Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull is an English singer and actress. She ach… Read Full Bio ↴Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single "As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British Invasion in the United States.

Born in Hampstead, London, Faithfull began her career in 1964 after attending a Rolling Stones party, where she was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham. Her debut album Marianne Faithfull (released simultaneously with her album Come My Way on April 15, 1965) was a commercial success followed by a number of albums on Decca Records. From 1966 to 1970, she had a highly publicised romantic relationship with Mick Jagger. Her popularity was further enhanced by her film roles, such as those in I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968), and Hamlet (1969). However, her popularity was overshadowed by personal problems in the 1970s. During that time she was anorexic, homeless and a heroin addict.

Noted for her distinctive voice, Faithfull's previously melodic and higher-registered vocals (which were prevalent throughout her career in the 1960s) were affected by severe laryngitis, coupled with persistent drug abuse during the 1970s, permanently altering her voice, leaving it raspy, cracked and lower in pitch. This new sound was praised as "whisky soaked" by some critics and seen as having helped to capture the raw emotions expressed in Faithfull's music.

After a long commercial absence, Faithfull made a comeback with the 1979 release of her critically acclaimed album Broken English. The album was a commercial success and marked a resurgence of her musical career. Broken English earned Faithfull a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and is often regarded as her "definitive recording". She followed this with a series of albums, including Dangerous Acquaintances (1981), A Child's Adventure (1983) and Strange Weather (1987). Faithfull also wrote three books about her life: Faithfull: An Autobiography (1994), Memories, Dreams & Reflections (2007) and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record (2014).

Faithfull is listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll" list. She received the World Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Women's World Awards and was made a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France.

House Of The Rising Sun
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Repeat: x2]
There is a house in New Orleans,
They call it the rising sun
And it's been the ruin
Of many poor girl,
And me, oh god, I'm one.

If I had listened

To what my mother said
I'd've been at home today.
But I was young and foolish, oh god,
Let a rambler lead me astray.

Go tell my baby sister
Don't do what I have done.
Go shun that house in New Orleans
They call the risin' sun.

Well, I'm going back to New Orleans,
My race is almost run.

I'm going back to spend my life
In the house of the risin' sun.

Overall Meaning

Marianne Faithfull's House Of The Rising Sun is a song that describes the life of someone who's been led astray by vice and is now facing the negative consequences. The song is a narrative that follows the life of the singer, who is living in a house in New Orleans that is known as the Rising Sun. She laments that the house has been the ruin of many poor girls and herself, indicating that the house represents vice and the negative impacts it can have on a person's life.

The singer's regret and remorse are evident in the lyrics, as she admits that she was young and foolish to let a rambler lead her astray. She also acknowledges that her mother had warned her but her lack of attention to her mother's advice has led her down the wrong path. However, despite her regrets, the singer warns her sister not to follow in her footsteps and to shun the house in New Orleans, as it brings only ruin.

In the final verse, the singer reveals that her life is almost over, and she is going back to the house of the Rising Sun to spend her days there. This final act is symbolic of her acceptance of her fate, that she is unable to escape the consequences of her actions and must face them head-on.

Overall, House Of The Rising Sun is a cautionary tale about the dangers of vice and the negative impact it can have on one's life. The song teaches that it is always wise to listen to the advice of elders and avoid giving in to temptation.

Line by Line Meaning

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

They call it the rising sun
its name is the rising sun

And it's been the ruin
It has played a role in destroying the happiness and well-being

Of many poor girl,
of numerous disadvantaged women

And me, oh god, I'm one.
including myself who has faced similar circumstances

If I had listened
If in the past, I had paid attention

To what my mother said
to my mother's advice

I'd've been at home today.
I would be at home right now

But I was young and foolish, oh god,
However, being youthful and imprudent,

Let a rambler lead me astray.
I allowed a wanderer to lead me in the wrong direction.

Go tell my baby sister
Inform my younger sister

Don't do what I have done.
Do not repeat my mistakes.

Go shun that house in New Orleans
Stay away from that particular dwelling

They call the risin' sun.
whose name is the rising sun.

Well, I'm going back to New Orleans,
Now, I am returning to New Orleans

My race is almost run.
My time is nearly coming to an end.

I'm going back to spend my life
I will spend the rest of my days

In the house of the risin' sun.
In the dwelling, known as the rising sun.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Price

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS