Swampscott Patch Facebook Poll: Favorite Hurricane Song

What's your favorite song with a hurricane in the title?

The song Irene, Goodnight Irene, is one among many with a hurricane’s name in the title.

There's Hurricane by Bob Dylan, a great long song from the 70s.

Two other songs with hurricanes names are Donna and Gloria.

Oh Donna was done by Ritchie Valens. There was also a song in the 90s called Donna Everywhere by Too Much Joy.

Van Morrison does a rousing rendition of Gloria.

A search online also turns up information on Carol, written by Chuck Berry and sung by him and the Beatles. Apparently Neil Sedaka did it, too.

That brings us to Goodnight Irene, a tune that makes you want to sway side-to-side. 

Performers as dissimilar as Jerry Lee Lewis and Frank Sinatra have covered it. So have Johnny Cash,  Little Richard and Mississippi John Hurt.

Ry Cooder, Dr. John and Michelle Shocked, too.

The folk group The Weavers made it a hit in 1950.

But many music historians credit Lead Belly, blues musician Huddie Ledbetter, with writing the lyrics and crafting the tune for the version made popular. 

His lyrics speak about heartbreak, longing and revenge.

We’ll wait to see how Irene the hurricane speaks to us and is remembered.