On this day in 1964, The Animals released their biggest song yet, a cover of The House of the Rising Sun

Lead singer Eric Burdon first heard the song at a club in Newcastle and was drawn to its unique sound. The band began to play the cover during a concert tour with Chuck Berry, favouring it as it provided a distinctive end to the set, standing out from other bands who would close with more traditional rock songs.

The audience reaction to the song was overwhelmingly positive, and so the band decided to head to De Lane Lea Studios in London to record their version. Remarkably, the song was recorded in just one take, with some accounts claiming that it took less than an hour to complete. 

Most of the band have since expressed some bitterness towards the songs producer Alan Price, as his name was the only one to appear on the original record label and therefore received the majority of the royalties for the song. Regardless, the song made them a household name and launched the band to the top of both the UK and US charts.

The House of the Rising Sun has gone on to appear on numerous lists, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll” and Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. In 1999 it received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and in 2005 was voted Britains fourth favourite number one song.