House Of The Rising Sun (LIVE) by Peter Greenstone
Genre: Blues (traditional)
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Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial
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Keywords:
traditional (75), New Orleans (13), blues (454)
Description:
(Yes, it's public domain)
Just the other day I was playing around with my guitar, messing with some chords and I did something that I thought would work nicely as a variation on the melody for "Rising Sun". I had the capo up real high and I just started singing. The song was one I'd kind of grown weary of many years ago, but I found new life in singing this slow and free version.
I began performing it in my live sets that I play regularly, webcast online into Second Life. This is a recording of one of those performances. It's a little different each time I perform it as I just go with my gut and feel out different things.
Snowdragon informed me that the song is actually in PUBLIC DOMAIN (yes, its roots go way back before The Animals' version). We may take a stab at doing something together with it in the future, but for now I wanted to post this simple live version.
Just the other day I was playing around with my guitar, messing with some chords and I did something that I thought would work nicely as a variation on the melody for "Rising Sun". I had the capo up real high and I just started singing. The song was one I'd kind of grown weary of many years ago, but I found new life in singing this slow and free version.
I began performing it in my live sets that I play regularly, webcast online into Second Life. This is a recording of one of those performances. It's a little different each time I perform it as I just go with my gut and feel out different things.
Snowdragon informed me that the song is actually in PUBLIC DOMAIN (yes, its roots go way back before The Animals' version). We may take a stab at doing something together with it in the future, but for now I wanted to post this simple live version.
Lyrics:
(traditional - There are more verses and some variations in older versions)There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new bluejeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
Hardware:
G5, M-Audio 410, ART tube preamp/compressor, AudioTechnica MB400C condensor mic, Line 6 POD, Westbury electric guitarSoftware:
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Sil-VER
Peter... really great!
Silver
Sil-VER
Peter... really great!
Silver
caroline
full'a'feeling - thank you for sharing x
Macaudion
Peter, this tune..., your singing..., it sounded as if it came from a deepest place from within your being, and that it was much bigger than you could possibly be... I'm sitting here and listening to this and can't help but to feel the presence of this as one of the many pains that has played out in that part of the world...
Also, this is a good time to ask you if you'd be willing to allow this tune to be on a compilation CD that I'm working on that will hopefully be sold at Starbucks and w/ the proceeds going to the victims of Katrina - You don't have to respond here, but please do email me at: Cydniko@yahoo.com and let me know -
A stunning performance that mounted to a beautiful piece of art by you - Thanks - Dion
drakonis
This is one of my closet-fave songs, but unlike you, I never get tired of it.
So I was intrigued to hear it with P-Green twist... and was great! Your
singing is intensely soulful, great guitar playing with the 60's psychedelic
shimmer... and this shows yet another facet of your creative abilities...
awesome job!
ttfn,
Drakonis
Peter Greenstone
Thank you, Drak. Sometimes I hear an old song so many times I forget what it's
even about until I learn to sing it myself.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
thetiler
very soulful and impressive.
One of my fav's of yours.
jiguma
Peter,
Like you, I've grown very tired of Rising Sun over the years, but you
have breathed new life into it with this version. Your voice is stronger
here than I think I've heard before - live playing obviously suits you.
I've discovered the magic of the capo recently - the way it can
completely change the feel of a song by simply moving a few frets.
This is the best version of Rising Sun I've heard in a very long while.
Great work! That note - "God I know I'm one"!
Neil
Peter Greenstone
I love using the capo. The guitar has a whole different sound and feel when
clamped up higher. There are quite a few songs I capo high up and sing lower.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
Peter Greenstone
(how many friggin' weeks does it take to fix the damn Reply feature
here?!)
ANYWAY, THANKS FOR LISTENING AND COMMENTING, GUYS. I GET A LOT
OF PLEASURE OUT OF PLAYING LIVE THESE DAYS, SINGING THINGS HOW I
FEEL AT THE MOMENT.
Ed Hannifin
...this has been played so much that people could possibly get tired of
it is that it's one of the best songs ever written. Great melody, great
lyrics...
You've brought life to it here, Peter.... love the little tips to the Animals
in the guitar bits between verses, while also wandering free in the
vocal... Really terrific version of a really terrific song... And it suits you,
too, it suits the Peter Greenstone vibe/persona...
When you get a free minute, go find a version or two of this song with
the Animals on You Tube... then watch some of the Chas Chandler
interviews regarding the making of 'Electric Ladyland'...
I really like this.
Ed
Peter Greenstone
THanks, Ed. I'll look it up.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
snowdragon
Love to hear someone take a tune and make it their own.
Best version since Burdon.
The one we heard you do the other night live was good. This one is
even better, even more emotion in it.
kudos
The Orbiting
Greenstone, you're just scary.
j2morrow
A really nice take on this old standard. Your voice really brings out the
emotion and the guitar alone works wonderfully.
Just a quick note about the song. It was written by a woman, a
prostitute, in the late 1800s, probably as a warning to her younger
sister. Unfortunately no one knows her name. You can find more info,
in interested at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_the_Rising_Sun
and the original lyrics and more at: http://www.straightdope.com/
mailbag/mrisingson.html.
Good job on the song, man.
Peter Greenstone
Yes, the original verses are definitely from the perspective of a woman lured into
prostitution. It's actually even darker than the shorter male perspective version.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
massmarvel
goodness for public domain....nice work and a very nice and clean
sounding recording....good job....peace
Willywagga
You have truly pumped new blood into this song. It works very well, and
lifts out of it's old constraints of excessive exposure etc.
We ( an old band I played in 20 odd years ago ) used to do a Stranglers/
Talking Heads type version of it which was good fun.
Your voice is powerfully good here, well done.
