House of the Rising Sun
There is a house down in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor girl
And I, O Lord, I was one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed these new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin' man
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
Go tell my baby sister
Not to do what I have done
Tell her shun that house in New Orleans
That they call the Rising Sun
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
I had it from Bob Dylan (1961) - and subsequently of course the Animals' version (1964).
It was easier to make cover versions in those days. My first guitar was bought from a bloke (15) who played in a band who did House of the Rising Sun a week after it had been issued.
As usual people are not at all agreed on anything about the song; what it means, who wrote it, whatever. It was collected (as a folk song) by Alan Lomax in 1937.
Bob Dylan used a slightly unusual chord scheme - Ami/C/D/F - sort of thing - which gives a bass run down . Dave van Ronk claims that this was his idea - and was going to record it but couldn't, after Dylan's. Dylan recorded the song, but never played the song again after hearing the Animals, so.
I always imagined the House was a brothel, the singer a prostitute who couldn't kick the job (or the habit perhaps). There are plenty of other interpretations.