As far as folk songs are concerned, few have enjoyed the success or longevity of ‘The House of the Rising Sun’. First popularised by The Animals, who topped singles charts in the UK, US and Canada with their rendition in 1964, a wide range of artists from Alt-J to Five Finger Death Punch have recorded versions of the track over the years. A traditional narrative folk song, ‘House of the Rising Sun’ tells the tale of a place in New Orleans, usually theorised to be either a pub or a brothel, which acts as the catalysts for a young man’s...