Goodnight, Irene
"Goodnight, Irene" | |
---|---|
Song by Lead Belly | |
B-side | "Ain't You Glad" |
Released | 1943 |
Genre | Folk |
Length | 2:25 |
Label | Melodisc |
Songwriter(s) | Lead Belly |
"Goodnight, Irene" or "Irene, Goodnight," is a 20th-century American folk standard, written in 3
4 time, first recorded by American blues musician Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter in 1933. A version recorded by the Weavers was a #1 hit in 1950.
The lyrics tell of the singer's troubled past with his love, Irene, and express his sadness and frustration. Several verses refer explicitly to suicidal fantasies, most famously in the line "sometimes I take a great notion to jump in the river and drown," which was the inspiration for the title of the 1964
Origin
In 1886,
Lead Belly's version
John Lomax recorded a version of Huddie Ledbetter's song "Irene" in 1933, on a prison visit to Angola (Louisiana State Penitentiary).[3] These recordings for the Library of Congress included three takes of "Irene".[4] The first version recorded in 1933 had two verses and two choruses, the second version from 1934 had four verses and four refrains, while the third version from 1936 had six verses and six refrains, including an extended spoken part.[2]
"Irene" has been styled by Neil V. Rosenberg a "folk recomposition" of the 1886 song "Irene Good Night" by
Lead Belly continued performing the song during his prison terms.[12] An extended version of the song that includes narratives connecting the verses appears in Negro Folk Songs as Sung by Lead Belly.[13] In 1941, Woody Guthrie used the melody for his New Deal anthem Roll On, Columbia, Roll On.[14]
"Irene" remained a staple of Lead Belly's performances throughout the 1930s and 1940s. In 2002, Lead Belly's Library of Congress recording received a
Version by the Weavers
In 1950, one year after Lead Belly's death, the American folk band
The single first reached the
Covers
After the Weavers' success, many other artists released versions of the song, some of which were commercially successful in several genres.
On the
The song was the basis for the 1950 parody called "Please Say Goodnight to the Guy, Irene" by Ziggy Talent. It also inspired the 1954 "answer" record "Wake Up, Irene" by Hank Thompson, a No. 1 on Billboard's country chart.[30]
Other hit versions
- 1959: Billy Williams reached number 75 on the US Billboard pop chart.[32]
- 1962: Jerry Reed reached number 79 on the US pop chart.[33]
Use in football
"Goodnight Irene" is sung by supporters of English football team Bristol Rovers. It was first sung at a fireworks display at the Stadium the night before a Home game against Plymouth Argyle in 1950. During the game, the following day, Rovers were winning quite comfortably and the few Argyle supporters present began to leave early prompting a chorus of "Goodnight Argyle" from the Rovers supporters—the tune stuck and "Goodnight Irene" became the club song. The song was sung by Plymouth Argyle supporters for a long time before this and this added to the goading by the Bristol Rovers fans.[34][35]
Other uses
In professional wrestling, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis frequently referred to his finishing move—a standard sleeperhold—as "Goodnight, Irene."[36]
In the 2013 videogame BioShock Infinite, the song is heard being sung at the Raffle Fair, in the beginning of the game. It's an early indication of the anachronistic nature of the story, as it is set in the year of 1912.
See also
- "If It Had Not Been For Jesus", a Christian gospel sung to the same tune, first recorded in 1930 by Blind Willie Johnson
References
- ISBN 0-521-24827-2.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Big Daddy". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ a b c Lornell, Christopher. ""Goodnight, Irene"--Lead Belly (1933)" (PDF). Library of Congress.
- ISBN 978-0-19-516024-6.
- ISBN 978-1-135-86886-4.
- ^ The Annals of America: 1929-1939: The great depression. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Incorporated. 1968. p. 371.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-2946-2.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-351-57351-1.
- ISBN 978-1-337-56037-5.
- JSTOR 4137902
- ^ "Irene, Good Night", Words and Music by Gussie L. Davis New York: M. Witmark & Sons, 1892. Library of Congress Call Number M1622.D, online
- ISBN 978-0-19-974319-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-306-80896-8.
- ^ Negro Folk Songs as Sung by Lead Belly, Transcribed, Selected and Edited by John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1936, pp. 235-242.
- ISBN 978-0-313-33891-5.
- ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 1 - Play A Simple Melody: American pop music in the early fifties. [Part 1]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
- ISBN 978-1-135-46296-3.
- ISBN 978-1-58394-126-3.
- ISBN 978-1-60980-656-9.
- ^ "Goodnight Irene (song by Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and the Weavers) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Good Night, Irene". Time magazine. 1950-08-14. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008.
- ^ "Number One Song of the Year: 1946-2015". Bobborst.com. Archived from the original on 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Goodnight Irene (song by Frank Sinatra) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 123.
- ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ "Goodnight, Irene (song by Dennis Day) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. 1950-08-19. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Goodnight, Irene (song by Jo Stafford) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. 1950-08-26. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1994). Top Country Singles 1944–1993. Record Research. p. 250.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–1995. Record Research. p. 167.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top Pop Records 1940–1955. Record Research.
- ^ "Wake Up Irene (song by Hank Thompson) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Review: Keith Richards - Crosseyed Heart". Rolling Stone (in German). 2015-09-17. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
- ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ^ "DOWNLOAD GOODNIGHT IRENE NOW!!". Bristol Rovers F.C. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
- ^ "The Old, Weird Everywhere: Bristol Rovers and "Goodnight, Irene"". Pitch Invasion. 16 February 2008. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
- ^ Deadrich, Jason (2015-09-23). "Adrian Adonis – Online World of Wrestling". Onlineworldofwrestling.com. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
External links
- Youtube Leon Russell Goodnight Irene in Studio (video has been removed)
External links
- "Good Night Irene" - lyrics and midi on RienziHills.com Retrieved on 2009-08-10.
- Recording of "Good Night Irene" in .ram (Real Audio Metadata) format on LeadBelly.org (The first verse of Good Night Irene is also played on the Intro page of LeadBelly.org without requiring the Real Audio download.) Retrieved on January 7, 2012.