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The Animals – – Key of A

The first theory about the origin of this song is about a brothel in New Orleans. The House Of The Rising Sun was named after its occupant Madame Marianne LeSoleil Levant (which means The Rising Sun in French) and was open for business from 1862 (occupation by Union troops) until 1874, when it was closed due to complaints by neighbors.
The second theory is that it’s about a women’s prison in New Orleans called the Orleans Parish women’s prison, which had an entrance gate adorned with rising sun artwork. This would explain the “ball and chain” lyrics in the song.

CHORDS:  Am  C  D  E

[ MAIN LINE ] – – – – – There [Am] is a [C] house in [D] New [F] Orleans.   They [Am] call the [C] Rising [E] Sun,  – – – – – and it’s [Am been the [C] ruin of [D] many a poor [F] boy, and [Am] God I [E] know I’m [Am] one.
– – – – – My [Am] mother [C] was a [D] tailor. [F]   She [Am] sewed my [C] new blue jeans [E]  – – – – – My [Am] father [C] was a [D] gamblin’ [F] man    [Am] down in [E] New [Am] Orleans.
– – – – – Now the [Am] only [C] thing a [D] gambler [F] needs,  is a [Am] suitcase [C] and trunk [E] – – – – – And the [Am] only [C] time he’s [D] satisfied [F]    is [Am] when he’s [E] on a [Am] drunk.
– – – – – Oh [Am] mother [C] tell your [D] children [F]  not to [Am] do what [C] I have done. [E] – – – – – [Am] Spend your [C] lives in [D] sin and [F] misery,   in the [Am] House of the [E] Rising [Am] Sun.
– – – – – Well, I got [Am] one foot [C] on the [D] platform. [F]   The [Am] other [C] on the train. [E]    – – – – – I’m [Am] goin’ [C] back to [D] New [F] Orleans  to [Am] wear that [E] ball and [Am] chain.
[ MAIN LINE ] – – – – –

 

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