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January 17, 2023 9:44 am  #1


The Ongoing Mystery Behind "The House Of The Rising Sun"

Most of us know it as a classic by The Animals, but the story behind The House Of The Rising Sun - and exactly what it all means - may never be fully told.

“Although it is generally assumed that the singer is referring to a brothel, there is actually nothing in the lyrics that indicates that the ‘house’ is a brothel. Many knowledgeable persons have conjectured that a better case can be made for either a gambling hall or a prison; however, to paraphrase Freud: sometimes lyrics are just lyrics.”

The Mystery Behind "The House Of The Rising Sun"

 

January 17, 2023 7:00 pm  #2


Re: The Ongoing Mystery Behind "The House Of The Rising Sun"

Interesting topic. I had understood when The Animals released their version that it had been altered from a brothel to a gaming house. I also understood the original version was sung by a woman and the revised Animals version by a male. But revisiting the subject following this post, it seems much more logical to originally be about a women's prison. Alan Price, who played the swirling keyboards, claimed ownership right to the Animals' version, much to the chagrin of Eric Burdon.

 

January 18, 2023 8:09 pm  #3


Re: The Ongoing Mystery Behind "The House Of The Rising Sun"

Here is the 1933 version by Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster.  Though the lyrics are near-identical to the Animals version, Ashley/Foster's melody is somewhat different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHnu6nDZM9s

 

 

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