House of the Rising Sun
A folk song older than any record of it. This traditional-style setting rolls in 6/8 on just three chords — and one move gives it that endless, haunting pull. (The famous 1964 rock version is a separately copyrighted arrangement, so here we teach a simple setting in the old folk manner.)
The chords & what each one does
Chords labelled with their Roman numeral(the chord's role in the key) and its job. Numbers, not letters — so you can move the whole thing to any key.
Why it works
This traditional-style House of the Rising Sun rolls in a hypnotic 6/8 groove on three chords drawn from A minor: i–III–V.
The haunting part is E → Am (V → i): E carries a G♯ — a leading tone a half-step below A that strains to resolve home. That endless pull back to Am is the whole mood.
Why does the E have a G♯ when A minor doesn't? That's the harmonic-minor move: raising the 7th turns the weak minor v into a major V that actually pulls home — the single most common trick in minor-key music.
Structure
Because the traditional song is public domain, the interactive lesson in the tool includes a full 6/8 fingerpicking verse cycle as playable tab — hit play and watch each note light up on the fretboard.
Hear it & see it on the fretboard
Open the interactive tool and its Learn a Song tab to hear these chords, watch them light up on the neck, and play the progression in time. Want to check a key by ear? Try the key finder, and brush up on chord progressions.
More song breakdowns
Educational analysis only. We don't reproduce lyrics, sheet music or recordings — chord progressions, keys and scales are shared facts of music theory. Song and artist names are used for identification and commentary; ThunderFret is not affiliated with or endorsed by any artist.
Reading only gets you so far — open the interactive fretboard and watch these ideas light up on guitar and piano.
Enter the toolFrequently asked
What key is House of the Rising Sun in?
A minor. Every chord is drawn from A minor and the song keeps resolving to Am.
What are the House of the Rising Sun chords?
In a traditional-style setting: Am, C and E — that is i, III and V in A minor. The famous 1964 rock recording is a separately copyrighted arrangement with its own longer chord cycle (adding D and F).
Why does House of the Rising Sun sound so haunting?
The E → Am (V → i) cadence: E adds a G♯ leading tone that strains back to Am, creating an endless, unresolved pull.