Lead Belly Sings "Goodnight Irene"
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2013
- A folklorist, John Lomax and his son Alan Lomax, with funding from the Library of Congress recorded Huddie William Ledbetter, commonly known as Lead Belly or Leadbelly. They first meet him while he was imprisoned. They were deeply impressed by his vibrant tenor voice and huge repertoire, they recorded him on portable aluminum disc recording equipment for the Library of Congress. They returned to record with new and better equipment in July of the following year (1934), all in all recording hundreds of his songs. On August 1, Lead Belly was released (again having served almost all of his minimum sentence), this time after the Lomaxes had taken a petition to Louisiana Governor Oscar K. Allen at Ledbetter's urgent request. The petition was on the other side of a recording of his signature song, "Goodnight Irene."
Kip Lornell, a Leadbelly expert, thinks this is almost certainly footage from March/April 1935, shot in Wilton, CT. --- probably at the home of friends of the Lomaxes. He wasn't sure if he'd ever seen footage from this event (Martha Promise Ledbetter joining Huddie in NYC), but I have seen stills. He confirmed that, this was before he recorded for ARC, though he had previously recorded for the Library of Congress. Its also well before he recorded anything for Moe Asch, which is now Smithsonian Folkways material. They made this film for the Library of Congress.For more information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_Belly
To inquire about licensing this footage contact: footage@globalimageworks.com
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I am the great nephew of Huddie Ledbetter and the family loves this footage. Its uncut and shows that just days AFTER Lead Belly got married he filmed this footage. As for the Lomax, well there are plenty of books and articles about their controversial relationship being racist, but I look at it as the sign of the times. Both men were making history in their own way. Lead Belly had long friendship with Alan Lomax. Whats interesting is the guitar. That is NOT the infamous Stella that is in the Rock & Roll hall of fame museum in Cleveland.
Thank you for sharing your insights with us.
Even in those times there were black men who would not have taken that crap
are you really his great nephew?
How much crap you take or don't take depends on a number of things. To my knowledge he was not generally inclined to take crap from anyone but your previous experiences, the current situation and your agenda can dictate if, when and to what extent you 'take crap'.
Alvin Singh ur leadbellys great nephew! thats ths coolest thing ive ever heard!
My Pap used to sit on his porch swing and sing this to me every night. He suffered from several strokes and he can't sing anymore. I forgot what this song was called, and just found it again. I played it for my Pap and the look of joy on his face was priceless.
+SuperWhoLock986 Thanks for sharing your memories.
Great little story Superwholock986 Im playing a few versions whilst waiting to head on out. Your story makes the song EVEN better.
This is wonderful. Yes, thanks for sharing.
I sooooo totally agree with you, John. I would love to have been a fly on the wall, watching SuperWhoLock986 play this for Paps and see the joy flow through him. =)
oh, really. You honestly expect anybody to believe this?
Leadbelly literally is like a great grandfather to modern rock n roll
ROCK AND ROLL is essentially a white music, and Leadbelly wrote for Black audiences.
He is not.
@@patricias5122 Rock and roll was invented by a black man. Chuck Berry.
rosetta thorpe, fats domino, little richard too@@Nowhereman-dk6ew
@@patricias5122 lmao what? Nothing you said was true.
She was grinning ear to ear, what a sweet moment caught on film for future generations.
The first song my mom sang to me as a child. That is 70 years ago. May she rest in peace, great lady who she was.
Rest in peace..
Rest in peace
Rest In Peace
Rest In Peace
Coolest comment on RUclips
All I can say is wow. I never thought such footage existed. It gives me the chills. 70 years it took for me to have the privilege and pleasure of seeing and hearing this! Thanks.,
Read the pin comment above and the comments! Enjoy
Brought back memories of my dad singing that to me to try to put me to sleep, but used my name, Noreen, 65 years ago. Brought tears to my eyes
Goodnight Irene, House of the Rising Sun, The Midnight Special, this man was a musical genius and one of the greats in the art.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SO CALLED LEGENDS THIS MAN IS THE REAL DEAL
And the White man stole it all
@@rickallday1660 Nobody cares about Lomax, Lead Belly is the legend we remember. I consider it a triumph, especially in the 40s.
