Goodnight Irene
The Weavers & Gordon Jenkins Lyrics

"Goodnight Irene" is a folk song that conveys a bittersweet message. The first stanza begins cheerfully, with the repeated farewell to Irene, but later refers to the singer being divorced from his wife, and contemplating suicide. After the first two lines of the chorus, "Irene, goodnight, Irene, goodnight," the line "Goodnight, Irene, I'll see you in my dreams" follows. It seems to indicate that even though he is saying farewell to Irene, she will continue to exist in his dreams.

The song describes a protagonist who has recently been married but is now separated from his wife. He is left to wander the streets, contemplating the various aspects of his life, including death. The lyrics also describe the singer's tendency to move between town and country life. There’s a sense of restlessness that pervades the song, which is underscored by the threat of suicide when the singer mentions diving into the river.