With a melody dating back to British 1700's tavern songs and a lyric suggesting a “house of ill repute” this tune has been, in our opinion, too often presented from the male perspective (as started by the Animals in 1964) and/or as a “pretty” folk song. Janice and I tried after extensive lyric research to re-create (via writing several new verses) what we think was likely the original intention, i.e,  the story of a young prostitute.  Keeping with the New Orleans setting we arranged the song with a “jump blues” feel fitting the location.  This song has long begged for a blues interpretation and we hope we did it justice.

Janice: Vocal
Bud: RealTracks, RealDrums, arrangement and production

The Rising Sun Blues
© 2016 Trad. Arr. Janice and Bud Merritt  All Rights Reserved 

there is a house in New Orleans
they call it the Rising Sun
it's been the ruin of many a poor girl
and me, oh God, I am one

i could have a good man and family
if I hadn’t fallen into a life of sin
and now I'm working at the house
just trying to please all them men

mama works all day at the mill
she sews those new blue jeans
and my daddy was a gambler, Lord
he lost his life down in New Orleans

somebody, go tell my baby sister
tell her not to do what I done
stay away from that house
the one they call the Rising Sun

I ain't  gonna leave New Orleans
my race is almost run
yeah, I gave up all my young life
beneath, beneath, the rising sun

beneath, beneath, the rising sun