@@rickallday1660 smh
George Harrison said if it weren't for Lead Belly there would be no Beatles.
Ashley says so sent me here!!
I've been a fan of Lead Belly all the way back to about 1961 or '62. My college professor, Dr. John O. West, gave me the Complete Lead Belly as a way of inspiring my continued interest in American blues music. I still have the collection of LPs included in the original box, and I treasure the memory of Dr. West.
Would love to see a pic of the boxset as I love old artwork
@@timl8285 You can find several issues and re-issues of Leadbelly's Last Session(2) on line. My original box is in tatters but I can send you a photo of Leadbelly taken from the front cover. How do I get it to you?
My dad used to sing this to us when we were little. He passed away in April of this year at the age of 88. Rest in peace, daddy.
Besides Ledbetter's fine performance, it's great to be able to see this rare footage in this intimate setting. (I've never seen such a beat-up twelve-string as this one. But what magic he could pull out of it nevertheless.) A great soul, and a national treasure.
This hurts so much especially with how much I love Leadbelly. I just can’t watch it hardly.
Ashleysaysso sent me!
that ended strangely
Michael Nicodemus Where did that white hand come from?
he was a convicted murderer... coulda ended worse,lol
what does the white man say?
Yes. For all his musical greatness the man was a pure misogynist. I just came across some of his lyrics "l beat my woman 'til I'm satisfied". Enough said.
The blues is mating music, Maybe all music is one way or another
Whenever I hear Good Night Irene I realize that song will live on for hundreds of years. Some long past away voice echoing through time bouncing off souls until time ends.
I have very fond memories of my mother,Irene, singing this song to us when we were children. I remember sitting at her knee loving to listen to her singing. My mother is greatly missed....God has her now, may she rest in peace❤
@Ashleysaysso brought me here to see this footage, Thank Ashley! Thanks to the King that posted this,
I love seeing the smile on his wife's face. Why is Leadbelly's head shoved forward like that near the end.
This video clip is nothing short of answered prayer. There are other films commemorating the genius of Professor Ledbetter in action, but this is arguably the most intimate of the lot. Just the setting says it all. An extraordinary visionary shares art, while those in attendance are both speechless and captivated. Magnificent in every sense of the term.
I have LOVED this song, since I was barely considered a sprout. I've always had a love affair with old folk, spiritual and blues music. Whenever I could find it, I would get my own copy of the original song, by the original musician, if it existed.
This video of Leadbelly, singing to this small group of people, is priceless. The pretty lady with the beautiful smile, sitting in the chair, looks absolutely mesmerized by Leadbelly, as he sings to her. I got the big warm fuzzies watching this.
Thank you, for posting this wonderful bit of music history.
I just found a newsreel of Leadbelly and Lomax and now I know why the pretty lady was so mesmerized. She was Leadbelly's sweetheart! Even more perfect! I really hated that newsreel, though. It might have been the way things were, back then, but, it doesn't make it right. Some of the very best music, of all time, was, as Lomax called it........Negro music. If it weren't for 'Negro music', there is a great chance that we would have no Rock and Roll music. All of us, whether black, white or purple, owe a great debt and much gratitude to the black people, before us, for the music and dances that we so enjoy today. Know what I mean? To the Spirit of all before us.......THANK YOU for all the pain, suffering and sacrifices, yet still having the beauty of song and dance, in your hearts and souls, leading us to our own musical enrichment and enjoyment. =)
Holy shit! There's video footage of Lead Belly and nobody bothered to tell me!?!! I've been a music geek for like 12 years and I'm just finding this now
I so proud to know what this song is and what it was all about. My grandfather would come in late at night singing this song in the 60s. Now I know and iam touched. Rip grandfather and thank you.
