A Lesson in History (1) Ain't It a Shame (1) Back-Water Blues (1) Bourgeois Blues (2) Careless Love (1) Dicky (1) ... Goodnight, Irene by Lead Belly. Goodnight, Irene by Eddy Arnold was written by Leadbelly and John Lomax and was first recorded by Leadbelly in 1933. Comments: 8. Irene, good night, Irene, good night Good night, Irene, ... Its origins actually stretch back to a song by Gussie L. Davis in 1889, and Leadbelly learned the song from his uncle. [Part 3 of this series deal with the post-Lead Belly years of “Goodnight, Irene”: more recent cover versions.] Lifted from A. Lomax's Folk Songs Of North America. ; Tristan from Philadelphia, Pa The saddest thing about this song, was that the line "I get you in my dreams" was later changed to "I'll see you in my dreams" and became a number one hit by the Weavers after Leadbelly died. They made a recording of his theme song "Good Night Irene", and on the other side of the disc Lead Belly sang a new ballad asking Louisiana's Governor Oscar Allen for a pardon. Some of his best-known songs are “Midnight Special,” “Rock Island Line,” and “Goodnight Irene.” In addition to recordings for the Library of Congress, and Moe Asch’s companies—Asch, Disc, and Folkways Records—Lead Belly also recorded for RCA, Capitol, and Columbia Records. NOTE: The first recording of this song was by Huddie William Ledbetter (Lead Belly) in 1933.... G CHART AT : … - RBW The "Davis" cited by Spaeth is Gussie L. Davis, and according to Guy Logsdon & Jeff Place the date is 1887, not 1888. It was first released by Lead Belly in 1943. In 1950, his song "Irene," now called "Goodnight, Irene," was recorded by the Weavers, a folk group including Pete Seeger and other musicians acquainted with Lead Belly, and became a number one pop hit, with hit covers by such pop singers as Frank Sinatra and a number one country recording by Ernest Tubb and Red Foley. Goodnight Irene Lead Belly Buy This Song. Midnight Special (Remastered) 7. * As you can see if you follow that link to The Life and Legend of Leadbelly , Wolfe and Lornell also connect the song (per Ledbetter family folklore) to Huddie’s niece Irene Campbell. Other Statistics; Songs. Just 6 months after Lead Belly passed away, The Weavers’ cover of “Goodnight, Irene” shot up the Billboard Best Seller chart, staying for 6 months and peaking at #1. The "Davis" cited by Spaeth is Gussie L. Davis, and according to Guy Logsdon & Jeff Place the date is 1887, not 1888. Good Morning Blues (Remastered) 4. * As you can see if you follow that link to The Life and Legend of Leadbelly , Wolfe and Lornell also connect the song (per Ledbetter family folklore) to Huddie’s niece Irene Campbell. He was known for his distinctive tenor voice and his use of the unusual 12-string acoustic guitar. These recordings for the Library of Congress included three takes of "Irene". He told the Lomaxes he’d heard the song sung by his uncles as a child. The Library of Congress Recordings: Leadbelly - Midnight Special, Vol. You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. This is a great album to understand why so many rock/folk musicians look back in time for their direction, so many good songs. Darian from San Antonio, Tx the "sometimes i live in the country" lines are most definately in the leadbelly version, or at least the one i have. Other articles where Goodnight, Irene is discussed: Lead Belly: …six months his song “Goodnight, Irene” became a million-record hit for the singing group the Weavers; along with other pieces from his repertoire, among them “The Midnight Special” and “Rock Island Line,” it became a standard. 4 album - including song video, artist biography, translations and more! 20th-century American folk standard, written in 3/4 time, first recorded by American blues musician Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter in 1933. Lyrics to Goodnight Irene by Lead Belly from the Leadbelly: Important Recordings 1934-1949, Pt. Goodnight Irene sold more records than any other pop song since WWII. "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. The lyrics tell of the singer's troubled past with his love, Irene, and express his sadness and frustration. Facts. Automated page speed optimizations for fast site performance. Irene, goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Goodnight, Irene, Goodnight, Irene, I'll see you in my dreams. Irene (Goodnight Irene), a song by Lead Belly on Spotify We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Although generally faithful, the Weavers chose to omit some of Lead Belly’s more controversial lyrics, leading Time magazine to label it a “dehydrated” and “prettied up” version of the original. Emerson, Lake & Palmer – NutRocker (1971), Tiny Bradshaw – Train Kept A-Rollin’ (1951). The 1888 song "Irene, Goodnight," sung by the Haverly Minstrels and credited by Spaeth to "Davis" (but dated 1892), is a separate piece. Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk and blues singer, musician and songwriter notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the folk standards he introduced, including his renditions of "Goodnight, Irene", "Midnight Special", "Cotton Fields", and "Boll Weevil". Some of his best-known songs are “Midnight Special,” “Rock Island Line,” and “Goodnight Irene.” In addition to recordings for the Library of Congress, and Moe Asch’s companies—Asch, Disc, and Folkways Records—Lead Belly also recorded for RCA, Capitol, and Columbia Records. It is thought to be a Tin Pan Alley song from the first decade of the century but may be earlier. See details. Darian from San Antonio, Tx the "sometimes i live in the country" lines are most definately in the leadbelly version, or at least the one i have. In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic. 4 (1939-1947) (2005) on the album Leadbelly Vol. It was picked up by the minstrel shows who traveled the country. In other recordings he just sings while clappin… read more Goodnight Irene (Remastered) 5. Eddy Arnold released it on the album Eddy in 1976. In the Weavers. Alberta (Remastered) 3. 1934. In 1950, one year after Lead Belly's death, the American folk band The Weavers recorded a version of "Goodnight, Irene". 6 (1947) (2005) This single first reached the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart on June 30, 1950 and lasted 25 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1 for 13 weeks. ... Smithsonian Folkways has released several other collections of his recordings: Leadbelly Sings Folk Songs (1989) Lead Belly… GOODNIGHT IRENE CHORDS (ver 5) by Leadbelly @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com I think this tab is the same as Lead Belly's version, it may sound slightly different because his guitar is out of tune. Your email address will not be published. It was first released by Lead Belly in 1943. Best Answer for Woman Bid Goodnight In A Lead Belly Song Crossword Clue. The Weavers’ version of Goodnight, Irene, derived from Lead Belly.Lead Belly was a Louisiana-born African-American blues and folk artist. In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar. Since then, it's also been recorded by Ry Cooder, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash , The Chieftains, Eric Clapton, Tom Waits, and Peter, Paul, and Mary , to name a few. It was on the other side of a recording of his signature song, "Goodnight Irene". Just 6 months after Lead Belly passed away, The Weavers’ cover of “Goodnight, Irene” shot up the Billboard Best Seller chart, staying for 6 months and peaking at #1. … This information is shared with social media, sponsorship, analytics, and other vendors or service providers. It was covered by Jimmy LaFave and the Ribbon of Highway Cast, The Fureys & Davey Arthur, Eddy Drake, Eduard Jimmy Matešić and other artists. He was known for his distinctive tenor voice and his use of the unusual 12-string acoustic guitar. It was covered by John Stewart & Darwin's Army, Second Line Jazzband, The Perch Creek Family Jugband, Ivo Robić and other artists. The "Davis" cited by Spaeth is Gussie L. Davis, and according to Guy Logsdon & Jeff Place the date is 1887, not 1888. He though claimed to have been taught it by an uncle. The song Goodnight Irene was written by Leadbelly and John Lomax and was first recorded by Leadbelly in 1933. The Weavers’ version of Goodnight, Irene, derived from Lead Belly.Lead Belly was a Louisiana-born African-American blues and folk artist. For this song your guitar should be tuned a half step down. Their partnership created a lasting document of Lead Belly… Due to the recording’s popularity, however, The Weavers’ lyrics are the ones generally used today. 15 Songs. Comments: 8. Alabama Bound (Remastered) 2. Recordings are made of Lead Belly and many other people. Leadbelly tabs, chords, guitar, bass, ukulele chords, power tabs and guitar pro tabs including goodnight irene, midnight special, alabama bound, cotton fields, good morning blues The petition was on the other side of a recording of his signature song, "Goodnight Irene." Irene (Goodnight Irene) This song is by Lead Belly and appears… on the album The Library Of Congress Recordings: Leadbelly - Midnight Special, Vol. He had learned the song from his Uncle Terrill Ledbetter around 1908 in Texas, but the origins of the song dates back to the 1880s, when an African-American songwriter named Gussie Davis probably wrote it. This is a great album to understand why so many rock/folk musicians look back in time for their direction, so many good songs. He added verses, and he completely changed the tune. That day, Huddie Ledbetter, aka Leadbelly, cut his first recorded version of what became known as "Goodnight Irene" and 11 other songs, opening a career that would keep his name alive more than a half-century after his death, carried far beyond the boundaries of Louisiana and the United States. In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar. Goodnight, Irene (Lead Belly and others) April 3, 2016 Elijah Wald Another song I’ve always known — I’m sure we sang it in school, I’m sure we sang it at the children’s sing-along evenings in Woods Hole, I’m sure I heard it sung by Pete Seeger, and the Weavers, and lots of other people, before I knew who Lead Belly was. Seeger says Lead Belly must have made a few changes to the original tune. Often cited as a major influence on the history of Folk, Country, and even the Blues, the song has been covered by other artists such as Mississippi John Hurt, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Ry Cooder, Ernest Tubb and Red Foley, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Dr. John, and Tom Waits, and many others. It was covered by Jimmy LaFave and the Ribbon of Highway Cast, The Fureys & Davey Arthur, Eddy Drake, Eduard Jimmy Matešić and other artists. Yeah, John E. Lomax, co-author: like, Sorry about that, Huddie — you were a great chauffeur! Huddie ‘Lead Belly’ Ledbetter – Goodnight, Irene (1933). Required fields are marked *. 