House of the Rising Sun Chord Progression (i bIII IV bVI)
The House of the Rising Sun progression is the chord progression i-bIII-IV-bVI. In the key of C minor it is Cm Eb F Ab, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1m b3 4 b6.
Chords from outside the key of C minor: F.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The major IV is the surprise: its raised sixth comes from Dorian, and the next chord, bVI, takes that note straight back down to natural minor. That small rise and fall gives House of the Rising Sun its folk-blues colour. It differs from I-bIII-IV-bVI in the 52 only by its minor tonic, which is what gives it its darker sound.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The House of the Rising Sun | The Animals | verse, first four chords | Am C D F | A minor |
| The Sweet Escape | Gwen Stefani ft. Akon | verse | Bbm Db Eb7 Gb | Bb minor |
| Pump It | Black Eyed Peas | bridge | Em G A C | E minor |
House of the Rising Sun Chord Progression: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
Shorter progressions inside it
- Minor i-bIII-IV: Cm Eb F
More progressions like this one
- Hotel California progression: Cm G Bb F Ab Eb Fm G
- Minor line cliche: Cm Cm/B Cm7/Bb Cm6/A
- Chromatic lament bass: Cm G/B Cm/Bb F/A Ab G
- Picardy third ending: Cm Fm G C
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the House of the Rising Sun progression in each key?
In C minor: Cm Eb F Ab. In G minor: Gm Bb C Eb. In D minor: Dm F G Bb. In A minor: Am C D F. In E minor: Em G A C.
Which songs use the House of the Rising Sun progression?
Songs that use it include The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals, The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani ft. Akon, Pump It by Black Eyed Peas.