You can tell how much he loved that lady
Ashley sent me here for those who know ❤
I also am here because AshleySaysSo 😂
my dad is 80 and he still says
"Bedtime for Bonzo.,and goodnight Irene"
I love how he got two pardons and sang his way out of prison twice
very cool, never seen performance footage of Leadbelly before, or even knew any existed
Where does the spirit of music and song come from? That which we feel, and moves us, deeply? The soul? Listening to Leadbelly sing these few simple words is an experience of hearing a haunting sound of words woven straight out of his heart. Magic. As for his actions of touching the ladies face at the end.... all threw this short
piece the lady was looking at him in a dream and touching his shoulder...she was in love...he responded in passion with a strong but sensuous touching of her face.
If I tried to hold my spouse's jaw and mouth that forcefully I'd be quickly and vociferously shrugged off. Just saying.
My dad used to sing this to me at night. Always reminds me of him.
2:05
what the hell was that?
I promise you i would have been swinging that guitar at whoever was grabbing his head!!!
I felt the same way, but remember, this was the 1930s. Had he swung on that white man, it would have ended badly for Leadbelly. But yea, the ending kind of pissed me off.
My father use to sing this song in the 1960's. I miss my father and my grandfather too.
This song hit the cross road in 1938.
Goodnight Irene is about a man who vows to reform himself for his new bride. The last stanza is Irene setting her terms for accepting him back. We don't know if he'll succeed but he promises to try.
when the first USMC force sailed from San Diego in 1942 my father said everyone knew they would never come back. the families on the pier sang Good Night Irene and cried, the band played the star spangled banner, they sang Good Night Irene and cried. they sang until the ship was out of sight. heart wrenching. america has lost a piece of history.
My grandmother recently told me that she used to dance with my grandfather to this song when they were teenagers back in the early 40's at the beginning of WWII. My grandfather was a busboy at a small cafe in New Hampshire. My grandmother was from Brooklyn but was spending the summer in town with her mother, who had a case of scarlet fever and was leaving the city for some fresh air. She said when the restaurant closed, she and my grandfather would play this song on the jukebox and dance together over and over, all night long. He passed away last September, but the two of them were married for nearly 70 years. Now, the beautiful simplicity of this song always brings a tear to my eye.
So nobody noticed when he grabbed his wife's face the white panicked a little bit grabbed his head? 😂😂 they were trying to showcase a softer side of him in this video because of his hard reputation but they almost got something else 😂
He definitely was not going to hurt her. He was embracing her. He’s singing the song to her. Plus they had just gotten married the day of or the day before. 🤦🏾♂️
Fantastic video!!!!! A treasure found to see Leadbelly in person...., many thanks for posting it.
This guy might just be the greatest musician in American history.
There have been many great artists out there, but many of them many of the best, at least in the United States. Take inspiration from Leadbelly take music from him even to this day.
He is a musical great that should always be remembered.
I've been enjoying this song since I was 10 years old in the 1950's. I would ask my Mom to call the local radio station and request the song made popular then by Nat King Cole!
I would love to know where that old footage came from in such crystal clear condition. What an amazing privilege it is to be able to watch and hear Lead Belly perform one of his most famous songs. Thank you so much for uploading it.
In the Pines or Where Did You Sleep Last Night...Nirvana's amazing cover/tribute to Lead Belly brought me here. Thanks for sharing and for your insights.
Weren’t they all hypnotised? I heard once before … and that guy pushing lead bellys head down was really messed up
Really? He knew of his violent temper and steps in to stop him hurting the girl more like!
My dad used to sing that in the shower. I am 73 and my dad WW2 veteran who has passed.
Love how he sings to that sister and how she smiles back. There are issues with this of course, but I will take what I can and all these Ancestors show a beautiful, resilient history of Black America! My we looked good!
Best music around! Period!
