Tim O'Brien — House of the Risin Sun

There is a house down in New Orleans They call the Rising Sun It's been the ruin of many a poor boy And God, I know I’m one If I had listened to what my momma said I'd be back home today But I was young and foolish I let a gambler lead me astray Now my mother, she's a tailor She sowed my new blue jeans My sweetheart is a drunkard, Lord God He drank down in New Orleans Now the only thing a drunkard ever needs Is his suitcase and his trunk The only time he’s ever satisfied Is when he's on a drunk Well, he fills his glass Up to the brim He passes it all around And the only pleasure he ever gets out alive Is ?? from town to town Go and tell my baby sister Not to do like I have done And spend her life in sin and misery In the house called the Rising Sun I've got one foot on the platform Got the other on a train I'm going back down to New Orleans To wear that ol' ball and chain Now my life is almost over I guess my race is nailed at once I'm-a going back to spend the rest of my days In the house called the Rising Sun