Posted on 02/10/2024 9:13:27 PM PST by nickcarraway
As far as folk songs are concerned, few have enjoyed the success or longevity of ‘The House of the Rising Sun’. First popularised by The Animals, who topped singles charts in the UK, US and Canada with their rendition in 1964, a wide range of artists from Alt-J to Five Finger Death Punch have recorded versions of the track over the years.
A traditional narrative folk song, ‘House of the Rising Sun’ tells the tale of a place in New Orleans, usually theorised to be either a pub or a brothel, which acts as the catalysts for a young man’s downfall. The actual location at the centre of the track is widely disputed, with the only attribute known for definite being that it was located in New Orleans. The Animals seemed to subscribe to the idea that the song was centred around a brothel, with lead singer Eric Burdon once telling the LA Times, “[New Orleans] are trying to build up tourism, and here’s this Brit singing about a whorehouse.”
So, who is actually responsible for the song? Well, like many traditional folk songs, ‘House of the Rising Sun’ is shrouded in mystery. For years, music scholars and folk aficionados have argued over the origins of the song. It is thought to have first appeared, in its usual form, in the early 1900s, but some argue it has its roots in old English folk music going back to the 16th century.
Thematically, ‘House of the Rising Sun’ is said to have its origins in the ballad ‘The Unfortunate Rake’, which dates back to the 1500s, though there is little in the way of evidence directly connecting these two songs. Ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax once theorised that the 17th-century song ‘Matty Groves’ might hold the origins of the melody to ‘House of the Rising Sun’, but a subsequent study showed no relation between the two.
Lomax continued his study of folk songs, noting that the term ‘Rising Sun’ appeared in various English folk songs as the name of a pub or brothel, suggesting that the location was changed to New Orleans by performers in the American south.
In 1925, Robert Winslow Gordon published lyrics to the song in Adventure Magazine, but the first recorded version of the song appeared in 1933 under the name ‘Rising Sun Blues’. Clarence “Tom” Ashley, one of the artists involved in the recording, claimed to have been taught the song by his grandfather – thereby suggesting that the song was known long before the turn of the 20th century in America.
There are a multitude of theories surrounding the origins of ‘The House of the Rising Sun’, with one theorist even suggesting the song is French in origin, dating back to the time of King Louis XIV. The likelihood is that the song, as we know it, is simply an amalgamation of traditional folk songs, both English and American in origin, that were passed down through the generations without ever being written down or recorded until the 20th century.
Why would a gambler need a suitcase and a trunk? Shouldn’t one or another suffice?
= = =
Sit on the suitcase, deal cards on the trunk.
You'd do better signing up for MLM.
Good one. I see what you did there.
A few years ago, my brother gave me a Herman's Hermits shirt that he had bought at one of Peter Noone's concerts. I was wearing it in a grocery store in Moses Lake, Washington and this guy starts eyeing me from down the aisle. As he walks by, he gives me a thumb's-up and says "Second verse, same as the first." If you're under 60 and don't get it, you might have to ask a more-senior citizen about it.
I was never a big Eric Burdon fan but he nailed this one. A raw, raspy voice is perfect for this song. I always thought that Rod Stewart could have done this song justice, too.
Wow. Just Wow.
Amazon Prime Music is my choice for downloading all my songs.
I just added about 2 dozen of his songs to my playlist.
Thanks.
The Lalaurie Mansion?
Maybe. It might also be some house in Britain, since the Animals reworked the lyrics for America.
I just looked it up. It’s a good candidate for being that house.
I sang that song in a karaoke bar in Japan just outside of NAF Atsugi, sometime in the 80s. It was very well received.
You’re welcome!
Terrifying story
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