Origin of Song "House of Rising Sun"

[Mary Ludwick <ludwick@swbell.net>]

I saw the recent discussion of this song...The song was originally
recorded by Huddie Ledbetter/Huddie Lead Belly/Leadbelly (choose a
spelling -I have seen all forms) a very popular singer  in the 1930s and
1940s.  He recorded the song with  the title "New Orleans." He was
discovered by Alan Lomax and John Lomax while he was in the Angola
Prison Farm (Louisana).  The recordings owned by my husband indicte the
lyrics were written by the Lomaxs but it is generally believed that the
Lomax men took credit for the writings of their "discovery" (as many
promoters have done in the past i.e. Buddy Holly/Norman Petty).
   Leadbelly was the "king" of 12 string guitar and made a significant
influence in the music world, but was a very rough street character;
having done time for murder and attempted murder among other crimes.
Kirt Cobain and Mick Jagger are two recent musicians who give credit to
Leadbelly and his music as being an influence in their music careers.
Some of Leadbelly's musician friends were: Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie,
Burl Ives, Josh White.  Leadbelly and Blind Lemon Jefferson were two
strong music influences during this time.
  Leadbelly eventually developed Lou Gherig's disease which was given as
the cause of his death...The lyrics in  the song "It's been the ruin of
many a young man" refer to the near-fatal case of v.d. that he
contracted in New Orleans.
    This information from the CD *Good Night Irene* by Lead Belly
(1997)and the album *Leadbelly* (1973).
     If you care for blues etc..There is a Lead Belly quarterly, P.O.
Box 6679, Ithaca, NY 14851.
.......All this was more than one wanted to know, I am sure!! :)
--
Mary Ludwick   ludwick@swbell.net
ludwickm@lewisville.isd.tenet.edu
Librarian, Owen Elem.,The Colony, Texas
Lewisville ISD(north of Dallas)   K-5

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