363. Goodnight Irene (Traditional American)

This song was made famous by Lead Belly, whose 1936 Library of Congress recording received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. He claimed he learned it from his uncle. It may have originally been based on an 1886 pop song by Gussie L. Davis. The Weavers recorded it in New York City on May 26, 1950. It lasted 25 weeks on the charts, reaching No 1. It has since been recorded by a number of artists, including Frank Sinatra (1950), Gene Autry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Ry Cooder, Michelle Shocked, Bryan Ferry, Little Richard, Pete Seeger, The Irish Rovers, The Chieftains, Peter, Paul & Mary, Mississippi John Hurt, Bob Hope, Nat King Cole, Odetta, Carl Perkins, Big Bill Broonzy, Lonnie Donegan, Robert Johnson, Chet Atkins, Leon Russell, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Jimmy Buffett, Grateful Dead, The Pogues, Mitch Miller, John Sebastian and just about everybody else. Here are members of the Hong Kong Folk Society attempting it after several hours of singing, playing and drinking.

Author: raymondcrooke
Length: 04:09
Views: 15164
Tags: dave  ellis  folk  hong  john  kong  leadbelly  love  pappas  society  song  sue  walsh  weavers