The Animals - House of the Rising Sun
Hello! Below you'll find my "House of the Rising Sun" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by The Animals is a classic and the iconic chord progression is very easy to learn. In the video, I teach three different levels of difficulty for the rhythm and arpeggios.
Enjoy!
House of the Rising Sun Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for House of the Rising Sun:
House of the Rising Sun Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
| Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
[Verse 1]
Am C D F
There is a house in New Orleans
Am C E E
They call the "Rising Sun"
Am C D F
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
And God, I know, I'm one
[Verse 2]
Am C D F
My mother was a tailor
Am C E E
She sewed my new blue jeans
Am C D F
My father was a gambling man
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
Down in New Orleans.
[Verse 3]
Am C D F
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Am C E E
Is a suitcase and a trunk
Am C D F
And the only time, he's satisfied,
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
Is when he's on a drunk
[Solo]
| Am | C | D | F | Am | C | E | E |
| Am | C | D | F | Am | E |
| Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
[Verse 4]
Am C D F
Oh, mother, tell your children
Am C E E
Not to do what I have done
Am C D F
Spend your lives in sin and misery
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
In the House of Rising Sun
Am C D F
Oh, mother, tell your children
Am C E E
Not to do what I have done
Am C D F
Spend your lives in sin and misery
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
In the House of Rising Sun
[Verse 5]
Am C D F
Well, I got one foot on the platform
Am C E E
The other foot on the train
Am C D F
I'm going back to New Orleans
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E | Am | E |
To wear that ball and chain
[Verse 6]
Am C D F
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
Am C E E
They call the "Rising Sun"
Am C D F
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
Am E | Am | C | D | F | Am | E |
And God, I know, I'm one
[Outro]
| Am | Dm | X5
| Am |
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
House of the Rising Sun Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "House of the Rising Sun" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "House of the Rising Sun" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
