Irene

Peter Greenstone

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Description

I took the lyrics from Leadbelly's original "Goodnight Irene", added some verses of my own, and put it to an entirely new melody. Originally, I'd planned to do a strait cover of the song. My father used to sing it to me as a lullaby and that was the only version I knew for most of my life. Now I know there are like a million different covers of it. So when I got together with my friend to record this at his house I just felt inspired to try something different with it. This was my first time arranging a song with more than just my voice and guitar, and it was a great feeling hearing it come together.

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Song Stats

Hits: 4241
Comments: 50
Fans: 16
Plays: 1010
Downloads: 180
Votes: 44
Uploaded: Dec 29, 2004 - 07:43:32 PM
Last Updated: Dec 29, 2004 - 04:12:33 PM Last Played: Nov 07, 2009 - 09:45:59 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Hardware:

G3, Taylor accoustic, and my friend's nice equipment.

Software:

Comments

	said 1792 days ago (December 29th, 2004)
	Awesome Version of Awesome Song Excellent performance, soulful singing and beautiful production. I've even heard variations of the lyrics that I (mis?) interpreted to mean that the singer killed Irene.

Peter Greenstone	Peter Greenstone said 1792 days ago (December 29th, 2004)
	Awesome Version of Awesome Song Leadbelly seemed to change the lyrics each time he sang it. I have some vague recollection of a version like that. I'm glad you liked this. Check out my latest song called From Nothing

mars	mars said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	Beautiful I'm sorry I don't know the original song but I really like how you did it. I thought the vocals are too separated from the backing track... maybe because of the vocal effect. But still I love the vocals. I love the way you express your feeling. Thank you for sharing. Check out my latest song called Spin (Live Jan.20)

Peter Greenstone	Peter Greenstone said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	Beautiful Thanks, Mars. I'm honored. The original is a classic old blues tune. Just an old man singing and playing his guitar. Unfortunately, I only have the mixed down version of this and can't make the various tweaks that I'd like to make. Check out my latest song called From Nothing

Rebsie	Rebsie said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	Wooh, what a voice I don't know the original song (though that probably doesn't matter since you've given it a new melody anyway) but I love the vocals here and the expression which has gone into it. Great stuff. Keep 'em coming. Check out my latest song called Amongst The Colours (w/ Luna Trick)

	webgames said 24 days ago (November 1st, 2009)
	great song I like the arrangement of this song and the mixing is great too, I like it. free games

Jim Bouchard

Jim Bouchard said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)

great version of a classic
I really like the original and you can't go wrong with source material so strong. The little variation on the melody really grew on me. I might have liked to hear a really ripping guitar solo somewhere in the middle, but it did build nicely as it is, so maybe that would only have been a distracting afterthought.
I might agree with the vocal effect being a little too strong. Maybe if you were to have the same track un-effected, and blend the two together(having some verses un-effected), it would make the effecting seem a little more subtle. But then who am I do criticize effected vocals, I do it all the time myself...lol !

I'm sort of interested in what the great equipment was, as this sounds really nice. It's really hard to do a song in 3 in Garageband as the Apple Loop selection is pretty limited in anything but 4.

Check out my latest song called Weather or Not w/awigze

Peter Greenstone

Peter Greenstone said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)

great version of a classic
Thanks. I was thinking a good slide guitar solo would fit in there but I'm just
not that good of a guitarist. As far as what the equipment was, I can't recall.
I'll have to ask my friend in L.A.. All I know is that it was a dream to sing into
that mic.

I've since moved from L.A. to Austin and only have the mixed down version,
so I can't change anything right now. Next time I'm in L.A. I hope to get
together with my friend and finish the track up. There are a number of things
I'd like to change/adjust, including some things that you guys here have
commented on.

