I rene " ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁on ▁a ▁prison ▁visit ▁to ▁Ang ola ▁( Louis iana ▁State ▁Pen it enti ary ). ▁These ▁record ings ▁for ▁the ▁Library ▁of ▁Congress ▁included ▁three ▁takes ▁of ▁" I rene ". ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁Art ▁Project ▁that ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁the ▁song ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁in ▁L om ax ' s ▁version , ▁as ▁" Good night , ▁I rene ", ▁a ▁joint ▁Led bet ter - L om ax ▁composition . ▁It ▁has ▁a ▁straightforward ▁verse – chor us ▁form , ▁but ▁is ▁in ▁w alt z ▁time . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁three - ch ord ▁song , ▁character ised ▁as ▁a ▁" folk ▁ball ad " ▁with ▁a ▁three - phr ase ▁mel ody , ▁with ▁proven ance ▁in ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁popular ▁music ▁transm itted ▁by ▁or al ▁tradition . ▁ ▁" I rene " ▁has ▁been ▁sty led ▁by ▁Neil ▁V . ▁Ros enberg ▁a ▁" folk ▁recom position " ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁song ▁" I rene ▁Good ▁Night " ▁by ▁G uss ie ▁L . ▁Davis . ▁H ank ▁Williams ▁connected ▁the ▁mel ody ▁to ▁the ▁English ▁ball ad ▁tradition , ▁via ▁a ▁mountain ▁song ▁he ▁knew ▁as ▁" P ere ▁Ellen ". ▁Le ad ▁Bel ly ' s ▁account ▁was ▁of ▁performing ▁" I rene " ▁by ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁in ▁a