THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

851-The Animals-The House of the Rising Sun.

1964-Number 1 single. In 1972 the song was re-issued, and reached Number 25, and then again in 1982, it was re-issued and made Number 11.

Best Bit-At 1.54. As a traditional Folk song recorded by an Electric Rock band, this song has been described as the first ever ‘Folk Rock’ hit.

The Animals were formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 1963, when Eric Burdon, (vocals) (see also best songs 756) joined the ‘Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo,’ who were made up of Alan Price, (organ, and keyboards) Hilton Valentine, (1943-2021) (guitar) John Steel, (drums) and Chas Chandler (1938-1996) (bass) (see also best songs 983-649 and 492.) They originally formed as the ‘Alan Price Combo,’ but changed their name to ‘The Animals,’ in tribute to a mutual friend of their’s who was known as ‘Animal Hogg.’ The Animals formed just as ‘Beatlemania,’ and the ‘Beat Boom’ were taking over British Pop Music, and The Animals would go on to be one of the most successful acts in the ‘British Invasion’ of the American music charts. Initially The Animals performed ‘Blues Rock,’ and ‘R&B’ cover versions of artists such as John Lee Hooker, (1912 or 1917-2001) and Nina Simone, (1933-2003) (see also best songs 227) but after the departure of Alan Price in 1965, The Animals style changed to a more ‘Psychedelic,’ and ‘Progressive Rock’ sound. The Animals remained active until 1969, but there have been three reformations since, as well as members touring under ‘The Animals’ banner, including,’Eric Burdon and the Animals,’ and ‘Animals and Friends,’ which was led by co-founding member John Steel. In total there have been 22 different official members of The Animals come and go, and at the time of writing they remain active as those two splinter groups.

The discography of The Animals includes five studio Albums released between 1964-1968, and 25 singles, issued between 1964-1983, there are also six official compilation Albums, and five EP’s available. In the UK, 14 of those singles have reached the top 40, with ‘House of the Rising Sun’ making the Number 1 spot, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, they have also charted within the top 40 on 14 occasions, with ‘House of the Rising Sun’ also being their only chart topper.

‘The House of the Rising Sun’ is a traditional Folk song, sometimes called ‘Rising Sun Blues.’ Like many classic ‘Folk’ ballads, the song has uncertain authorship, which is probably one of the reasons why it has been recorded so many times, as an artist doesn’t have to pay royalties on a song of unknown authorship. There are several schools of thought as to what kind of establishment the ‘Rising Sun’ was, with some saying it was a place of gambling, drinking, and prostitution, in New Orleans, around 1860, while others have claimed that the ‘Rising Sun’ is 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, the songs lyrics include the line ‘ball and chain,’ which would be an explanation for their inclusion.

The oldest known recording of the ‘House of the Rising Sun’ under the title ‘Rising Sun Blues,’ is by Appalachian artists, Clarence ‘Tom’ Ashley, (1895-1967) and Gwen Foster, (1903-1954) who recorded their version on September 6th, 1933, on the ‘Vocalion’ record label. The Animals recorded their version in one take on May 18th, 1964, with the production credited to Mickie Most, (1938-2003) (see also best songs 686) and the arrangement credited to Alan Price, who played the songs instrumental breaks on a ‘Vox Continental organ.’ Mickie Most has said,’Everything was in the right place. It only took 15 minutes to make, so I can’t take much credit for the production.’ In America ‘House of the Rising Sun’ was released in edited form of 2.59, as the radio were reluctant to play songs in excess of three minutes, but in the UK, Mickie Most insisted that it should be issued in it’s full length version. At 4.29 ‘House of the Rising Sun’ became the longest song to reach Number 1 in the UK up until that point.

In the traditional ‘Folk’ version of ‘House of the Rising Sun,’ the songs main character is either a prostitute or a prisoner, but The Animals changed it to a gambler, in order to make the lyrics more radio friendly. Bob Dylan (see also best songs 792-621-358-103-36 and 7) had recorded ‘House of the Rising Sun’ for his self titled 1962 debut Album, using a Folk’ arrangement. It is said that on hearing The Animals version on the radio, he was inspired to go out and buy an Electric Guitar, where famously at the 1965 ‘Newport Folk Festival’ he did an Electric set for the first time.

‘Now the only thing a gambler needs is a suitcase and trunk, and the only time he’s satisfied, is when he’s on a drunk. Oh mother tell your children not to do what I have done, spend your lives in sin and misery, in the House of the Rising Sun.’