Check out my latest song called From Nothing

Kevensor	Kevensor said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	nice! I like the arrangement of this song. your vocals are great! I wish I could sing like this. Check out my latest song called Smoove

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)

Astounding sound design!
Wo! Such great textures, such attention to little details,
great mixing. Great Kevin Gilbert vocals. But those
touches you've added throughout... masterful! Man, this
is top notch arrangement and, audio design, performance.
Simply great. (Altho the vocals sound "in a can" and, altho
this worked within the sound of the track, perhaps created
by a vocal doubler? But this is minor. Great track!)

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Peter Greenstone

Peter Greenstone said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)

Astounding sound design!
Thanks Tobin. Those comments mean a lot to me. This was my first time
really arranging music like this. My musical ideas have always been beyond
my actual playing skill and I never played in a band, so this was the first time
hearing the music in my head out loud (other than just solo on my guitar). It
felt natural and I realized that even though I work as an artist I have never
experienced as much pleasure in creating something as I do when I'm
creating music. I still have a lot to learn and I'm still finding my voice, but I
feel like I'm on to something. I'm so glad there is a place like MacJams where
I can intereact with so many talented people with so many styles and
backgrounds. It's great to hear music from people who are developing and
discovering their musical selves.

Check out my latest song called From Nothing

Stun Nutz	Stun Nutz said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	great song The attention paid to sonic detail here is incredible. I even like the "in a can" vocals - it adds to the uniqueness. I'm downloading this one for sure... Check out my latest song called Gossamer dissected

Ringo	Ringo said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	Just sounds great Stunning voice too. Shame about the abrupt end but so what when the rest is this good..? I have heard worse produced/ played and sung tracks on records....(even played on one...oops...) Wow. Check out my latest song called Real Slow

Willywagga	Willywagga said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	Great Twist Great twist on an ole tune, Check out my latest song called The Jes on Sea Road

Willywagga	Willywagga said 1791 days ago (December 30th, 2004)
	Great Twist Great twist on an ole tune, Check out my latest song called The Jes on Sea Road

SlimGirlFat	SlimGirlFat said 1790 days ago (December 31st, 2004)
	Fantastic Voice! This is a great track, I dont know the original either but, what you have done here is excellent. You really have a great voice and it really suits this music. Great melody .. More! SlimGirlFat Check out my latest song called Not Enough

failteband	failteband said 1790 days ago (December 31st, 2004)
	Best version I've heard of this old classic folk tune. You've added a new perspective to the interpretation. Production quality is superb. Maybe try a gradual fade-out for the ending next time. Check out my latest song called Lagan Lore

Suzanne

Suzanne said 1790 days ago (December 31st, 2004)

lullaby that rocks more than the cradle
fantastic sound. and the 6/8 feel has this great street feel, like walking aimlessly. the voice in a can gives the singer a walled-in sense, caught in an obsession about someone he can't have. the little swooshy sounds and use of wah (or something) filtering other bell-like sounds is so cool. such a great rush into the chorus. great pacing and use of building into those repeats! oh my my my. leadbelly is very proud, yes indeed. and your father. (quit a lullaby to sing to a child. did he sing it with this level of emotion and obsessiveness?). (but, maybe fix the ending so it doesn't just stop?

Check out my latest song called Rock The Baby With Voodoo (w/Tobin)

Peter Greenstone

Peter Greenstone said 1790 days ago (December 31st, 2004)

lullaby that rocks more than the cradle
Thanks for all the comments.
No, my dad didn't sing it this way. hehehe. I don't think that would make a
very good lullaby. He sang the original melody, which is still my favorite.

As far as the ending goes, as a few people have commented on, it ends that
way because I never got to finish working on it. I'm hoping to be able to
finish this and a number of other song recordings that I started at my friend's
home "studio" in L.A. before I moved to Austin. The day-job and long
stretches out of the country have delayed the process.

