(Goodnight) Irene
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"(Goodnight) Irene," one of the NPR 100 most important songs of the 20th century, was a favorite of the folk and blues artist Leadbelly. In the 1930s, the fabled enertainer used it to open and close most of his concerts, in a conscious attempt to soften his rough-hewn image. In 1950, Pete Seeger revived the song and turned it into a major pop hit. Hannah Lord reports.
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