House of the Rising Sun by The Animals is played in the key of Am at a intermediate difficulty level, originally released in the 1960s. It uses 4 chords — Am G F E — arranged in the i-bVII-bVI-V progression.
About the i-bVII-bVI-V progression
The Andalusian cadence (i-bVII-bVI-V) walks down the natural minor scale and ends on the dominant V for a strong resolution. It's the harmonic signature of flamenco guitar and appears throughout rock ballads and film music.
Playing in the key of Am
A minor is the relative minor of C major, sharing its scale and chord family (Am, Dm, Em, F, G, C) but with a darker, more introspective feel. One of the easiest minor keys for beginners because most of its chords use open shapes.
Related songs
More songs in the key of Am
Learn to play House of the Rising Sun by The Animals on guitar. It sits in the key of Am and uses the i-bVII-bVI-V progression with the chords Am G F E.