Goodnight Irene - Leadbelly - Strum Along Lesson - Jez Quayle

This Leadbelly song is presented with the lyrics, chords and a suggested strumming pattern, so you can play or sing along with me and learn how to perform this classic tune.
A song sheet containing the full lyrics and chords can be viewed or downloaded from my songbook blog here: https://jezquaylesongbookhome.files.w...
Goodnight Irene was written by Huddie (pronounced 'Hewdie') Ledbetter (alias 'Lead Belly'). It's a pretty strange song really, with the singer threatening to do bad things to himself if his new wife, Irene, isn't kind to him.
The Weavers did a lot to popularise this song when they released it as a single in 1950, after cleaning up the lyrics a little (e.g., the verse about committing suicide from a morphine overdose was omitted). Johnny Cash also recorded a great version. My rendition is a mix of The Weavers' and Leadbelly versions ...with a bit of Johnny Cash thrown in maybe. I sing that morphine verse.
I hope you enjoy playing along with me! - Jez