The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
There is a house down in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
And it's been the ruin of many poor girl
And me, oh God, I'm one.
My mother was a tailor
She sowed these new blue jeans
My sweetheart was a gambler, Lord
Down in New Orleans.
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk.
He fills his glasses up to the brim
And he'll pass the cards around
And the only pleasure he gets out of life
Is rambling from town to town.
Oh tell my baby sister
Not to do what I have done
But shun that house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun.
Well it's one foot on the platform
And the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain.
I'm going back to New Orleans
My race is almost run
I'm going back to end my life
Down in the rising sun.
There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
It's been the ruin of many poor girl
And me, oh God, I'm one.
They call the rising sun
And it's been the ruin of many poor girl
And me, oh God, I'm one.
My mother was a tailor
She sowed these new blue jeans
My sweetheart was a gambler, Lord
Down in New Orleans.
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk.
He fills his glasses up to the brim
And he'll pass the cards around
And the only pleasure he gets out of life
Is rambling from town to town.
Oh tell my baby sister
Not to do what I have done
But shun that house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun.
Well it's one foot on the platform
And the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain.
I'm going back to New Orleans
My race is almost run
I'm going back to end my life
Down in the rising sun.
There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
It's been the ruin of many poor girl
And me, oh God, I'm one.
Lyrics submitted by Henley, edited by Mellow_Harsher
House of the Rising Sun Lyrics as written by Alan Price
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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See, that's the thing. I believe the Animals version had better instrumental but I don't like how they changed the lyrics to be from the perspective of a man. Bob Dylan performs from the point of the desperate woman forced to degrade herself to squeak out a living. Literally being screwed by men to subsist and being screwed by her "sweetheart" that put her into this position.
For me, makes a better overall narrative to this incredibly rueful song of women suffering the consequences of their selfish men's desires and whims.
I completely agree with you 100%....I do like both versions of the song, but perfer Dylans lyrics to the Animals....And perfer Eric Burdon's voice and the Animals instrumental.
and on top of that you can really hear the desperation in dylan's voice... love it
wow dylans first album from '62 had such a cool feeling to it, didn't it?
oh dylan
i love "not to doooo what iiiiiiii have doononone"
the stones suck, this song is about a brothel in new orleans and some hookers, suposedly witten by Georgia Turner and Bert Martin however my favorite recording was by leadbelly, although dylan didn't write it he made the version you hear today by artists like the stones lead zeplin and of course the animals.
Joan Baez did the modern version two years before Dylan. I don't particularly like it, but it's a fact.
To be honest i preferred the animals version. I think Dylan should stick to his own stuff, i don't really think this song is good enough for him.
Dylan recorded it before the Animals, Lead Belly did it before Dylan...And all three versions are different.
this song wasn't written by animal it's a traditional
Owned.
i prever the animals version to this, this is diffrent
I think Nina Simone also sings great versions of this song. There is also on old white blues guy called T Bone Fisher who hangs around the caribbean islands who can hold the end lines better than anyone. last i saw of him he was in Venezuela.
I gotta disagree with plain clothes man about the first album having a cool feelin to it. He sang four songs about the same damn thing, you know, Fixin to die, in my time of dying, bury me by highway 51 and see that my grave is kept clean. Plus he faked his voice throughout. The second Album was waay better. and he only wrote two songs on the first album.
Yeah I agree that the perspective changes usually make the song worse, and thats why I like this version. (I assume this was originally written from a girl's perspective).
Similarly, the band Nickel Creek did "Tomorrow is a Long Time" from the perspective of a girl and it just doesn't sound right.
Changing roles changes the story... you can't just say Romeo is the woman because a woman wants to play the part.
The song is not his, it's a traditional folk song.