From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Redirected from Goodnight Irene).  Goodnight, Irene  or  Irene, Goodnight , is a 20th-century American folk standard, written in 3/4 time, first recorded by American blues musician Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter in 1933.he song was the basis for the 1950 parody called Please Say Goodnight to the Guy, Irene by Ziggy Talent. It also inspired the 1954 answer record Wake Up, Irene by Hank Thompson, a #1 on Billboard's country chart.