Although Lead Belly most commonly played the twelve-string, he could also play the piano, mandolin, harmonica, violin, and accordion. 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. In other recordings he just sings while clapping his hands or stomping his foot.
The topics of Lead Belly's music covered a wide range of subjects, including gospel songs; blues songs about women, liquor, prison life, and racism; and folk songs about cowboys, prison, work, sailors, cattle herding, and dancing. He also wrote songs concerning the newsmakers of the day, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, Jean Harlow, the Scottsboro Boys, and Howard Hughes.
In 2008, Lead Belly was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Though many of his posthumous releases list him as "Leadbelly," he himself spelled it "Lead Belly." This is also the usage on most of his original records, tombstone, as well as of the Lead Belly Foundation.
Leadbelly was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana, and spent time in and out of prison most of his life. In 1933, serving a sentence for attempted murder, musicologists John and Alan Lomax "discovered" him on a field recording tour sponsored by the Library of Congress. That summer, he was pardoned by the governor of Lousiana after recording his plea for pardon on a record, together with "Good Night Irene". Leadbelly went on to make hundreds of recordings of all sorts of different songs: country, blues, spirituals, reels, and work chants.
His songs have been covered by Mark Lanegan, The Animals, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Nirvana, Lonnie Donegan, Johnny Cash, Gene Autry, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, British Sea Power, Ram Jam, Ry Cooder, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Half Man Half Biscuit, Tom Waits, Shocking Blue, The White Stripes, Long John Baldry.
Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Biography: Lead Belly Biography
BIO Biography: Lead Belly Biography
Lead Belly Foundation: Lead Belly Foundation.org
Lead Belly is also on Last.fm as Lead Belly
Irene
Leadbelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good night, Irene, good night, Irene
I guess you're in my dreams
Sometimes I live in the country
Sometimes I live in town
Sometimes I have a great notion
Jumpin' in the river and drown
Irene, good night, Irene, good night
Good night, Irene, good night, Irene
I guess you're in my dreams
Stop rambling and stop gambling
Quit staying out late at night
Go home to your wife and family
Sit by the fireside right
Irene, good night, Irene, good night
Good night, Irene, good night, Irene
The Lead Belly’s song “Irene” is about a man who is left heartbroken after his girlfriend, Irene, leaves him. The song opens with the phrase, “Irene, goodnight Irene, goodnight, goodnight Irene, I guess I'll see you in my dreams.” The phrase The line “I guess you're in my dreams” possibly indicates that the man might not see Irene ever again thereby, will only be able to meet and see her in his dreams.
In the following verse, the man shares his lifestyle living in towns as well as the countryside. However, he is troubled as shown in the second line of the verse “Sometimes I have a great notion jumping in the river and drown.” This could be a metaphor for the man’s feeling of wishing to end his life due to his heartbreak. The melody of the song is soft and calming, yet the lyrics have a sense of despair.
The song has an advice segment to it where he advises people to “stop rambling and stop gambling,” and to “go home to your wife and family, sit by the fireside right” indicating that the man recognizes the value of stability and being with people one loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Irene, good night, Irene, good night
Saying goodnight to Irene, implying separation at bedtime
Good night, Irene, good night, Irene
Repeating the farewell to Irene, further indicating a departure
I guess you're in my dreams
Assuming Irene will be thought of while sleeping or in a dreamlike state
Sometimes I live in the country
Varying the place of residence, from rural to urban settings
Sometimes I live in town
Alternating living in cities, possibly due to work or other circumstances
Sometimes I have a great notion
Occasionally having an intense desire or impulse to do something
Jumpin' in the river and drown
Acting on an extreme urge, risking life by drowning in a river
Stop rambling and stop gambling
Advising to cease wandering aimlessly and gambling recklessly
Quit staying out late at night
Suggesting to stop returning home late at night
Go home to your wife and family
Encouraging to prioritize relationships with one's spouse and relatives
Sit by the fireside right
Relaxing and spending quality time at home
Irene, good night, Irene, good night
Repeating the farewell to Irene once more, potentially signifying the end of the song
Good night, Irene, good night, Irene
Confirming the final goodbye to Irene
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheRealForrestGeorge
[Chorus]
Irene good night
Irene good night
Good night Irene
Good night Irene
I guess you in my dreams
[Verse 1]
I asked your mother for you (what she tell him?)
