The lead sheet for “House of the Rising Sun” is available for download as a PDF.

House of the Rising Sun

“The House of the Rising Sun” is a traditional American folk song, also called “Rising Sun Blues,” with possible roots in 18th-century English ballads, reshaped in the American South by the early 1900s. Its meaning remains debated—often interpreted as a warning about ruin in New Orleans, tied to a brothel, gambling den, or prison. Early versions were collected in Appalachia in the 1930s; notable recordings include Clarence “Tom” Ashley (1933), Lead Belly (1940s), and Woody Guthrie.

Bob Dylan’s 1962 folk arrangement influenced The Animals’ electrifying 1964 rock version, recorded in one take. With Eric Burdon’s raw vocals and a haunting organ riff, it topped charts in the U.S. and U.K., becoming a defining hit of the British Invasion and one of the first folk-rock successes.

Lead Sheet

“House of the Rising Sun” is available for download as a PDF in a bundle with 10 other songs.

House of the Rising Sun – Amazing Grace – Greensleeves – Scarborough Fair – St. James Infirmary Blues – Where Did You Sleep Last Night – Yankee Doodle – Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Kumbaya – Dark Eyes – The Bluebells of Scotland

Download 11 Traditional Songs – Lead Sheets (11 Individual PDF Files)

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