Back in 2003, I went to visit my grandma in her rest home. She didn’t remember me, my brother, or even my father (her son). She was confused why we were there. She taught me many old blues and folk songs as a child, including this one. I started singing “My girl, my girl...” she immediately joined in, “don’t you lie to me/tell me where did you sleep last night..” We sang a couple of more bars before she asked “Young man, where did you learn that song?” I said, “You, grandma. You taught me that song.” She looked over to the caretaker and said “This kid is trying to trick me!” It was the last time I ever saw Grandma Rose. I miss her so much. ❤️

He was born 140 years ago. I get so many notifications correcting me every year.

“Fuck you all this is the last song of the evening”

Imagine how Leadbelly would feel knowing millions of people listen to his music 80 years later.

Leadbelly is such a genius that he covered Nirvanas song decade's before it came out, Sad to see both artist's go

Isn't it crazy to think we can listen to someone sing a song who died before a lot of us were even alive. We had no chance of ever meeting this person but we can hear how the words roll of their tounge

crazy how Kurt knew about and was into such good music. he didn’t have internet and etc. crazy to think how he would even discover a lot of folks he admired.

The definition of “soul” in music, even as a folk song this still is way before it’s time.

This man's voice is really haunting

The Blues is the roots of rock music.

Don’t stop with this song. Leadbelly had a lot of terrific recordings.

Lots of love for leadbelly from all here in Ireland 🇮🇪

This man deserves to be in the Rock and Roll hall of fame.

Man, this is an unbelievably crisp recording for the mid-late 40s.

Ram jam, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, the animals, it seems like everyone has covered his stuff he was so influential!

When I first heard the Nirvana cover I was immediately in love with it, crazy to actually hear where it came from

Everyone be asking “where did you sleep last night?” but nobody be asking “how did you sleep last night?” ✋😔

When he sings “shiiiiiiver” I could literally feel that shiver

My great grandmother used to sing this or a version or this except she used to say "in the pines in the pines where the sun never shines and the cold wind shiver and shook" not exactly sure where she got the different words from and that was the only part she ever did sing. She died a couple years ago at 100 years old. She was my whole heart ❤ and I loved that woman more than anything. Oh how I miss her. She was so genuine and put everyone else a priority her whole life. I wish I could go back and have one last day with her and hear all her old songs and sayings and play cards with. This one she would sing quite often so that's what made me search for it. She was born in 1919 so I guess this was from her time. I love you grandma t miss you so much but happy you are at peice now. Watch over me until I get there. Much love ❤ from your great grand daughter ❤

Love both versions.

When I was growing up, I was so in love with Nirvana's cover, I remember listening to it over and over again. It's nice to discover where it originally came from so many years later!

crazy how almost 80 years later, this song is still being covered.

I have to admit... this guy did a pretty smart move by time travelling back in time and covering a Nirvana song. I bet everyone back then thought that shit was pretty hype.

His voice comes from the center of the earth and soars out to the stars. Whew!

I slept on the floor last night. Had family over. I think I saw a rat.

Near the end of leadbellys life the beatles were born. Near the end of the beatles, the nirvana guys were born. By the time kurt had passed you were all born and now youre listening to this. Full circle.

Never heard him sing before. Put this song on, and a shiver ran down my spine. What a beautiful, haunting style!

Linda música. Grato ao Cobain por ter me apresentado essa obra prima.

I genuinely slept in the pines last night, and shivered the whole night through, I kept singin this song and it made me feel slightly better about being homeless ya know?

Leadbelly was not the first to record this song. His recording is from 44. Bill Monroe recorded the song under the title "In the Pines" in 1941. The song is a traditional song from the 1870s. Neither of them wrote it. Dock Walsh has the earliest known commercial recording of the song from April of 1926.

Leadbelly and Nirvana doing concerts together in the other dimension

[Verse 1] My girl, my girl, don't lie to me Tell me, where did you sleep last night? (Come on and tell me baby) In the pines, in the pines where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through [Verse 2] My girl, my girl, where will you go? I'm going where the cold wind blows (Where’s that, baby?) In the pines, in the pines where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through [Verse 3] My girl, my girl, don't you lie to me Tell me, where did you sleep last night? (Come on and tell me something about it) In the pines, in the pines where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through (Shiver for me now) [Verse 4] Her husband, was a hard working man Killed a mile and half from here (what happened to him?) His head was found in a driving wheel And his body has never been found [Verse 5] My girl, my girl, don't you lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through

Drinking whiskey by the fire place and this. Perfection

Leadbelly: My girl, my girl, I swear that I don't have a gun...

