The Animals had begun featuring their arrangement of "House of the Rising Sun" during a joint concert tour with Chuck Berry, using it as their closing number to differentiate themselves from acts which always closed with straight rockers. It got a tremendous reaction from the audience, convincing initially reluctant producer Mickie Most that it had hit potential, and between tour stops the group went to a small recording studio on Kingsway in London to capture it.
Recorded in just one take on 18 May 1964, it started with a famous electric guitar A minor chord arpeggio by Hilton Valentine. The performance took off with Eric Burdon's lead vocal, which has been variously described as "howling", "soulful", and "deep and gravelly as the north-east English coal town of Newcastle that spawned him." Finally, Alan Price's pulsating organ part completed the sound (see Vox Continental). Burdon later said, "We were looking for a song that would grab people's attention," and they succeeded: "House of the Rising Sun" was a true trans-Atlantic hit, topping both the U.S. pop singles chart (in September 1964, when it became the first British Invasion number one unconnected with The Beatles) and the UK pop singles chart (two months earlier, in July of that year); it was the group's breakthrough hit in both countries and became their signature song. The song was also a hit in a number of other countries.
The Animals' rendition of the song is recognized as one of the classics of the British Invasion. Writer Lester Bangs labeled it "a brilliant rearrangement" and "a new standard rendition of an old standard composition." It ranked number 122 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. It is also one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The RIAA placed it as number 240 on their Songs of the Century list. In 1999 it received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. And besides critical acclaim, it has long since become a staple of oldies and classic rock radio formats. A 2005 Five poll ranked it as Britons' fourth favourite number one song of all time.
House of the Rising Sun
The Animals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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'll be satisfied
Is when he's all 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 Animals' song "House of the Rising Sun" is a traditional folk song that has been covered by many artists, but made most famous in the 1960s by the British rock group. The song tells the story of a young man from New Orleans who ends up in a life of addiction and despair, thanks to his gambling father, and ultimately ends up in the titular House of the Rising Sun, a brothel.
The lyrics begin with an introduction to the House of the Rising Sun, a notorious brothel in New Orleans. The singer then goes on to explain how this place has ruined the lives of many young men, including himself. He tells the story of his own family's involvement in the red light district of the city, with his mother a seamstress and his father a gambler. The singer describes his father as being consumed by his addiction, and how the only time he was ever happy was when he was drunk. He warns his mother's children (presumably his younger siblings) not to follow in his father's footsteps and waste their lives in "sin and misery" in the House of the Rising Sun.
In the final verse, the singer declares that he is leaving New Orleans to escape the fate of so many of his peers. He knows that he is one of the poor boys who has been ruined by the House of the Rising Sun, and he is going back to wear the "ball and chain" that symbolizes his burdens and sins. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a young man's descent into addiction and despair, and the tragic consequences that can result from the corrupting influence of a place like the House of the Rising Sun.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a house in New Orleans
In New Orleans, there exists a house that has a notorious reputation.
They call the Rising Sun
It has been given the name the Rising Sun.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
The house has brought about the downfall of many impoverished men.
And God, I know I'm one
The singer admits to being one of the poor boys who fell to the house's negative influences.
My mother was a tailor
The singer's mother was a skilled clothing maker.
She sewed my new blue jeans
She created the singer's new pair of denim pants.
My father was a gamblin' man
The singer's father had a habit of gambling.
Down in New Orleans
The father often indulged in this activity in New Orleans.
Now the only thing a gambler needs
A gambler requires only a few belongings.
Is a suitcase and trunk
They need luggage to store their possessions.
And the only time he'll be satisfied
A gambler will only experience contentment.
Is when he's all drunk
This happens when they have consumed alcohol and are under its influence.
Oh, mother, tell your children
The singer asks his mother to share a message with her offspring.
Not to do what I have done
He warns them against making the same mistakes he did.
Spend your lives in sin and misery
He advises them not to waste their lives indulging in sinful behavior and experiencing unhappiness.
In the House of the Rising Sun
He specifically refers to the notorious house in New Orleans.
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The singer is physically on a train platform.
The other foot on the train
He is ready to board a train.
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
He is returning to the city where he experienced the negative effects of the Rising Sun house.
To wear that ball and chain
The singer is willing to return to the city, even if it means becoming imprisoned or handcuffed in some way.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
The house has caused the downfall of impoverished individuals.
And God, I know I'm one
The singer admits to being one of the poor boys who suffered due to the house's negative influence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Price
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@ederryco
Elvis P. In Las vegas 1970 suspicious mind😊😊
@n_hasss4280
No easy way out
@mfouad6443
Elvis - Rubberneckin' from the original scene in the movie " Change of habit "
@beatricecavanna4303
Don't stop me now..... all the queen's songs!!
@user-md2zz3er6f
~х
@ROCKAlEX-zl5hb
Don't worry you are not the only one listening to this masterpiece in 2024.
@BiGgUsGaMiNg
Let’s go my boi! Still one of my favourite songs ever since I was 5
@MusicGamer1235
Same
@ROCKAlEX-zl5hb
@@MusicGamer1235so cool man!!!