This article is about the Negro spiritual. For the blues song, see Motherless Child Blues.
"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child", also "Motherless Child", is a traditional Spiritual. It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States.
Original score of "Motherless Child" by William E. Barton, D.D., 1899.
An early performance of the song was in the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers.[1][2] Commonly heard during the Civil rights movement in the United States,[3] it has many variations and has been recorded widely.
The song is an expression of pain and despair as the singer compares their hopelessness to that of a child who has been torn from its parents. Under one interpretation, the repetition of the word "sometimes" offers a measure of hope, as it suggests that at least "sometimes" the singer does not feel like a motherless child.[4]
RenditionsEdit
Multiple recordings of the song were made by Paul Robeson, starting in 1926.[5]
Bessie Griffin and The Gospel Pearls recorded the song on their Portraits In Bronze album in 1960.[6][7]
Thea Bowman, a Black Catholic religious sister, recorded the song in 1988 for the stereocassette, "Songs of My People". She then sang it at a meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the next year, shortly before her death from cancer, while giving a speech on Black Catholic history and experience. The studio recording was re-released in 2020 for the 30th anniversary of Sister Bowman's death as part of the digital album, Songs of My People: The Complete Collection.
Boney M. recorded a disco version of the song titled "Motherless Child" on their 1977 album Love for Sale with singer Liz Mitchell taking the lead vocal. Liz had previously recorded the song as part of Les Humphries Singers in 1971.
Billy Preston recorded a version of the song titled “Motherless Child” on his 1978 album “Behold!”
Van Morrison recorded a version for his 1987 album Poetic Champions Compose. In his rendition, writes biographer Brian Hinton, "it is 'Mother Ireland' whom Van is missing and his world weary vocals are like sobs of pain."[11]
^Barton, Hymns of the Slave and the Freedman, p.17 ("Not very long ago I attended a concert given by a troupe of jubilee singers, whose leader was a member of the original Fisk company. Toward the end of the programme he announced that a recently arrived singer in his troupe from Mississippi had brought a song that her grandparents sang in slave times, which he counted the saddest and most beautiful of song of slavery. It was a mutilated version of Aunt Dinah's song ['Motherless Child' or 'I feel like I'd never been borned.']")
^McGill, Ann (19 February 2020). "Music of the Movement: A Lowcountry gospel singer explains the songs of the Civil Rights era". Live 5 WCSC. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
^*"Sweet Chariot: the story of the spirituals" 2007-01-09 at the Wayback Machine by Arthur C. Jones
^"Paul Robeson - Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child /On Ma Journey". Discogs. 28 May 1926. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
^"Bessie Griffin And The Gospel Pearls - Portraits In Bronze". Discogs. 1961. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
^Lipsitz, George (1997). Time Passages: Collective Memory and American Popular Culture. U of Minnesota Press. ISBN978-1-4529-0578-5.
^Odetta - Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, archived from the original on 2021-12-14, retrieved 2020-03-13
^"Jimmy Scott – The Source". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
^"Watch Prince Shred His Guitar On 1999 Spanish Television Show". L4LM. 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
^McDermon, Daniel (2017-04-20). "5 Live Prince Clips Worth Watching (While You Can)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
^"Barbara Hendricks, Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Artes 2000". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.
^Rodriguez, Jayson. "John Legend Sings 'Motherless Child' On 'Hope For Haiti Now' Telethon". MTV News. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
^Resistance Radio: The Man in the High Castle Album by Various Artists, 2017-04-07, retrieved 2022-03-15
^Willman, Chris (June 17, 2022). "The Music of 'Elvis': A Complete Guide to Who Sings What on Soundtrack, From Jack White to Jazmine Sullivan to Stevie Nicks". Variety.