Ledbelly recorded so many hits, people don't even realize. The man didn't get the credit he so well deserves...

I seriously love Leadbelly. One of my idols!

Those little melodic runs, and throughout the chord progressions, and that rich, compelling voice with that hint of gentle menace. Traditional yet timeless. It's gorgeous.

Such a haunting and powerful tune, I can totally see why Kurt would have wanted to play it

My all-Time Favorite Teacher, Miss Hodge in 5th grade played (endlessly) her collection of Leadbelly 45s. We imagined them to be fabulously Ancient; after all it was 1963 and We were in the Space Age !! Our Rocket Cars were almost certain to be here Soon !! 😊🚀

133 years ago...but still lives! In the hearts of all who know where the roots of rock & roll first sprouted. You can hear the early Stones, Van Morrison, & Neil Young. Pure Gold

I am listening to this in 2018. With my blue tooth headphones, connected to my iPhone, connected by WiFi to the internet. Listening to a genius who died 30 years before I was born. We are living in the future. Imagine trying to explain that to him as he records this.

One of the best songs ever recorded

Been a fan of Leadbelly since I was a teen in my blues rock phase. Years later he's still the goat of bluesman for me.

I thank you Leadbelly for your beautiful music. RIP LEAD. RIP KURT

Hearing the hissing of the record just makes this sound so much better.

Nirvana made so many people aware of Leadbelly ( not saying people didn't already know of him they very much did) at that Unplugged. Phenomenal.

Respect from Brazil 🇧🇷, I love this song so much, the feelings it goes through are amazing ❤️

I have an uncle who passed away in the 70s. He loved jazz and left a whole stack of single vinyl. Ive found some gems.

If there is ever a Fallout game set in a cold mountainous environment, this would be perfect as the song for the trailer.

Love it.... Kurt great taste for music. Thanks to tell me bout this great song .... Kurt Cobain 2020 who's around

this man died 40 years before i was even born but his song has been with me my whole life.

It's a beautiful song. I'm Thai. I like this song very much. I listened and thought of my grandfather who died of COVID-19.

Song is great. What Kurt did with it was absolutely amazing. I would think Lead Belly would be happy with what he inspired in one of the greatest musicians to ever live.

Really gives you some insight into Kurt's mind when you realize he picked this old blues song. Remember Kurt was into this before the internet. He must have had tapes of all different music. You're the man now, dog.

Huddie and Kurt and somewhere beautiful playing this song together under an old pine tree with a bottle of whiskey and some weed laughing endlessly. ❤

This was the only song that I was like head over heels in love with on Nirvanas Unplugged and I always knew it was a cover, but I’d like to think Kurt did this man proud with his gut wrenching, soulful rendition of the song. And It’s great to know the source finally. I’ve heard so many artists play this song. Not sure if this man wrote it or if it was just a popular folk song, but this is amazing. Simply timeless. The emotion of the song in the right artists hands doesn’t fail to connect even over a century apart.

Janis Joplin said in a interview that his album was the first she ever bought, and that he greatly influenced her. You can almost hear the resemblance when you play her blues music. Glad I listened to this. I really like it.

I have heard this song a dozen times but I just realized this is a duet. Each alternating verse is part of a conversation. "My girl, my girl, where did you sleep last night?" "In the pines, in the pines, I shivered the whole night through"

Absolutely beautiful. Clear and heartfelt. Thank you for posting.

Kurt found about Leadbelly because of William S. Burroughs, an author he admirred a lot and inspired him. He was not a fun of rock n roll and Kurt not only respected that he also searched more about his music taste. Kurt Cobain: I remember him saying in an interview, “These new rock’n’roll kids should just throw away their guitars and listen to something with real soul, like Leadbelly.” I’d never heard about Leadbelly before so I bought a couple of records, and now he turns out to be my absolute favorite of all time in music. I absolutely love it more than any rock’n’roll I ever heard. R.I.P. Kurt. I wish you were here to see the amount of inspiration you gave us.. You inspired generations of people and you still do. You will never be forgotten.

I knew about Leadbelly when I was 10. I was always looking for all types of music as a child. I played, Rock- a -Billy, Blue grass, Blues, Swing, Rock and Roll, Pyschedlic Rock, Heavy Metal, R&B, Rap...… I just liked music as an escape.

