That 1960's riff in A minor

[essexbasscat]

If you grew up  anywhere near a guitar in the 1960's and 1970's, you'll have heard the riff to House of the Rising Sun. Everyone learned it, most didn't play it properly, but we all paid homage. 

RIP Hilton Valentine, thanks for the riff of a lifetime

 

 

[Old Horse Murphy]

I remember seeing Graham Gouldman on Songwriters Circle saying he was obsessed with the chord  progression of House of the Rising Sun and decided he would be "heavily influenced" by it when he wrote For Your Love that was recorded by The Yardbirds!

RIP Hilton

[casapete]

I  remember people playing it okay apart from the F chord which was always a struggle for a beginner, especially on a guitar with a high action like most starter instruments were in those days.

[Nail Soup]

Yep - regardless of your music genre, if you learned 6 string you learned Hilton's HOTRS.

[Nail Soup]

And I guess it earned that ultimate guitar accolade - to be banned from guitar shops!

[Pseudonym]

On 31/01/2021 at 11:40, Nail Soup said:

And I guess it earned that ultimate guitar accolade - to be banned from guitar shops!

In baseball, great players sometimes have their numbers retired. (Jack Robinson's number -- 42 -- is retired throughout the Major League.) Perhaps, in future, guitar shops might take a similar approach. "Oi! None of that -- that riff's retired! Show some respect!"

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Here's Dr May paying tribute on a very vivid (and slightly out of tune) Red Special.

He's done another video explaining how to play the guitar part, and how tricky it is to get it right. He's still a very humble musician.

[Stub Mandrel]

Nice to see him nearly cracking up near the end.

I always imagine Eric Burdon stealing Chas Chandler's dinner money...