockin' blues! I love the passion in his voice. Music enchants... ❤

@Elkhunter999

When i was 13 yrs old my older brother was taught me on the guitar how to play n i learned it still to this day I play it n sing it 😊

@user-fx1rc5cp5b

Влюбилась в Ваш голос.... Восхищаюсь... Преклоняюсь... Какие силы небесные меня привели на этот канал???! Благодарю Вселенную,,, и Вас, Мария!!!!

@user-wf7wl2ep3b

Я просто в прошлом класс

@user-fx1rc5cp5b

С первых секунд мурашки побежали,,, это песня моей молодости.... Я плачу...

@didiercabrignac1869

Moi aussi c est vraiment Super

@user-yt8sw8dd5f

Обалдеть!!! Красавица, Мария, голос супер. Классные воспоминания о моем молодости. Всем любви, счастья, мира на планете Земля!

@user-ej9tm3xu2h

Таких певиц как Мария ,с таким голосом , с таким вокалом , с такой мелодий я просто жестоко заганяю в свои плей-листы и потом слушаю , слушаю , слушаю до опупения . КЛАСНО неправда ли .

@Viktor1852

Действительно, тембр завораживает !. Ощущение безграничности. Воистину блюзовая певица...

@user-lw7mr6hj5n

Суровый ты лебедь!

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