I love the old southern feel of the song it goes so well with the lyrics and bass line

What a voice! 👍👍👍

Beautiful and humble ! Perfect Song!!!

Lyrics : My girl, my girl, don't lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My girl, my girl, where will you go I'm going where the cold wind blows In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My girl, my girl, don't you lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My husband, was a hard working man Killed a mile and a half from here His head was found in a driving wheel And his body hasn't ever been found My girl, my girl, don't you lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through

Kurt Cobain and Nirvana introduced me to this song. Needless to say, I immediately loved it! But, I'm real happy to have found Ledbelly's version, the original!

Wow this gives me the chills because of its beauty and perfection. This gentleman ROCKS X

A great inpiration for so many.

I didn't realize Leadbelly made so many songs that later bands covered. House of The Rising Sun, Black Betty, and this to name a couple

Ashamedly I've heard Nirvana do this song for 20 years and this is the first time my brain thought "Hey, you should go look up this "Lead Belly" version that Kurt keeps talking about". Beautiful! Had no idea this song dated back to the 1800s!

Effortless brilliance, what a voice, sublime, emotive singing

I’m glad this made it here, I searched for this song years before when one had to go to record stores, the library, or sharing the cover and hoping someone had the tune.

I first heard this song in the movie "Coal Miners Daughter." Loretta Lynn was singing it to her little brother as she rocked him to sleep. In true Ledbelly fashion, it was interrupted by gunfire as a moonshiner was killed and carried off the mountain on the back of a mule.

Damn, this man is responsible for sooo much music that people don't even know he is. I'm lucky, my mother gave me the love of the blues, and I took it and listened to a lot. But this is new to me, Kurt Cobain made me look up this one. Thanks Kurt, from the grave you still inspired me.

my father God rest his soul introduced me to Leadbellies music 55 yrs ago

It makes your soul quiver,that's what it does. My God. I haven't heard the original in a long while now, and I know how to shiver. It's bad you know. Kurt's rendition was moving too, especially considering what was going on in his life right about then. Thanks.

"Shiver for me now"... My god, first time I've heard the original version. I'm shivering for you leadbelly

I'm pretty sure that anyone who's heard Nirvana's cover knows the original song is from Leadbelly. Kurt made it pretty clear.

Just a man and a guitar, folks. Oh, and magic.

The song dates back to the 1800s but was first recorded in 1926 by a banjo player named Dock Walsh. Bill Monroe recorded it in 1941, and Lead Belly in 1944. Nirvana covered this on their 1993 Unplugged In New York album.

In my book this is the man. He influenced John Foegerty, Led Zeppelin, Bill Monroe, Nirvana, countless others including myself.

It wasn’t recommended, we searched for this masterpiece. love and peace from Mumbai/India

I just wanted to take a moment to say ,Leadbelly's a badass name.

What an AMAZING TALENT, way ahead of his time, FANTASTIC!!

Amazing how Kurt took this song and made it so somber and dark, without really changing it much at all. His voice just completely changed it. Gotta say, I love Leadbelly’s original just as much.

We are really lucky to have these old recordings. If we didn't this great music would be lost to time.

"Old Ledbelly Sing the Blues."

music like this is timeless

I play and sing this song as the last song, in my set every night, at the bar I co own here in Mexico. It is a real crowd pleaser because they love Nirvana unplugged album, here. But, I am extremely happy that I found this older version. I think that I’ll start singing it like Leadbelly, from now on, and find more of his songs. New Leadbelly fan here!

Wow what a artist he has had so much influence on 60,s + 70, rock bands & beyond HE, IS A LOUISIANA LEGEND Just Simply ONE OF THE GREAT BLUESMEN .

What a voice, it really is hauntingly beautiful X x 🥰 x x

I'm speechless...Amazing music..😳😳👏👏👏🤗🤗

Why does this speak to my soul

I think its pretty damned excellent that Cobain turned me on to this fantastic musical talent. No matter who wrote what - these are just great songs sung from their hearts.

Also known in Country/Bluegrass genres as 'In The Pines'. A shared traditional origins tune like 'By And By' aka 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken'.

Such a haunting song. Beautiful .

Lead belly the king of folk and blues.i like to listen to his songs🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊

Timeless song

God I love this man, I feel so horrible about what he went through, but that's what built his character. I will cherish this man forever. I will never forget about LeadBelly

I'm a big fan of classic rock music, and I can hear his sound in many of those old rock songs!