Good Night Irene

This expression dating from the 1950s is usually used to signify a calamitous end to something or other e.g. if money is lent to someone who never pays it back, then it’s ‘good night Irene’ as far as the money is concerned. It comes from a popular song called Good Night Irene recorded by The Weavers in 1950, which was popular on both side of the Atlantic. The Weavers’ version was based on the original song of the same title recorded by American blues singer Lead Belly Ledbetter in 1933. See also Good Night Nurse.