💙
Yeah if African Americans had of stayed the course and listened to Malcolm X instead of Biggie Smalls, you'd be in a different world completely.
Should never have let thug rap culture replace real black culture
@@skobywankenobi lmfao you’re a clown. You wouldn’t say that to someone’s face.
The way he looks at her!!! 💙 no wonder his new wife is smilin wide.
(Make its making me cry right now)
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. It makes me so happy and in a moment so sad to think of the troubles this great man went through.
Thank you so much for this footage.
Wow this is a treasure! Thanks for posting.
I know. I was blown away when I discovered the raw footage. No one,
not even the musicologists at the Smithsonian knew it existed. Thanks for watching.
Tear to my eye. Absolutely beautiful!
dont this hit you right down in your soul, this is eques to any great master painting of long ago. is sheer beauty cannot be beaten
He is singing a song that has been a favorite of mine for many years.
I dedicate this song to my beautiful friend Irene 10/30/1947-4/30/2021 TWMA luv you forever
Out of all versions
Even the couple of leadbelly versions
This is the absolute best. Period.
thank you for uploading this, what a gem!
Varun Mehra Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.
Who’s here from Ashley Says So? 😂
excellent footage,love leadbelly
Beautiful!
Very good!!!
Great song!
He didn't like that white man grabbing his head either.... I can tell he was holding his tongue (jaws was tight!)...
Purely beautiful on so many levels
I'm trying to figure out why did the man push his head
I'm sorry folks for not knowing what your problem is, because I immensely enjoyed seeing this footage of a very classic song written by the artist taped herein.
The white man pushed him...
Absolutely awesome !!!
Who else came here from snoop dogg saying goodnight Irene 😭
Me!!!
Me lmfaoooo
💯
Call the ambulance! Pick up your people! 😂
LMFAO!!
I didn't know this song until one of my client ask me, what's your name? I said Irene, at first he does not seem to understand, then I spell it and he said ohhh Irene 😊 then he told me there's a song called goodnight irene, so here I am☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️
The fear in his eyes... This is absolutely terrifying.
yeah he was a he killed someone so instead of killing him they used him to play songs basically both wrong on the same side
@@drew-ok8wc what? That's not true at all, please stop spreading misinformation.
There’s nothing wrong with it. That girl is his wife and that guy who shoved his head is his friend who helped him get famous and helped him get out of a false murder conviction
@almond kuebler this "time" was around the mid 1900s. Just because it seems old doesn't mean all white people discriminated against people of colour. People still had morals. Slavery was actually abolished by this time.
drew hou false murder conviction th guy who grabbed his head is Andrew lomax who helped him get out of the case but I think was racist and got sued and he is singing to his wife right there
I will always love this
glad this footage exists
That guitar is awesome!!!
Crazy man shoving his head after such a beautiful performance was degrading... while saying Remember Who Owns Your Soul🤮. Everyone looked like movie actors frm Get Out. Very sad. Beautiful Song!
I don’t think he meant it that way just a bit rough
@@victornyabuto5553 🤡
Melissa Kay hey man I’m just saying you can’t make something out of nothing this guy also murdered someone
@@victornyabuto5553 who murdered someone and why?
Victor Nyabuto actually no he didn’t murder anyone. He was falsely convicted like a lot of other INNOCENT black men, women, and children.
Wow! This man can sing! I love their hair styles back then! This song should have been #1 maybe it was. I'm not old enough to know. Thank you so much for uploading this video. Simply amazing! Can I get as many thumbs up as I can for this man & the video.
I'm 81, and I'm not sure I'm old enough to know. Seems like I've been hearing this song all my life.
Beautiful music
This sweet love song was recorded when real southern black soul/coutry music was melodically beautiful,uplifting and
truly poetic.i was happily surprised to see and hear eric Clapton's more recent, sweet and molodious verson.But the real treasure here is the Weavers 1950 version..beautifully played and sung,this musical treasure will move your heart to the heights of joy and the depths of bittersweet memories of the profoundly mixed emotions. of ecstasy and heartbreak of true love..ray Johnston lynch.
