"Irene"
![[image of music]](FFsniply-Irene.png)
unknown, unknown, .
| FF Type | Tune Type | Var ABC file | FF ABC file | FF .ly file |
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| Old-Tyme | singalong |
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MIDI
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| Orig | History | VarABCs | FF_ABC | FF_Lilypond | FF_Snippet |
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Playing or Personal Notes:
No personal notes.
History
"Goodnight, Irene" or "Irene, Goodnight," is a 19th century song written and published as "Goodnight, Irene" in 1886 by Gussie Lord Davis an African American songwriter. The song (by then much altered) was first recorded in 1932 by American musician Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter who claimed he had learned the song from his uncle.
The lyrics tell of the singer's troubled past with his love, Irene, and express his sadness and frustration. Several verses make explicit reference to contemplated suicide, most famously in the line "sometimes I take a great notion to jump in the river and drown," which was the inspiration for the 1964 Ken Kesey novel Sometimes a Great Notion.
In 1950, US folk group The Weavers recorded a version which became a US #1. Although generally faithful, the Weavers chose to omit some of Leadbelly's more controversial lyrics, leading Time magazine to label it a "dehydrated" and "prettied up" version of the original.
Due to the recording's popularity, however, The Weavers' lyrics are the ones generally used today.
Subsequent to 1950, the song was recorded by numerous artists across several genres. In 2002, Lead Belly's 1936 Library of Congress recording received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
(Huddie Ledbetter's Lyrics) Irene good night Irene good night Good night Irene Good night Irene I'll see you in my dreams Last Saturday night I got married Me and my wife settled down Now me and my wife have parted I'm gonna take a little stroll downtown Irene good night Irene good night Good night Irene Good night Irene I'll see you in my dreams Some times I live in the country Some times I live in town Some times I take a great notion To jump in the river and drown Irene good night Irene good night Good night Irene Good night Irene I'll see you in my dreams Quit your rambling quit your gambling Stop staying out late at night Stay home with your wife and family And stay by the fireside of right Irene good night Irene good night Good night Irene Good night Irene I'll see you in my dreams Irene good night Irene good night Good night Irene Good night Irene I'll see you in my dreams
On the Web:
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