Sunday, April 05, 2009

Is There Really a House in New Orleans Called the Rising Sun?

The song House of the Rising Sun, an old folk song which was recorded by Bob Dylan in 1962 and became a classic rock icon by The Animals in 1964, is one of my all-time favorite songs, and I still listen to it often. If I could play that song on the organ straight through perfectly, I could probably die a happy woman after that and want for nothing. But alas, I play as well as a three-year old, so this dream is unlikely to happen in my lifetime. I’ll have to stick to air keyboarding.

But listening to the song lately made me wonder, is there really a house of the rising sun in New Orleans that’s been the ruin of many a poor boy? Well, according to Wikipedia, there actually was such a property. In fact, several different historic spots lay claim to the name.

Wikipedia reports that old New Orleans directories have records of a short-lived hotel called “Rising Sun” on Conti Street in the French Quarter dating back to the 1820s, which burned down in 1822. A 2005 document search turned up evidence of advertising that eluded to prostitution. Additionally, an archaeological excavation of the site uncovered a large number of pots of rouge and cosmetics.

A second building rumored to have a similar name was the late 19th century “Rising Sun Hall”, a social and pleasure club, which Wikipedia tells us was on the riverfront in the Carrollton neighborhood.

Still a third and even more intriguing claim, made by guide book Bizarre New Orleans, is that The House of the Rising Sun is named for Madam Marianne LeSoleil Levant whose name translates from French as “the rising sun”.

Additional attribution stories include murder, alcohol, gambling, wife beating, slavery and a jail house (thus the words “I’m going back to wear that ball and chain”). 1960s folk singer Dave van Ronk reportedly said in his autobiography that he had seen pictures of a rising sun design over the front door of the old New Orleans Prison for Women, and claimed, as many others did, that the house of the rising sun was a nickname for the prison.

People looking to add a little nostalgia and intrigue to their New Orleans trip can still stay at the House of the Rising Sun. Today, there is a bed and breakfast that goes by the name at 335 Pelican Avenue and a club at 333 Bourbon Street by the same name.

For more information about the history of the House of Rising Sun, click here. For more information about the song, click here. For the lyrics to the song as sung by The Animals, click here. For information about the bed and breakfast, click here. For information about the club on Bourbon Street, click here.

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