“House of The Rising Sun” is one of those dusty old rock hits which still sounds great, but impossible to hear without envisioning a distant past of smoked-out clubs packed with elder gentlemen. But when The Animals’ frontman, Eric Burdon, performed the hit live last year, he ended up bringing it back into a new wave of life, resurrecting it for a whole new generation and amassing over 932,000 YouTube views in the process!
Eric first recorded this song with The Animals back in 1964 – a one-take wonder that became one of the most iconic rock songs of its era. Fast forward a full sixty years and Eric, now aged 84, lets his ripening age introduce a whole new feeling behind this song. It’s not just a simple retelling of an age-old story; he sings it like he’s lived every lyric, now more so than ever.
His gravelly voice traverses those blues-rock scales missing from our modern times, inserting ad-libs that make the track entirely his own while looking like a full-blown mobster in his black suit and shades; perfect for the track. But when he bursts into that legendary second verse, raising his voice an octave and belting the lyrics from his soul, the effect becomes simply sublime.
Backing Eric’s performance is a full band and brass section, adding vintage depth to the hit while giving Eric’s vocals the space to soar and command the crowd. And viewers can’t get over his impact. As one fan wrote in the YouTube comments, “I’ve listened to many versions, and this one is the best of all. Burdon has delivered a unique melody line with impeccable accuracy, and the roughness of his voice faithfully conveys the suffering of the original blues. A gem. Thank you, Eric.”
Eric will always be best remembered as being the frontman and songwriter for The Animals, up until the band’s breakup in 1966, and during the band’s brief 1977 and 1983 reunions. But over the decades, he’s also split his talents across a host of other projects, including his ‘70s music project, ‘Eric Burdon and War,’ the ‘Eric Burdon Band’ and even a project called ‘Eric Burdon’s Fire Dept.’ His solo endeavor houses the bulk of his most recent musical work, however, with eleven studio solo albums released between 1971 and his latest record, 2013’s “’Til Your River Runs Dry.”
Even after sixty years on the music scene, Eric just won’t stop shocking fans. Top comments beneath this viral 2024 performance run in a common stream of thought: “Mythical song and perfect orchestra: respect to Mr. Eric Burdon;” “Folks, he’s like 80 to 90 something years old, the fact that he can still sing is incredible. It certainly isn’t his prime but he clearly loved every moment;” and “Eternal masterpiece. The living legend, Eric Burdon, is awesome.”
Eric Burdon’s timeless rendition of “House of The Rising Sun” reminds us why this rock classic endures. With over 932,000 views, his powerful live performance continues to capture new listeners, weaving personal history into each line. To explore more about Eric’s remarkable journey and music, check out the links below.