Blues, Bluegrass, and Beyond: Reuniting With My Harmonica Over An Old Blues Tune

Welcome back to Blues, Bluegrass, and Beyond! The House of the Rising Sun has always been one of my favorite songs. The versatility in the styles and instruments used to play the traditional tune is unparalleled. The song can be played on piano, guitar, organ, banjo, and nearly any instrument one could conjure to mind, and still sound mournful and original. However, even though this song has been played in the styles of rock n’ roll, bluegrass, blues, pop, and many others, it may carry its roots from either pre-colonial England, or Civil War era America.

Supposedly, according to legend, the song describes a mysterious brothel that originated in Elizabethan England, and was only imported to the Americas during the 19^th century, while another version of the story states the song emanated from New Orleans during the 1860’s. The song’s lyrics have also varied throughout the years. Some versions of the song are told from a woman’s perspective, such as the life of a prostitute, or a girl who married a criminal. Other versions relate the tale of a man who became a criminal, partly due to poor parenting, and partly due to a father with a penchant for gambling. The song’s legitimate history however did not begin until the early 20^thcentury. In the 1930’s the blues man, Lead Belly produced the song’s first famous recording. Soon, other famous artists, such as Woody Guthrie, Josh White, and banjoist, Pete Seeger recorded The House of the Rising Sun in the 1940’s and 50’s. However, it wasn’t until the British band, The Animals, led by singer, Eric Burdon, recorded the song in May of 1964, in the key of A-minor, did it gain international acclaim. Since then, numerous famous, and hometown musicians alike, have put their own touch to this old classic tune.

Picture is original. My very own Hohner harmonica.

The House of the Rising Sun is bound to make more appearances in my blog posts. I wrote my own version of the song, and enjoy playing and singing different versions of the tune in various styles, and on assorted instruments. However, today I am taking an unexpected leap. About two months ago, in December of 2012, I was cleaning up my home, preparing for the happy holiday season, when, I came across an old friend. It was a diatonic Hohner harmonica in the key of A. I had never learned to play harmonica, and almost as soon as I bought my instrument, I nestled it into a case for a nice, 7-year respite. Now, however, my lips were finally eager to grapple with the tiny holes of the harmonica. Therefore, for the last month and a half, I have been playing my harmonica occasionally, and I don’t believe it has returned to its case even yet. I was especially thrilled when I came across an easy version of The House of the Rising Sun, written in harmonica tablature. You can find it posted below. Alternatively, just visit harptabs directly to see the original tablature. I became even more excited when I discovered the secrets behind note bending. It’s almost an indescribable action that requires watching another human being perform it, as well as hours of practice, to master effectively. Today, I am capable of playing a few songs including The House of the Rising Sun, Ghost Riders in the Sky, and Oh Susanna. I guess that’s not too bad for only being reintroduced to an old friend, two short months ago. Check out my video below, and be sure to come back soon! Your pal – Tom Kostelac

Picture is original. My very own Hohner harmonica.

The harmonic tablature for The House of the Rising Sun, and my video giving a short background on the old tune, and playing the song on harmonica is below. I altered it slightly, however, you can still visist the original on harptabs.