The House Of The Rising Sun
Raveling Blues Lyrics
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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
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
"The House of the Rising Sun" is an old folk song about a brothel in New Orleans, Louisiana. Its roots are unknown and its author is also unknown. Over time, many different versions of this song have been recorded, including by Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, and The Animals.
The song is about a young man who is ruined by his terrible experiences in the brothel. He lives a dissolute life, and his parents are powerless to save him from himself. His father is a gambler, and his mother is a tailor. The young man begs his mother to warn others not to follow in his footsteps, to avoid the same fate that has befallen him.
The “Rising Sun” of the song’s title is generally interpreted to be the building's name, but some people think that it refers to the sun rising over the Mississippi River. The song has been associated with prostitution from the beginning, as the women who worked in the house were largely African American and poor. However, the lyrics do not explicitly identify the location as a brothel, and some musical historians believe that it was originally about a New Orleans prison.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a house in New Orleans
The song talks about a particular house located in the city of New Orleans.
They call the Rising Sun
This house is commonly referred to as 'The Rising Sun'.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
For many individuals who are not well-off financially, this house has served as their ultimate downfall.
And God I know I'm one
The singer himself has been victimized by this 'Rising Sun' house, as he proclaims himself to be one of the many who have been ruined by it.
My mother was a tailor
The singer's mother was a professional tailor.
She sewed my new blue jeans
She made the singer's blue jeans for him.
My father was a gamblin' man
The singer's father was someone who indulged in gambling activities.
Down in New Orleans
This occurred within the city limits of New Orleans.
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Gamblers have very minimal requirements.
Is a suitcase and trunk
All they need are a suitcase and a trunk to carry their belongings.
And the only time he's satisfied
The gambler's only time of contentment is
Is when he's on a drunk
when he is under the influence of alcohol.
Oh mother tell your children
The singer addresses the mothers in the song,
Not to do what I have done
advising them to not follow in his footsteps and repeat his mistakes.
Spend your lives in sin and misery
The singer's life choices have caused him to experience sadness and immorality, and he warns mothers to prevent their children from experiencing the same fate.
In the House of the Rising Sun
All of this relates back to the 'Rising Sun' house mentioned earlier on.
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The singer is preparing to leave,
The other foot on the train
having one foot on the platform and the other on the train itself.
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
He is returning to New Orleans, where he has experienced difficulties in the past.
To wear that ball and chain
He will once again be tied down and burdened by the consequences of his poor decisions.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
This final line reiterates the fact that many individuals have been negatively impacted by the Rising Sun house.
Contributed by Violet N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@applecorpse
Coooooool!
@thorsteinm8343
The best version I´ve heard!
@beroste
blues allo stato puro!Fantastico!!!
@alexaderwho
Travelling Blues - The House Of The Rising Sun
@lorantbudi3385
This is amazing!
@thetravellingwitch8047
I loooove this version!!...
@bmsocketawe3241
:) was looking for a deep dark bleuss ,this one greate
@SpawnMeShell
Rock Masters: Unchain my heart, Traveling Blues - The house of the rising sun.
@tovarishmaks2511
Mother tell your baby children, yea yea
Don't do the things that I've done
Spend your life in sin and misery
In The House, they call, the Rising Sun
Ohh
House, of The Rising, Sun
@AQUALUNG2
where i can find tabs to this ?