The House of the Rising Sun

"The House of the Rising Sun" is a United States folk song.

Origin

Like many classic folk ballads, the authorship of "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.

Related Topics:
Alan Lomax - 1941 - Our Singing Country - English - Kentuckians

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In the early 20th century, the phrase "Rising Sun" may have been used as a euphemism for a brothel or house of prostitution, and it is not known whether or not the house described in the lyrics is an actual or fictitious place.

Related Topics:
Brothel - Prostitution

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