Eric Clapton sucks and can't write a song to save his life. They are all garbage covers are overly produced 80's dreck. "Forever Man"? "She's Waiting"? Give me a break. Dude couldn't even write a song about his own son without a co-writer.
Ms. Martha looks like she's getting a little tired of smiling by the end.
when I was about 5 or 6 I would sing this song I can remember my mom and dad smiling at me when I sang it
The chorus line was changed from "I guess you're in my dreams" (mistakenly referred as "I'll get you in my dreams") to "I'll see you in my dreams"
Thank you I thought that it was I’ll see you
I thought his lyric was "I kissed you in my dreams"
@@genevievering7999 Yes, I thought it was "I'll kiss you" also.
Love that song😎
I love It such raw beautiful music
His wife was a good looking woman for those times and can tell he loved her, Leadbelly is a legend
Great video, one of those that justify the existence of RUclips beyond the tons of useless garbage.
I discovered Leadbelly about thirty years ago on a vinyl with exactly this recording (and other songs). Watching this video is a very special plus!
Thank you for bringing us this treasure.
Greetings from Brazil.
In loving memory of Mr. Huddie Ledbetter (1888/89 - 1949 R.I.P. // gone but not forgotten).
thank you
one of the bes artists ever known!
I got here after reading Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke. Thank you for sharing
Interesting how there was a time when an individual created such original material and hundreds and then thousands adopted and adjusted to create new music based on what went before.
Everyone looks posed and uncomfortable. And Leadbelly keeps repeating the refrain, as though that was all there was to the song. A VERY odd clip I must say.
Anyone who liked Lead Belly during this era was aware of the implications of this video. It’s a meta-commentary on existence, nothing else.
@@kadesull this is definitely not from the late 1800's it's probably from the 1920's-30's and the murder chargers were real. Leadbelly killed two men in his life and spent years on different chain gangs in the hardest prisons in the south.
Kood and Ace,
You're both incorrect and spreading disinformation about Lead Belly.
*The clip is from a 1935 Time magazine newsreel.
*Martha ( who he's singing to) is already his wife at this time.
*The man standing behind him is John Lomax, his manager at that point. They soon had a falling out and Lead Belly successfully sued him.
*Lead Belly killed one man, not two.
@@martincouch3723 you're right murdered one and had an attempted murder and a slew of assaults as well. The lomax family are responsible for preserving this old delta bluesmen as well as appalachian folk music. They are kinda responsible for the whole folk revival of the sixties once groups of young musicians started discovering music the Lomax's recorded.
@@thisguey88 No way this is late 800's with this "quality"; the first "film" was in '95
It looks more in fact part of the '20s or 30's even
EDIT: K so I just checked on Wikipedia and the guy was born in 1888, so probably around the '30s I presume, but who knows
A real evergreen covered by many
Why did that man grabbed Leadbelly’s head like that ???
My musical man-crush. We love you Mr. Ledbetter.
Get a time machine to just be sat to witness this. What a legend.
Best selling grunge artist goes to.....Ledbelly!!!
Brought back memories for me too, driving 3/4 time rythm so sweet.
Here to listen to this before I read Sometimes a Great Notion :)
Tha rotund white man who was hovering and hit the head of this legend in the end of the clip was the warden of the jail Mr Leadbelly was residing at. This is my fav video that I can find, where we are honored with seeing this magical music maker play before our eyes. He looked so happy to see and touch his girl and I can’t even comprehend how he must have felt. God bless you Leadbelly and thank you! And the warden and all others of his ilk fo
That wasn't the warden, that was Alan Lomax, the guy who made a contract with leadbelly to drive around the states and play music for money. Or something along those lines.
Best of all, Greetings from Chile.
great version always has ben up there
He was an amazing man, and a gift from GOD!
Happy Birthday Leadbelly!