She tole me that you was too young (she's 18 years old)
I wish to the good Lord that I'd never seen your face
I'm sorry that you ere were born (it broke his heart)
[Chorus]
Irene good night
Irene good night
Good night Irene
Good night Irene
I guess you in my dreams
[Verse 2]
Sometimes I live in the country
Sometimes I live in town
Sometimes I haves a great notion
Jumping in to the water and drown
[Chorus]
Irene good night
Irene good night
Good night Irene
Good night Irene
I guess you in my dreams
[Verse 3]
Stop ramblin', and stop gamblin'
Quit staying out late at night (what ya gonna do?)
Go home to your wife and family (where you ought to be)
Sit down by the fireside bright (and keep a comin')
[Chorus]
Irene good night
Irene good night
Good night Irene
Good night Irene
I guess you in my dreams
[Verse 4]
I love Irene God knows I do (too late)
I love her til the sea runs dry
If Irene turns her back on me (what you gonna do?)
I'm gonna take a morphine and die (she said go on and kill yourself then)
[Chorus]
Irene good night
Irene good night
Good night Irene
Good night Irene
I guess you in my dreams
@Unus_Annus_
Irene goodnight, Irene Goodnight
Goodnight Irene, goodnight Irene,
I guess you’s in my dreams.
-
I asked your mother for you (what she tell him)
She told me that you was too young
(she’s 18 years old)
I wish, dear lord, that I never seen your face
I’m sorry you ever was born
(she broke his heart)
-
Irene Goodnight, Irene Goodnight
Goodnight Irene, Goodnight Irene
I guess you’s in my dreams
-
Sometimes I live in the country
Sometimes I live in town
Sometimes I have a great notion
To jump in the river and drown
-
Irene Goodnight, Irene Goodnight
Goodnight Irene, Goodnight Irene
I guess you’s in my dreams
-
Quit ramblin’ and stop gamblin’
Quit Stayin out late at night (what you gonna do?)
Go home to your wife and your family where you outta be
Sit down by the fireside bright (and keep a comin’ now)
-
Irene Goodnight, Irene Goodnight
Goodnight Irene, Goodnight Irene
I guess you’s in my dreams
-
I love Irene, god knows I do
Love her till the seas run dry
If Irene turns her back on me
(what you gonna do?)
I’m gonna take morphine and die
(She said go ahead and kill yourself then)
-
Irene Goodnight, Irene Goodnight
Goodnight Irene, Goodnight Irene
I guess you’s in my dreams
@KeiVisual
2023. My grama always says "goodnight Irene" before we hang up the phone.
I asked her "why do you say that?" And she told me about this song.
It's crazy that the internet can preserve things from so long ago. My grama is 97 now, and she doesn't understand the concept of "google" or just typing something in & finding it.
But she loves hearing her favourite songs! The ones you can't buy anymore, & the ones she can't remember.
What a wild time we live in.
@josephlemko3027
I remember my father singing this song when I was a child. He was a big Leadbelly fan. 👍
@jgrillo638
Who is listening in 1935?
@melindalemmon2149
My dad was. And played for me in my crib. And Harry Belafonte and Burl Ives.
@TheKASINOINC
I thought of an invention, its silly, but it would be cables that send fast information, to places that then just radiate them to everyone. I call it the "Connection"
@jeanclaudechalifour8348
TheKASINOINC k
@borediideath6526
Technically the song wasn’t released until 1943
@spencersebring3619
h
@zirkalda9502
I once heard a group of guys singing this at a bar together. Unique experience.
@Sebastian-mr1ik
I would go out to bars more often if shit like that happened more often, but instead we are stuck listening to shitty pop music surrounded by kids drinking white claws