“House of the Rising Sun” in Baxter Springs?

The answer to the question: Sort of. The story behind this is complicated. So bear with me.

I just finished reading Ted Anthony’s excellent 2007 book, “Chasing the Rising Sun,” which traces the tangled and twisted origins of the famous song, “House of the Rising Sun.”

It’s nearly certain that you’ve heard the tune. But if you haven’t, here’s the definitive version by The Animals, which became a No. 1 hit around the world in 1964:

I had long assumed that “House of the Rising Sun” had sprung forth in the Deep South from a black blues singer in the early 20th century. But Anthony’s research reveals that the song almost certainly came from white singers in the Appalachian Mountains just after the Civil War or earlier. There also is evidence that “House of the Rising Sun” may trace at least some of its origins from the British Isles.

Anthony also discovered that “House of the Rising Sun” differed markedly depending on what region of the country it was performed. Sometimes it was in a minor key, sometimes major. It often was titled “Rising Sun” or “Rising Sun Blues.” One prominent folk singer swore that the house in question was a women’s prison, not a bawdy house, as has been long assumed. The song has long been considered as a cautionary tale about the evils of prostitution. But other versions have warned against alcohol, gambling and conniving men/women. And a few versions didn’t even mention New Orleans.

Which brings us to the now-quiet Route 66 town of Baxter Springs, Kan.

A folklorist in 1929 collected a set of song lyrics sent from a man in Tennessee. One set belonged to a variation of a tune called “The Rambling Cowboy.” Most of it contains the usual cowboy images, but here’s a section that caught Anthony’s eye:

There’s a girl in Baxter Springs
They call her the rising sun;
She has broken the heart of nine.
Love, boys, and this poor heart is one.

Baxter Springs once was well-known as a rough-and-tough cowtown. Here’s some history about the town after the Civil War from the Legends of America site:

Though the town took on all the appearances of prosperity, it also inherited a reputation for being one of the wildest cow towns in the West.

After the long cattle drives from Texas cowboys found the town a welcoming sight after several months on the dusty trail, making the most of the numerous Baxter Springs saloons. Offering up flowing liquor, card games and available women, every third business in town was a gambling house or a saloon. Public hangings, gunfights and saloon brawls soon became common occurrences.

The author also uncovered profane and explicit lyrics for “Rising Sun” that were sung by miners in Joplin, Mo., and northwest Arkansas as long ago as 1905. Considering the close proximity to Baxter Springs and its then-sordid reputation, Anthony doesn’t think it’s a coincidence.

So there it is. Baxter Springs has a link, albeit peripheral, to one of the world’s most famous songs.