chordsurf
H
GUITAR CHORDS

House of the Rising Sun

The Animals
All-time classics Acoustic favorites Classic rock
KeyAm
Capo—
LevelMedium
Transpose Am 0
Text
Chord sheet
Chords are positioned above the lyric change point
In the Animals' recording the organ often plays 7th chords,
when the guitar does not.
 
 

Intro

AmCDF |
AmEAmE |
 
 

Verse 1

AmCDF
There is a house in New Orleans
AmCEE
They call the "Rising Sun"
AmCDF
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
AmEAmCDFAmEAmE |
And God, I know, I'm one (organ plays E7)
 
 

Verse 2

AmCDF
My mother was a tailor (organ: F7)
AmCEE
She sewed my new blue jeans (organ: E7)
AmCDF
My father was a gambling man
AmEAmCDFAmEAmE |
Down in New Orleans. (organ plays E7)
 
 

Verse 3

AmCDF
Now the only thing a gambler needs (organ: F7)
AmCEE
Is a suitcase and a trunk (organ: E7)
AmCDF
And the only time, he's satisfied,
AmEAmCDFAmEAmE |
Is when he's on a drunk (organ plays E7)
 
 

Organ Solo

AmCDF |
AmCEE |
AmCDF |
AmE |
AmC/EDF |
AmEAmE |
 
 

Verse 4

AmCDF
Oh, mother, tell your children (organ: F7)
AmCEE
Not to do what I have done (organ: E7)
AmCDF
Spend your lives in sin and misery
AmEAmCDFAmEAmE |
In the House of the Rising Sun (organ plays E7)
 
 

Verse 5

AmCDF
Well, I got one foot on the platform (organ plays F7)
AmCEE
The other foot on the train (organ: E7)
AmCDF
I'm going back to New Orleans (organ: F7)
AmEAmCDFAmEAmE |
To wear that ball and chain (organ plays E7#9)
 
 

Verse 6

AmCDF
Well, there is a house in New Orleans (organ: F7)
AmCEE
They call the "Rising Sun" (organ: E7)
AmCDF
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
AmE7AmCDF7AmE7 |
And God, I know, I'm one
 
 

Coda

AmDmAmDmAmDm |
(a tempo)
AmDmAmDmAm
(ritardando) (organ plays Am9; guitar equivalent: x-0-5-5-5-7)
End

How to play House of the Rising Sun chords

This Chordsurf arrangement of House of the Rising Sun by The Animals is presented in the key of Am. Use the transpose controls above the sheet to move every chord together while keeping the lyric-change positions aligned.

The page is set up for practice as well as quick reference: adjust the text size, use auto scroll when your hands are busy, or switch to focus mode for a cleaner playing view. The published arrangement uses 9 distinct chord shapes, including Am, C, D, F, E, C/E and others. You can also explore related material through All-time classics, Acoustic favorites, Classic rock.