1 (1934-1935) (2005) on the album Leadbelly Vol. Changing old songs into new ones was something Lead Belly may have picked up during the many years he spent in prison. Though every one of his recordings is absolutely essential to the development of music, there is perhaps no other song in history that stands as important to the progression of popular music, nor a song that is as perfectly sorrowful as one can find in Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter's iconic recording, "Goodnight Irene." 1 Lead Belly ... Good Night Irene 1965 Bourgeois Blues: Lead Belly Legacy, Vol. Leadbelly - Country Roots - 125 Original Recordings (Remastered) Album Lyrics; 1. John Lomax recorded a version of Huddie Ledbetter's song "Irene" in 1933, on a prison visit to Angola (Louisiana State Penitentiary). “Irene” has pretty accurately been reported to have been written in about 1888 by a man from Dayton, Ohio named Gussie L. Davis. You can also subscribe without commenting. If you don't get a response via email or need to reach us quickly feel free to call us at 413-256-8596. One of the first recordings of 13 year-old Jimmy Page in 1957 and the rise of Skiffle. In other recordings he just sings while clappin… read more - RBW. (We often screen calls so it is good to talk into the voicemail and we may pick up when we hear your voice and you aren't a sales call.) The 1888 song "Irene, Goodnight," sung by the Haverly Minstrels and credited by Spaeth to "Davis" (but dated 1892), is a separate piece. [Image: snippet of “Goodnight, Irene” sheet music as commonly appearing around the Web. Lead Belly drives the car, assists with recording equipment, and helps to encourage singers. By August 1st, Lead Belly was a free man. [Part 3 of this series deal with the post-Lead Belly years of “Goodnight, Irene”: more recent cover versions.] In some of his recordings, such as in one of his versions of the folk ballad "John Hardy", he performs on the accordion instead of the guitar. General Comment"The song, however, was not written by Leadbelly.Its origins actually stretch back to a song by Gussie L. Davis in 1889, and Leadbelly learned the song from his uncle. April 24, 2019 The first song Lead Belly recorded for them was “Goodnight, Irene”, the waltzing lament of a married man gone astray. Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. It was on the other side of a recording of his signature song, "Goodnight Irene". He told the Lomaxes he’d heard the song sung by his uncles as a child. This is a great album to understand why so many rock/folk musicians look back in time for their direction, so many good songs. Cotton Fields. 1 (1991) on the album Lead Belly's Last Sessions (1994) on the album Leadbelly Arc& Library Of Congress Recordings, Vol. Total Plays 547 times by 132 Artists; From the release Goodnight Irene (Album) In some of his recordings, he sang while clapping his hands or stomping his foot. The first song Lead Belly recorded for them was “Goodnight, Irene”, the waltzing lament of a married man gone astray. Billboard ranked this version as the No. The title is Irene on early Leadbelly recordings. It was first released by Lead Belly in 1943. [1993:] [We] found ourselves in a most unexpected situation. ... "In 1950, everybody knew this song." The single first reached the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart on June 30, 1950 and lasted 25 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1 for 13 weeks. In Songsters and Saints, Paul Oliver auggests that the song was written in 1886 by Gassie Davis, as Irene, Goodnight. ... mandolin, harmonica, violin, and windjammer. I’ve seen in a book the words with a completely different tune printed way back in the 19th century, but not the exact same words, just the chorus and maybe the first verse. John Hardy (Remastered) 6. This recording is a testament to two men, the Louisiana African-American musician and composer, Lead Belly (born Huddie Ledbetter, 1885-1949), and New York recording engineer and Folkways record company owner Moses Asch. Over the course of nearly 25 years, he served four different sentences: two for assault, one for attempted homicide and one for murder. “Goodnight Irene” was Leadbelly’s most famous song, and he often began and ended radio shows with it. The song Goodnight Irene was written by Leadbelly and John Lomax and was first recorded by Leadbelly in 1933. Here’s a version by Eric Clapton: Your email address will not be published. This is a great album to understand why so many rock/folk musicians look back in time for their direction, so many good songs. In other recordings he just sings while clappin… read more After Leadbelly's "discovery" and consequent fame from the song in the 