History of "House of the Rising Sun"

        

       One of the songs I've been obsessed with lately is a very famous yet under appreciated song called "House of the Rising Sun". I made a lyric video of it, one performed by Lauren O'Connell (follow the link here). Her song first made it's debut in advertisements for American Horror Story: Coven which takes place in New Orleans. Yet I used one of the promo pictures that I edited from The Originals. I thought Lauren's rendition was perfect for it and now my Lyric Video has reached over 2,000 views and growing. So I decided to look up the history of this song. 

        "House of the Rising Sun" was first made popular in the 1960s by The Animals. Nina Simone also did a rendition and you'll notice that some of the lyrics are different while others are the same. The song was written to compensate for both genders, so you could trade "poor boy" with "poor girl" and the song will lose none of its meaning. Also the experiences of either gender can be expressed in the song.

         This popular ballad actually has it's origins from the 1500s. The song was and still is about a brothel. The said brothel was set in London and was first about only a man who spent most of his time in The Rising Sun brothel where he contracted venerial disease. Centuries later the song was changed and the new setting of this brothel was the new Sin City of the New World, New Orleans. If you think about it, New Orleans is a perfect setting for this song. The city is known for its decadence and the dangerous French Quarter which at the time was a bad place to be as people went missing or found murdered for their money from gambling. 

"House of the Rising Sun" Lyrics by The Animals


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 bluejeans 
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 gone and 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.


"House of the Rising Sun" Lyrics by Nina Simone

There is a house in New Orleans
They call it the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor girl
And me, oh God, I'm one

If I had only listened of what my mama said
I'd be at home today
But bein' so young and foolish, my Lord
Let a gambler lead me astray

Now, my mother is a tailor
She sews those new blue jeans
And my sweetheart is a drunkard, Lord
Drinks down in New Orleans

Now the only thing a drunken man needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Lord, is when he's on the drunk

Somebody go get my baby sister
Tell her to do, not to do what I have done
But shun that house in New Orleans
They call it the Rising Sun

Well, I'm goin' back to New Orleans
My race is almost run
Yes, I'm goin' back to spend my life
Beneath, beneath, the rising sun

"House of the Rising Sun" Lyrics by Lauren O'Connell

There is a house in New Orleans,
They call The Rising Sun,
It's been the ruin of many a poor girl,
And God, I know I'm one;

My mother she was a tailor,
She sewed my new blue jeans,
My sweetheart he's a gambler, Lord,
Down in New Orleans;

Oh Mother, please tell my baby sister,
Not to do what I have done,
But shun that house in New Orleans,
They call The Rising Sun;

Got one foot on the platform,
The other's on the train,
I'm going back to New Orleans,
To wear my ball and chain...