Behind The Song Lyrics: House of the Rising Sun, The Animals

Table Of Content

• Q: What is the significance of the Rising Sun in the song?
• Q: How did The Doors’ version of House of the Rising Sun differ from previous versions?
• Q: What impact did House of the Rising Sun have on The Doors’ career?
• Famous 70’s Rock Bands That Tried To Go New Wave…
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Justin Timberlake originally wrote "Gone" for Michael Jackson, but his team turned it down, so 'N Sync cut it instead. The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" was written by the Motown team of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland. The phrase "Sugar pie, honey bunch" was something Dozier's grandfather used to say when he was a kid.

Q: What is the significance of the Rising Sun in the song?

The mystery deepens when you learn that there is a pub in Lowestoft called ‘The Rising Sun.’ Opened before 1964, I might add. 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, they sing in the chorus. An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular. Sting wrote "Fields of Gold" after buying a house near a barley field and enjoying the majestic sunsets. Definite links to gambling or prostitution (if any) are undocumented for either of these buildings.

Q: How did The Doors’ version of House of the Rising Sun differ from previous versions?

They “electrified” it, added a superb organ solo from Alan Price, and Burdon sang it first in a lower register, then took it up an octave. The whole thing was started by Hilton Valentine’s iconic guitar arpeggio beginning. In these variations, the narrator is a woman bemoaning her return to prostitution.

Q: What impact did House of the Rising Sun have on The Doors’ career?

Male singers made it “the ruin of many a poor boy,” which transformed the title establishment into a gambling den. There are far too many versions of “House of the Rising Sun” to list them all. But, a few notable recordings are Leadbelly from 1948, Joan Baez from 1960, and Bob Dylan from 1962. Both the Joan Baez and Dylan versions were included on their first albums, which were both very folk-oriented. Most likely, the song in its original form was a folk song from the UK.

Yes, there are several live recordings of The Doors performing House of the Rising Sun. These performances showcase the band’s raw energy and improvisation skills, with each performance offering a unique interpretation of the song. Some notable live versions can be found on The Doors’ live albums and concert recordings. House of the Rising Sun is a timeless classic, and one of the most iconic songs in the history of rock music. Originally an old folk tune, this song has been interpreted and reimagined by various artists over the years. However, it was The Doors who truly brought it to life and made it their own.

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The Making Of… The Animals' The House Of The Rising Sun - UNCUT

The Making Of… The Animals' The House Of The Rising Sun.

Posted: Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:00:00 GMT [source]

One of the original versions reverses the genders and is about a woman who has no option but to return to that sort of life. House of the Rising Sun has stood the test of time due to its captivating storytelling, emotional depth, and memorable melody. The song touches on universal themes and emotions that resonate with listeners across generations. Its haunting atmosphere and powerful vocals make it a standout track that continues to captivate audiences to this day.

Hilton Valentine played the stoic arpeggiated guitar part that foundations the song, while Alan Price tore into the organ solo as if trying to free every tortured soul trapped in this sinister place. Apart from The Doors, several notable artists have covered House of the Rising Sun. One of the most well-known versions is by the British rock band The Animals, who had a major hit with their 1964 rendition. Other artists who have covered the song include Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Dolly Parton. The Animals' version of the American folk song is considered one of the 20th century’s British pop classics. While the original version was sung in the character of a woman led into a life of degradation, the Animals' version is told from the view of a young man who follows his father into alcoholism and gambling ruin.

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So, we shouldn’t be surprised to find references to ‘The Rising Sun.’ It is a common name for an English pub even today. Pubs of two to three hundred years ago were often “houses of ill-repute.” The song was likely carried to America by immigrants who performed it there, from whence local names and traditions became intertwined. In late 1961, Bob Dylan recorded the song for his debut album, released in March 1962.

But, he later admitted when they had finished it, he knew it was special. Since the origins of “House of the Rising Sun“ may have been at a time when very few ordinary people were literate, nothing about the original song has been written down. So, there are some interesting references by people who have shed some historical light on the song. If the music sounded almost supernatural, Burdon’s vocal gave the song its terrestrial heart, one rent in two by the loaded dice and lost bets. He tempers his performance, starting off low and with deadly serious intent to grab your attention. When he soars up an octave, all the pain and anguish come pouring out.

There is a house in New Orleans, it's called the Rising SunIt's been the ruin of many poor girlGreat God, and I for one. The Rising Sun in the song serves as a metaphorical representation of a place of corruption and moral decay. It symbolizes the protagonist’s descent into a life of vice and self-destruction. The Rising Sun can also be seen as a warning, showcasing the consequences of one’s actions and the potential for redemption. It is interesting how Burdon didn’t perform the song for a long time after the Animals split, calling it an “embarrassment”. He has since made peace with it, however, and has revisited it on various occasions in different styles.

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album. "Your Time Is Gonna Come" became the first Led Zeppelin song to be covered when Sandie Shaw recorded it in 1969. Famous Yugoslav singer Miodrag "Miki" Jevremović covered the song and included it in his 1964 EP "18 Žutih Ruža" (eng. "Eighteen Yellow Roses"). "House of the Rising Sun" was not included on any of the group's British albums, but it was reissued as a single twice in subsequent decades, charting both times, reaching number 25 in 1972 and number 11 in 1982. While there is no specific true story behind the song, House of the Rising Sun draws inspiration from the themes and experiences common in the world of addiction, regret, and lost opportunities.

The song tells the haunting tale of a person’s downfall and subsequent ruin in the infamous House of the Rising Sun. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a life consumed by vice, sin, and despair. It speaks of a place of ill repute, a den of iniquity where the protagonist’s life takes a turn for the worse. The House of the Rising Sun serves as a metaphor for a place of temptation and moral corruption. Many believe that this points out to a brother in New Orleans, where the song was supposedly named after the occupant Madame Marianne LeSoleil Levant, which meant Rising Sun in French.

White is also credited with having written new words and music that have subsequently been popularized in the versions made by many other later artists. In August 1980, Dolly Parton released a cover of the song as the third single from her album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs. Like Miller's earlier country hit, Parton's remake returns the song to its original lyric of being about a fallen woman. The Parton version makes it quite blunt, with a few new lyric lines that were written by Parton. Parton's remake reached number 14 on the US country singles chart and crossed over to the pop charts, where it reached number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100; it also reached number 30 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. Parton has occasionally performed the song live, including on her 1987–88 television show, in an episode taped in New Orleans.

Dave Van Ronk and Bob Dylan played “House of the Ris­ing Sun” in cof­fee­hous­es. Bur­don him­self picked the song up from the Eng­lish folk scene, and the Ani­mals first cov­ered the slow, sin­is­ter tune when they opened for Chuck Berry because they knew they “could­n’t out­rock” the gui­tar great. Eric Bur­don and the Ani­mals, who pop­u­lar­ized the song world­wide when they record­ed and released it in 1964, did­n’t know. Many have sung “House of the Rising Sun” before Eric Burdon took it on with the Animals, and many will sing it in the future. Its psychological insight and philosophical meaning are all too relevant for this song to be anything but timeless. But it’s hard to imagine that anybody will ever again inhabit that doomed soul at the epicenter of the tale quite as well.