who was the original composer of house of the rising sun?

Answer 1

... lyrics written by a pair of Kentuckians named Georgia Turner and Bert Martin.
The melody is a traditional English ballad, but the song became popular as an African-American Folk song. It was recorded by Texas Alexander in the 1920s, then by a number of other artists including Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, Josh White and later Nina Simeone. It was her version The Animals first heard. No one can claim rights to the song, meaning it can be recorded and sold royalty-free. Many bands recorded versions of this after it became a hit for The Animals. (Thanks to Ron Foster for above 2. More from Ron at www.oldiesradioonline.com.)

Answer 2

Like many classic folk ballads, the authorship of "The House of the Rising Sun", sometimes called "Rising Sun Blues", is dubious. Folklorist Alan Lomax, author of the seminal 1941 songbook Our Singing Country, wrote that the melody was taken from a traditional English ballad and the lyrics written by a pair of Kentuckians named Georgia Turner and Bert Martin. Other scholars have proposed different explanations, although Lomax's is generally considered most plausible. The phrase "House of the Rising Sun" is a euphemism for a brothel, but it is not known whether or not the house described in the lyrics was an actual or fictitious place.

The oldest known existing recording is by Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster and was released in 1934.

: )

Answer 3

Like many classic folk ballads, the authorship of "The House of the Rising Sun", sometimes called "Rising Sun Blues", is dubious. Folklorist Alan Lomax, author of the seminal 1941 songbook Our Singing Country, wrote that the melody was taken from a traditional English ballad and the lyrics written by a pair of Kentuckians named Georgia Turner and Bert Martin. Other scholars have proposed different explanations, although Lomax's is generally considered most plausible. The phrase "House of the Rising Sun" is a euphemism for a brothel, but it is not known whether or not the house described in the lyrics was an actual or fictitious place.

The oldest known existing recording is by Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster and was released in 1934. Ashley thought he had learned it from his grandfather, Enoch Ashley. Texas Alexander's "The Risin' Sun", which was recorded in 1928, is sometimes mentioned as the first recording, but this is a completely different song. Roy Acuff, who recorded the song commercially on November 3, 1938, may have learned this number from such neighboring Smoky Mountain artists as versatile entertainer Clarence Ashley or the Callahan Brothers, an influential duet team of the '30s and '40s.

Many artists have covered the song, and it has been a standard cover for at least four decades by bar bands and major recording artists alike. In an interview by Martin Scorsese in his Dylan biopic No Direction Home, folksinger Dave van Ronk recounted that he had originally worked out the arrangement that Dylan then "borrowed" for his first album, and which was subsequently borrowed in turn by Eric Burdon, who, in 1964, took the song to newfound popularity when it was recorded by his British rock group The Animals. The Animals' version (which was arranged by the whole band but accidentally only credited to their keyboard player Alan Price) has become a staple of oldies and classic rock radio stations. An interview with Eric Burdon revealed that the Animals heard Josh White perform "House" in Europe in the early 60's, and decided to cover it. In 1969 Frijid Pink released a particularly well-known psychedelic version. Even Tangerine Dream created their own rendition.

The gender of the singer is flexible. Earlier versions of the song are often sung from the female perspective, a woman who followed a drunk or a gambler to New Orleans and became a prostitute in the House of the Rising Sun (or, depending on one's interpretation, an inmate in a prison of the same name), such as in Joan Baez's version on her self-titled 1960 debut album. The Animals version was sung from a perspective of a male, warning about gambling and drinking. Shawn Mullins' recent covered version on his album "9th Ward Pickin' Parlor" is sung from the female perspective.

Answer 4

The House of the Rising Sun has made an impact on the blues / rock n roll establishment to be felt for many years to come. I believe it was about a brothel in New Orleans, at least that is the story I heard.

Answer 5

Alan price

Answer 6

Simon Thoumire................I agree.....The Frigid Pink's version in the early 70's was the best yet!

Answer 7

It about a whorehouse or a brothel in anew Orleans yes.

Answer 8

alot of people have covered it, but i think FRIDGID PINKS version is the best!