Mooringsport, Louisiana 1889 - d. 1976) wrote Goodnight Irene while incarcerated for murder in North Carolina State Penitentiary, situated in the foothills of the beautiful Appalachian mountains. It was first released by Lead Belly in 1943. One of Huddie's friends— Starling Myers--later told Campbell that, “I was there when he wrote that song. 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. Irene Kelly, the woman referred to in Jan Burke's "Goodnight Irene," is a veteran reporter for the News Express, in the fictional Southern California town of Las Piernas. 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… “Goodnight Irene” was Leadbelly’s most famous song, and he often began and ended radio shows with it. "Goodnight Irene," or "Irene," is a 20th century American folk standard. Goodnight Irene is the name of a song written in 1933 by American blues musician, Huddie (Lead Belly) Ledbetter. Irene good night, Irene good night, Good night Irene, good night Irene, I’ll see you in my dreams. Davis was one of America's earliest successful African-American music artists, the first black songwriter to become famous on Tin Pan Alley as a composer of popular music. Gussie Lord Davis (December 3, 1863 – October 18, 1899) was an American songwriter born in Dayton, Ohio. 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 song Goodnight Irene was written by Leadbelly and John Lomax and was first recorded by Leadbelly in 1933. Some sources, including blues scholar Paul Oliver, claim the version popularized by Leadbelly in the 1940s is based on the 1886 pop song by Gussie L. Davis. It was covered by Rick Franklin & Tom Mindte, Jimmy LaFave and the Ribbon of Highway Cast, The Fureys & Davey Arthur, Eddy Drake and other artists. She told me that you was too young (She's 18 years old) I wish the lord that I'd never seen your face I'm sorry you ever was born (It broke his heart!) She is presently working for a public relations firm, however, after having quit her job at the newspaper. Leadbelly himself said he had learned it from his uncle. The lyrics tell of the singer’s troubled past with his love, Irene, and it expresses his sadness and frustration. Last Saturday night I got married, Me and my wife settled down, Now me and my wife we are parted, I think I’ll go out on the town. One of these was "Irene," later retitled "Goodnight Irene." Irene, goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Irene, I'll get you in my dreams I asked your mother for you (What'd she tell him?) He was entertaining It was a US #1 hit for folk group The Weavers in 1950.