Check out my latest song called From Nothing

_nderscore	_nderscore said 1790 days ago (December 31st, 2004)
	slowwww.. but good! man, you have a killer voice. i really like the depth of sound you have created & the 'lyrics in a can' don't bug me much either-maybe just back off the reverb a touch. really great tune Check out my latest song called glyd

packosmokes	packosmokes said 1789 days ago (January 1st, 2005)
	Whoa! I loved this. Oh man, I mean purely loved this. Sure you borrowed some lyrics, but this sounds nothing like the original folk song. Wonderful vocal performance and treatment. Fanned and downloaded. Check out my latest song called With You

	said 1789 days ago (January 1st, 2005)
	Can't... really expand on anything that's already been said about this tune. I'll just say I enjoyed it very much. Fantastic voice and mix. Thanks for sharing it here.

Cameron

Cameron said 1789 days ago (January 1st, 2005)

expressive voice!
You *DO* have a great voice! It's very expressive, and
suits the musical material presented here well.

Many interesting sounds on this track, mixed with
imagination. Very pleasing to the ears. The arrangement is
very full and lush, but not cluttered. It's well-balanced.

Keep exploring your own sound....you're onto something
REALLY fine! Thanks for sharing your songs here.

Check out my latest song called EPONYM

listen	listen said 1789 days ago (January 1st, 2005)
	amazing not much to say that hasn't been said - amazing song, amazing vocals! Check out my latest song called Bossy girl in the staircase

Kevin Apgar	Kevin Apgar said 1787 days ago (January 3rd, 2005)
	Wow Once I got through the first minute of it, I was pretty sure I was able to pin the original down. But I'm still not entirely positive. Great mix, great music, great vocals. Who says you need a big studio and millions of dollars to make great music?

Peter Greenstone

Peter Greenstone said 1787 days ago (January 3rd, 2005)

Wow
Thanks. This is the only track from those sessions at my friend Todd's house
that I have uploaded to MJ. The others are in a strange state, too polished
overall to get away with some of the parts that are still rough. Someday, I
hope I'll be able to go back there and finish what we started. Todd has a
garage studio (basically a garage with some equipment and a couch in it). I
decided to name the album that all of this music would potentially go on "The
Blanket Sessions" because the 'sound booth' was just a thick blanket we
strung up in the corner of the room, and on one or two nights I pulled it
down to sleep in.

Check out my latest song called From Nothing

Iseae	Iseae said 1787 days ago (January 3rd, 2005)
	Well crafted I really liked the backing instrumentation for this piece, but the vocal treatment rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe somthing with a little less distortion would work. Well crafted song though. Great production. Check out my latest song called Vickys Song

said 1785 days ago (January 5th, 2005)

Can do
The vocal doubling places your voice behind the
instruments. TEs, it sounds likes your singing inside
a large can. That's not good unless you want to have
it simulate a live bar performance. If you duped the
lead vocal in GB and accidentally offset just a tad it
could have created that hollow sounding phase shift.
Sometimes that's cool, sometimes not. Or did you
apply a GB phaser filter to a single track? The way I
prefer to handle the lead voice is to have one
instance of the lead vocal that is centered and has
only Male Basic applied to it (minimal or no reverb).
With a carefully duped lead voice track, I will apply a
reverb effect to spread my voice to lightly "fill the
room" (sometimes throwing it to the right or left,
sometimes keeping it centered). I usually shy away
from phaser effects. The wrong MAster Track filter
can also multiply reverb and phaser effects to the
point where the lead "voices" (vocals and
instruments) lose their crispness and immediacy.

Having said all that, I see above that some like this
just the way it is. My ramblings are probably
irrelevant.

Anyway, great song! I am familiar with the original
and you do justice to it! You have a great voice and
have melded the instruments to it in expert fashion.

Peter Greenstone

Peter Greenstone said 1785 days ago (January 5th, 2005)

Can do
Thanks for the input. As I've mentioned to people above, unfortunately I
don't have the working project for this mix. It was done a couple of years ago
at my friend's home using Digital Performer and I only have the mixdown. I
moved from L.A. to Austin before we had a chance to finish working on this
and a number of other tracks. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to go back there
and finish things up with my friend. Until then, I'll keep the good advise I've
recieved in mind. There are a number of things I'd like to adjust, rework, and
add to the mix. I went a little bit crazy with some of the processing; it was all
such a novelty at the time.

