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Christina Planck

English Composition II

Professor Stalbird

September 27, 2020

House of the Rising Sun

"House of the Rising Sun," is a song about a man fallen victim to the vises of addiction,

living a life of sin and misery ruined by ‘the house of the Rising Sun’ in New Orleans. “There is

a house in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun and it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy,” are

lyrics that state this is a corrupt place. There are many different versions but two that will be

discussed are by The Animals and Five Finger Death Punch (FFDP). The Animals’ version more

focused on a warning, but their version and FFDP's version both make similar claims using

pathos to appeal to men, young men, religions that include God, poor and middle classes, and

mothers of young men; however, Five Finger Death Punch’s (FFDP)version, taking place in a

desert, powerfully impacts the audience by telling a story, additionally using ethos, and reaching

a broader audience including women, non-religious people, all types of social classes and

ethnicities.

The Animals nor FFDP wrote the lyrics to the "House of the Rising Sun." The Animals

released their version in 1964. FFDP added lyrics to their version and released it in 2014. Both

versions claim living a lifestyle of sin, gambling, and alcohol, at ‘the house of the rising sun will

ruin a life. The verse, "Going back to sin city to wear that ball and chain," describes the restraints

instigated by addiction. The verse "It's been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God I know that I

am one," provides evidence of the author's life ruined from living this lifestyle. Alcohol proved
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to be an issue by speaking of the gambler from the words saying the only time he is happy is

when he is on a drunk.

The Animals’ version of the song focuses more on the warning to not do what he has

done and destroy life, additionally warning mothers to not let this happen to their sons. Showing

only the band whom are dressed the same in the video creates a weak impact. The a band is in an

empty white-wall room playing instruments with the lead singer. The camera shows the lead

singer singing while staring into the camera allowing for the audience to feel the seriousness of

the lyrics. The camera takes on different views at different parts of the song. Although, The

Animals’ style is calmer than Five Finger Death Punch's, the singer never smiles, allowing his

voice to grow louder and showier at certain points to project the message. The singer’s emotions

allow the audience to feel the lyrics.

Five Finger Death Punch's (FFDP) video shows the claim of the song by telling a story,

and adding lyrics to the beginning of the song, providing more emphasis and detail to help the

audience understand the lifestyle described in the lyrics. This version is heavy metal and

hardcore at the start, then slowing to the same meter The Animals’ used. FFDP’s video begins

with a group of people in High Desert, Nevada at night partying with women dancing, and

alcohol followed by the main character, Ivan, being woke up by a friend. The group of friends

meets up with two businessmen, who are gamblers. One of the businessmen hands him a

briefcase and says, "you know the drill, double up, 20 percent." Ivan takes the case and is then

seen gambling and losing to a cheating opponent in a card game. The sin and misery thicken as

fighting breaks out, shots are firing, and dead bodies are shown. Ivan and the others escape. The

video shows them returning to a house only to have their lives ruined when greeted by one of the
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businessman's gun. At this point, it is the end of the song and the lyrics are, "it's been the ruin of

many a poor boy, God knows that I am one.

The type of rhetorical appeal used in The Animals’ version of "The House of the Rising

Sun," is pathos, appealing only to the emotions of the audience. The audience in this version is

white men, young men, mothers, religions who believe in God, and the poor and middle classes.

The band is white, and the lyrics speak of sin, and “poor boy,” as well as give warning to

mothers to not do what he has done. The rhetorical appeal used in FFDP's version is pathos and

logos. Many scenes showcase in detail to the audience the emotions of the characters that

represent this song's lyrics in the videos. Showing dead bodies, fights, alcohol poured into

mouths, partying, organized crime, and the house are details the audience can use logic to figure

out the warning, or claim, to living this type of lifestyle given be true.

These two different versions of a very old song have a strong, important, and meaningful

message. The two songs make the same claim advising others to not destroy their life living in

sin and misery allowing addiction to ruin their life. However, FFDP provides a stronger effect on

the audience to back up the claim of the song by providing a video that tells a story. FFDP’s

intense version appeals to a bigger audience: anyone who has an addiction problem, young to

middle-aged men, women, mothers, non-religious and religious people, all ethnicities, and social

classes. The Animal’s version is calmer and more serious, appealing to a narrower audience.
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Works Cited

Five Finger Death Punch, "House of the Rising Sun" March 24, 2015

YouTube: https://youtu.be/sXYIxJScSik

The Animals, "House of the Rising Sun" Provided by Universal Music Group,1987 ABKCO

Music & Records, Inc. Released on: 1964-01-01 Composer: Alan Price

YouTube: https://youtu.be/MJkr0DWbhTk