Peter Greenstone
Thanks, Willy. Yeah, some songs become almost meaningless after so much
exposure. I just happened to play some chords on my guitar that reminded me
of the song enough to try singing the words to them. It made the song new to
me, finally being able to hear the words again. Just a change in context is
enough to renew something old sometimes.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
DOCTORBIZARRE
That sounding fucking great! Nice job bro!
futzpucker
I'd say this proves once and for all that, on top of all your other
considerable talents, you are a performer, as well. Letting a song take you
where it will each time you play it is more evidence...
I play this song on the piano very often, just because I enjoy doing so. I
will enjoy it even more now, having absorbed your great rendition.
Congratulations, Peter. This is very, very well done.
Peter Greenstone
Thanks, futz. It's a simple song and it just allows the expression to carry it, so
it's good to play when you just want to relax and simply be expressive. I guess
that's part of what's so appealing about old blues tunes.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
ruz2g
i like this because it reminds me of my father. voice is excellent very
crisp.
keep rockin
ruz2g
ruz2g
i like this because it reminds me of my father. voice is excellent very
crisp.
keep rockin
ruz2g
cjorgensen
The singing on this is wonderful.
Never liked this song before. Always seemed too sentimental and
overproduced. This simplifies it.
Wish you'd kept the mellowness all the way through. The final verse is
a bit distracting and out of place, but that's just my bias.
Also, just a slight warning, you can still be in copyright violation with a
public domain song. When a band chews it up and makes it their own,
it really is there own. You have to go back to the source material and
make it your own.
So if you do a cover of one of the many Kristin Hersh or Nick Cave
traditionals, you really need to go back to the original. White Stripes
and 16 Horsepower, Ween and Violent Femmes all do traditionals, but
if you look, they still copyright the recording.
A good example would be Lou Reed doing "The Raven." It's public
domain, but once he stepped up and made it his own, it really is. You
go to the Poe, you're cool, start doing Lou's shit, you're in trouble.
And no, not trying to piss in cheerios here. Just letting people know.
I'm not familiar enough with the Animal's version to know if they
changed it up from the traditional, or if you modified theirs enough to
not tell. I just know I've always dived for the dial when this song comes
on the radio. This one wouldn't make me do that...when maybe not
until the end. :)
I never know if the last few seconds of a song, or the last few minutes
of a movie, should negate an enjoyable (until then) experience. I know I
am sounding like I hated the end. I didn't. I just wasn't expecting it to
go there.
I'm not voting, so hope you take these comments in the manner they
were meant. You're way more talented than I. Just thought your words
above might get people to start posting stuff they shouldn't.
Half the Rolling Stones catalog are traditionals. Try this with one of
theirs. And hell, a lot of their stuff was ripped off wholesale, so they
should be the last to complain, but bet they would.
I could go on forever, but won't. Copyright is my hobby (yeah, yet
another reason I live alone).
TEXASFEEL
I remember this was one of the first songs I learned on guitar. I actually
use to mess around with it on my brothers guitar back when I was in
elementary school. I think you can sing the words to Amazing Grace with
this progression just incase the original lyrics are a bit hard to listen too.
That's the way I remember in the house I lived in. Nice rendition. Liked
the range... you have an excellent voice. Does have that live feel to it.
Thanks for sharing.
John
theheiseys
Nicely done. impressive, (and that takes alot for me) love the blues sound with the mellowed out guitar bein played. Would be an awesome song to not only hear but perform as well. Keep up the good work.
version of an old classic. it's good to know this is PUBLIC DOMAIN.
Perhaps more MJers will take this one on, until we attain the definitive MJ
version.
Be well!
All The Usual Suspects: http://www.macjams.com/song/24358
ronnielong
So, they are letting us do covers on MJ again??? I might just come back...
Tis a shame my covers were deleted by Admin so very long ago..... Does
this mean I can post them again??
ronnielong
Whooops... public domain eh?? Looks like I got excited for nuthin'...
---
<a href=http://www.macjams.com/song/19302><img src="http://www.macjams.com/images/banners/ronnie.jpg"></a>
Peter Greenstone
So much fun could be had with covers on this site if it were'nt a legal issue for
them. That's why I have so much fun playing live. I can do all the covers I want
along with all my originals. I even learned to play Cash's "I've Been Everywhere"
all in one breath.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
jrico216
I hear ya......right from the gut
ktb
i can almost hear the improvision with each new performance. the
recording/mix is stupifyingly good. all the more kudo's considering it a
live performance. peter - really hot vocals. cool interpretation.
Peter Greenstone
Are you saying you've heard me perform this before in my Second Life shows? If
so, I'm glad you tuned in. Some nights I'm more on than others. This recording
was an "on" night.
---
<b><a href="http://www.simig.com/records/artists/peter/peter.htm">My debut album, "Something", available on CD here</a></b>
gregd
I love the guitar work and your voice, but I don't love the echo on your
voice track. It's too sharp for the feel of the song, I feel. Anyhow, good
feel to this piece overall. Well done.
-g
Drew Kopr
I like how your voice sounds in this tune...it has really good tonal quality...makes the sounds to my ear very soothing...nice and relaxed.
You're voice is absolutely SUPERB in this one... I really feel it comes to its right here 100% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm waiting for it to kindof 'takeoff'.........THAT WoULD MAKE IT 110% ; 0)
Beautiful gitarr : ) : ) : ) : ) : )
THANKYOU SO MUCH looking forward to hearing more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lena
PockBluesman
This has raw and emotional power that is up there with the best what an awsome and individualistic voice you have much better than my atempts and just passing off for an impression of a strangled cat with it's testicles trapped in the swing door.
I'm very very impressed and you've made me a fan