Odetta, who was born in Alabama on December 31, 1930, performed a range of jazz, blues, folk, and spiritual music. She inspired many other artists, contributing to the folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s. And she also was active in the civil rights movement.
Thus, it is wonderful to see Odetta singing the timeless traditional folk song “House of the Rising Sun.” While many know the song for the rock interpretation by the Animals, its origins go back at least to the early twentieth century with the first printed version appearing in 1925.
In this performance from 2005, Odetta reveals the tragic blues of the song. She makes you feel it as the singer warns the listener not to “do the things that I’ve done.” Check it out.
Odetta passed away about three years later after that performance on December 2, 2008.
What is your favorite Odetta song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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