6-22 Play “House Of The Rising Sun”

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House Of The Rising Sun is a classic and iconic song that I love to teach my students. Beyond being recognizable and just fun to play, it’s a great example of the 6/8 time signature. 

This is a simplified version of the song. If you have a good handle on the simplified version I’ll show you a new technique so you can play it just like The Animals’ version. 

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Yes I really like this song. I am working on learning it singing and playing makes it kind of tough as I never really sang while playing in the past.

I see this alot where its in different key. That was from official transcription page. Does doing it the way you do make it lower key and easier to sing just curious of the arrangement.

————–
[Intro]
| Am | C | D | F |
| Am | E | Am | E |

[Verse 1]
Am C D F
There is a house in New Orleans
Am C E E
They call the “Rising Sun”
Am C D F
And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
And God, I know, I’m one (organ plays E7)

[Verse 2]
Am C D F
My mother was a tailor (organ: F7)
Am C E E
She sewed my new blue jeans (organ: E7)
Am C D F
My father was a gambling man
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
Down in New Orleans. (organ plays E7)

[Verse 3]
Am C D F
Now the only thing a gambler needs (organ: F7)
Am C E E
Is a suitcase and a trunk (organ: E7)
Am C D F
And the only time, he’s satisfied,
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
Is when he’s on a drunk (organ plays E7)

[Organ Solo]
| Am | C | D | F |
| Am | C | E | % |
| Am | C | D | F |
| Am | E |
| Am | C/E | D | F |
| Am | E | Am | E |

[Verse 4]
Am C D F
Oh, mother, tell your children (organ: F7)
Am C E E
Not to do what I have done (organ: E7)
Am C D F
Spend your lives in sin and misery
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
In the House of Rising Sun (organ plays E7)

[Verse 5]
Am C D F
Well, I got one foot on the platform (organ plays F7)
Am C E E
The other foot on the train (organ: E7)
Am C D F
I’m going back to New Orleans (organ: F7)
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
To wear that ball and chain (organ plays E7#9)

[Verse 6]
Am C D F
Well, there is a house in New Orleans (organ: F7)
Am C E E
They call the “Rising Sun” (organ: E7)
Am C D F
And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy
Am E7 | Am | C | D | F7 | Am | E7 |
And God, I know, I’m one

[Coda]
| Am | Dm | Am | Dm | Am | Dm |
(a tempo)
| Am | Dm | Am | Dm | Am
(ritardando) (organ plays Am9; guitar equivalent: x-0-5-5-5-7)

Love this lesson! So much fun! Playing the Bass, Rake, and Arpeggiate pattern is so cool. Thank you!

Thanks Tomas for this lesson/song. I’ve actually adopted using both strums when playing the song. The Bass/Rake/Arpeggiate strum for the Intro/Solo/Outro and the 6/8 strum for the rest of the song. It is really fun to play! Thanks!

So Beautiful song on Super bowl Sunday February 7th. Thanks for introducing the Animal Version RPG strumming. Will practice this song with singing. I can sing along in this pitch E Minor for sure. I love the changes from Em to G and then A . The group that performed was Animals. Have a great day.

Tomas (Administrator) February 8, 2021 at 1:07 pm

House of the Rising Sun was one of my favorite songs when I was 12. I wanted the album by the Animals so bad that I tried to shoplift it. I got caught. It was so embarrassing (they called my mom) that I never shoplifted again. Probably a good thing. 🙂

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