September 5th: The Animals Electrify a Traditional Folk Classic

A foundational moment in the British Invasion occurred in 1964 as Newcastle rhythm and blues group The Animals reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with The House of the Rising Sun. Propelled by Alan Price’s swirling Vox Continental organ and Eric Burdon’s raw, impassioned lead vocal, the track transformed an old American folk ballad into one of the earliest transatlantic folk-rock masterpieces.