Leadbelly/Irene Goodnight

Alongside Woodie Guthrie, Leadbelly would have to be one of the most important figures in music recorded in Alan Lomax Archive of American Folk Music. Alan Lomax and his father  met Lead Belly in the Angola Penitentiary in 1933. While reading about Leadbelly and coming across many of photo's I cant help but get a feeling a sense of triumph. When I look at Leadbelly's I read alot of stories. I see how his emotions have shaped the contours of his face. When you look at Leadbelly's face you see truimph. He's not particulariy a good looking fellow but when he sings the blues, his face should becomes this visual representation of what the blues is. You sing the blues when you have the blues but I feel that theres always a feeling of triumph why singing the blues. The feeling of triumph is not only precieerved by looking at Leadbelly facial features. When Alan Lomax speaks about Leadbelly's voice he decribes it as truimphant and that it be heard from almost half a mile away.

      Irene Goodnight embodies the emotion evoked by the blues. It sounds as if Leadbelly is almost preaching while he's singing this song. Verse by Verse the listener visualizes the pain caused by the parting of his wife. Stop rambling, stop your gambling, stop staying out late at night.Go home to your wife and your family,stay there by your fireside bright