1940s, The Weavers picked it up and hit number one with it in 1950, a year after Leadbelly's death." John Lomax recorded a version of Huddie Ledbetter's song "Irene" in 1933, on a prison visit to Angola (Louisiana State Penitentiary). A waltz yet! I also believe that this song marched in the folk music revival. This video this is almost certainly footage from March/April 1935, shot in Wilton, CT.,  probably at the home of friends of the Lomaxes. Leadbelly died Dec. 6, 1949, six months later Irene became a hit & sold 2 million & was translated into every European language". Last Saturday night I got married, Me and my wife settle down, Now me and my wife are parted, I'm gonna take another stroll in town. He changed everything he ever sung. 1 song of 1950. One of Huddie's friends— Don't subscribeAllReplies to my comments Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Lead Belly “Lead Belly and ‘Goodnight, Irene’” As early as 1908, Huddie Leadbetter (aka Lead Belly, born 1888, Mooringsport, Louisiana) was apparently singing “Goodnight, Irene” and family members suggested that he created the song while singing lullabies to his infant niece, Irene Campbell, in Leigh, Texas. The 1888 song "Irene, Goodnight," sung by the Haverly Minstrels and credited by Spaeth to "Davis" (but dated 1892), is a separate piece. Wikipedia. They note some melodic similarity to the song sung by Lead Belly. They note some melodic similarity to the song sung by Lead Belly. Kip Lornell, a Leadbelly expert, thinks this is almost certainly footage from March/April 1935, shot in Wilton, CT. --- probably at the home of friends of the Lomaxes. ; Tristan from Philadelphia, Pa The saddest thing about this song, was that the line "I get you in my dreams" was later changed to "I'll see you in my dreams" and became a number one hit by the Weavers after Leadbelly died. After Leadbelly's "discovery" and consequent fame from the song in the 1940s, The Weavers picked it up and hit number one with it in 1950, a year after Leadbelly's death. …song “Tzena, Tzena, Tzena,” “Good Night Irene” (by Leadbelly), “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You” (Guthrie), “Kisses Sweeter than Wine” (Hellerman), and such Seeger-Hays compositions as “If I Had a Hammer” and “Lonesome Traveler.”. - RBW. The specific origins of “Irene” are unclear. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. In the summer of 1950 you couldn't escape it. Lead Belly's version. Sir, There were one or two errors in David Cheal’s otherwise fine report on Lead Belly’s signature song “Goodnight, Irene” (“ The Life of a Song, Life & Arts, October 10). recording by the Weavers. ... Smithsonian Folkways has released several other collections of his recordings: Leadbelly Sings Folk Songs (1989) Lead Belly… Show all 40 Lead Belly songs. John and Alan Lomax were anthropologists and music historians who collected songs to preserve in the Library of Congress. An acclaimed documentary film, Wasn’t That a Time, chronicled their 1980 reunion concert…. September–October. Recordings Used: Bridging Lead Belly. You can adjust your cookie choices in those tools at any time. While made widely known by Lead Belly, this song was also a major hit for a group called The Weavers, featuring a young Pete Seeger. John A. Lomax and Lead Belly travel throughout the South to collect examples of Black secular folk songs, primarily in penitentiaries. In 1950, his song "Irene," now called "Goodnight, Irene," was recorded by the Weavers, a folk group including Pete Seeger and other musicians acquainted with Lead Belly, and became a number one pop hit, with hit covers by such pop singers as Frank Sinatra and a number one country recording by Ernest Tubb and Red Foley. The Lomaxes brought him to New York, where he delighted audiences who were astonished by the raw power of "down home" music. This gave him lots of time to listen to, and learn, the music of older inmates. Lead Belly was singing a version of the song as early as 1908, which he claimed to have learned from his uncles Terell and Bob. Thanks to the enthusiasm of bandleader Gordon Jenkins, we'd recorded one of the songs of Leadbelly, who'd died penniless the year before. It was probably sung in Shreveport where Lead Belly’s uncle, who was a musical man himself, brought it home. Huddie ‘Lead Belly’ Ledbetter – Goodnight, Irene (1933) July 13, 2019 One of the first recordings of 13 year-old Jimmy Page in 1957 and the rise of Skiffle. Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. Songs similar to or like Goodnight, Irene. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Goodnight Irene: The Weavers, 1949-1953 - The Weavers on AllMusic - 2000 - There are great records, and then there are… , harmonica, violin, and accordion song Lead Belly must have made a few changes to the ’... [ 1993: ] [ We ] found ourselves in a Lead was! 1934-1949, Pt harmonica, violin, and accordion also believe that this song., so good. Of time to listen to, and accordion throughout the South lead belly goodnight irene other recordings of this song collect examples Black... And express his sadness and frustration ] found ourselves in a Lead Belly most commonly the. 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