Check out my latest song called From Nothing

aclarke	aclarke said 1779 days ago (January 11th, 2005)
	I love this song! This song is song with great passion and conviction. Outstanding! Bottom line- THIS ROCKS! Check out my latest song called Ballad of The Little Tiki

mulletsrock	mulletsrock said 1778 days ago (January 12th, 2005)
	More than a cover Much more than a cover. Didn't know the words were that potent. Well conceived and carried out. Very entertaining way of presenting it, vital and fresh. Check out my latest song called Frankenfun II (with iGStudio, Tobin, Suz...)

EdensEve	EdensEve said 1753 days ago (February 6th, 2005)
	uTunes on iTunes Great sound. I don't think you should really listen to anyone suggesting changes, except a softer landing on the end. You have a sound that is goosebumpy cool. Stay with it. Tour. Post on iTunes... Your voice should touch everyone.

Peter Greenstone	Peter Greenstone said 1581 days ago (July 28th, 2005)
	uTunes on iTunes Thanks, EdensEve. Looks like I've gotten behind on replying to comments. Yeah, the ending is the raw untied ends of a work in progress that never got finished because I moved away from where my friend and his home studio were. Check out my latest song called From Nothing

Thompa	Thompa said 1741 days ago (February 18th, 2005)
	Wow.. This is one of the best songs i ever heard... by the limitations in English i have to say in Swedish: dra åt helvete vilken bra låt så jäkla bra mixat..... its means WoooW!!!!! Thompa Check out my latest song called Warcrime

	said 1728 days ago (March 3rd, 2005)
	Your Sampler Reminded Me Since I have been putting together a list of favorites, to add this.

twonicus	twonicus said 1674 days ago (April 26th, 2005)
	great i love this...and i don't like this song at all. way to bring new life. great stuff man, really great stuff. Check out my latest song called Say It Loud (MJRF)

Peter Greenstone	Peter Greenstone said 1581 days ago (July 28th, 2005)
	great Thanks, twonicus. There are a tone of different cover versions of this song and most of them that I've heard are terrible. Michelle Shocked did a real nice one though. I learned the song (at least the chorus) as a child from my father singing it to me. Never heard any other version until I was an adult. Check out my latest song called From Nothing

MowMeDown	MowMeDown said 1582 days ago (July 27th, 2005)
	Youth and Age As fine a cover, if you can call it that, as I've heard. You have a very interesting voice. Youthful and old, all at once. Perfect for the song and they way you've renewed it. Check out my latest song called She's More To Be Pitied

Peter Greenstone	Peter Greenstone said 1581 days ago (July 28th, 2005)
	Youth and Age Thanks. That means a lot to me coming from an accomplished musician such as yourself. Check out my latest song called From Nothing

	said 1555 days ago (August 23rd, 2005)
	wow wonderful vocals and guitar...great mix and professional production

listen	listen said 1271 days ago (June 3rd, 2006)
	another listen... just listening to my playlist and heard this again ... amazing song. Check out my latest song called Bossy girl in the staircase

	hankjmatt said 253 days ago (March 17th, 2009)
	You have a killer voice. tower defense You have a killer voice. i really like the depth of sound you have created & the 'lyrics in a can' don't bug me much either-maybe just back off the reverb a touch.

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	Anna32 said 215 days ago (April 24th, 2009)
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	voyant said 93 days ago (August 24th, 2009)
	Very good This is a great track, you really have a great voice and it really suits this music. In French, pour chauffer votre maison, utiliser un chauffage à inertie ou un radiateur pierre refractaire , c'est de loin le meilleur moyen et le plus écolo !

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Artist Info

Name: Peter Greenstone

I'm not a professional musician by any means. By day I work as an animator and 3D artist. Over the past few years I have developed a passion for songwriting and making music. I do it all myself in my home with a pretty simple setup. I just finish... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

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