The Animals

Newcastle beat group; single produced by Mickie Most

The Animals recorded their arrangement in a single take on 18 May 1964 and Columbia released it in Britain on 19 June. It went to No. 1 in the UK, then to No. 1 in the United States on MGM, where it held the top spot for three weeks. The record deserves its reputation: Eric Burdon’s vocal and Alan Price’s organ turned a mountain ballad into something enormous, and it is routinely described as one of the first folk-rock hits. The only mistake anyone makes about it is chronological.

Who recorded it

Songs credited to The Animals that are covers

The House of the Rising Sun

Cover — originally recorded by Clarence "Tom" Ashley and Gwen Foster

Did they really say it?

Thought The Animals said something else?

Type a quote you think The Animals said — we’ll tell you what we know, or point you to the best sources.