External linksEdit
at negrospirituals.com
musical work quoting the spiritual by African-American composer George Walker
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This article is about the Negro spiritual For the blues song see Motherless Child Blues Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child also Motherless Child is a traditional Spiritual It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States Original score of Motherless Child by William E Barton D D 1899 An early performance of the song was in the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers 1 2 Commonly heard during the Civil rights movement in the United States 3 it has many variations and has been recorded widely Contents 1 Description 2 Renditions 3 References 4 External linksDescription EditThe song is an expression of pain and despair as the singer compares their hopelessness to that of a child who has been torn from its parents Under one interpretation the repetition of the word sometimes offers a measure of hope as it suggests that at least sometimes the singer does not feel like a motherless child 4 Renditions EditMultiple recordings of the song were made by Paul Robeson starting in 1926 5 Bessie Griffin and The Gospel Pearls recorded the song on their Portraits In Bronze album in 1960 6 7 Odetta performed the song at Carnegie Hall on April 8 1960 The song was included on her album Odetta at Carnegie Hall the same year 8 This version was part of the soundtrack of Pier Paolo Pasolini s The Gospel According to St Matthew 1964 Mary Travers performed the song on Peter Paul and Mary s album A Song Will Rise 1965 and on Milt Okun s album Something to Sing About in 1968 Esther amp Abi Ofarim recorded the song for their album Das Neue Esther amp Abi Ofarim Album 1966 Sweetwater recorded the song on their self titled debut album and often opened their live performances with it Richie Havens performed a historical rendition of the song retitled Freedom Motherless Child on August 15 1969 at the opening of the Woodstock festival Elvis used the first verse of the song to open the gospel sequence in his big Comeback Special in 1968 sung by Darlene Love Jimmy Scott recorded this song in 1969 for his album The Source 9 Maki Asakawa recorded the song for her debut album The World of Maki Asakawa 1970 10 Thea Bowman a Black Catholic religious sister recorded the song in 1988 for the stereocassette Songs of My People She then sang it at a meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the next year shortly before her death from cancer while giving a speech on Black Catholic history and experience The studio recording was re released in 2020 for the 30th anniversary of Sister Bowman s death as part of the digital album Songs of My People The Complete Collection Boney M recorded a disco version of the song titled Motherless Child on their 1977 album Love for Sale with singer Liz Mitchell taking the lead vocal Liz had previously recorded the song as part of Les Humphries Singers in 1971 Billy Preston recorded a version of the song titled Motherless Child on his 1978 album Behold Van Morrison recorded a version for his 1987 album Poetic Champions Compose In his rendition writes biographer Brian Hinton it is Mother Ireland whom Van is missing and his world weary vocals are like sobs of pain 11 Martin Gore recorded his rendition of the song titled only Motherless Child on his 1989 EP Counterfeit Hootie and the Blowfish closed out their biggest selling 1994 album Cracked Rear View with an a cappella rendition It is a hidden track as its presence is not announced on the album s track listing It is also the shortest track on the album and probably shortest cover of this song clocking in at only 53 seconds Prince performed his rendition of the song at many concerts beginning in 1999 12 13 Soprano Barbara Hendricks sang it when she received the 2002 Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts 14 John Legend sang the song during the Hope for Haiti Now A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief telethon in 2010 The song is also included on his 2004 album Solo Sessions Vol 1 Live at the Knitting Factory 15 Tom Jones included a version on his 1999 album Reload together with the British band Portishead Michael Kiwanuka recorded a version for the Man in the High Castle Album 16 In 2022 Jazmine Sullivan recorded a rendition for the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann s Elvis Presley biopic Elvis 17 Kassa Overall created a rendition of the song on his SHADES 3 mixtape in 2023References Edit Blue Gene Tyranny Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child article Allmusic Barton Hymns of the Slave and the Freedman p 17 Not very long ago I attended a concert given by a troupe of jubilee singers whose leader was a member of the original Fisk company Toward the end of the programme he announced that a recently arrived singer in his troupe from Mississippi had brought a song that her grandparents sang in slave times which he counted the saddest and most beautiful of song of slavery It was a mutilated version of Aunt Dinah s song Motherless Child or I feel like I d never been borned McGill Ann 19 February 2020 Music of the Movement A Lowcountry gospel singer explains the songs of the Civil Rights era Live 5 WCSC Retrieved 2020 03 13 Sweet Chariot the story of the spirituals Archived 2007 01 09 at the Wayback Machine by Arthur C Jones Paul Robeson Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child On Ma Journey Discogs 28 May 1926 Retrieved 2019 11 10 Bessie Griffin And The Gospel Pearls Portraits In Bronze Discogs 1961 Retrieved 2020 03 13 Lipsitz George 1997 Time Passages Collective Memory and American Popular Culture U of Minnesota Press ISBN 978 1 4529 0578 5 Odetta Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child archived from the original on 2021 12 14 retrieved 2020 03 13 Jimmy Scott The Source Discogs 1970 Retrieved 2023 08 22 Maki 浅川マキの世界 Discogs 1970 Retrieved 2021 01 14 Brian Hinton Celtic Crossroads p 264 Watch Prince Shred His Guitar On 1999 Spanish Television Show L4LM 2016 05 04 Retrieved 2020 03 13 McDermon Daniel 2017 04 20 5 Live Prince Clips Worth Watching While You Can The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2020 03 13 Barbara Hendricks Premio Principe de Asturias de las Artes 2000 YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 12 05 Rodriguez Jayson John Legend Sings Motherless Child On Hope For Haiti Now Telethon MTV News Retrieved 2020 03 13 Resistance Radio The Man in the High Castle Album by Various Artists 2017 04 07 retrieved 2022 03 15 Willman Chris June 17 2022 The Music of Elvis A Complete Guide to Who Sings What on Soundtrack From Jack White to Jazmine Sullivan to Stevie Nicks Variety External links EditLyrics as by J W Johnson amp J R Johnson 1926 at negrospirituals com Art of the States Piano Sonata No 4 musical work quoting the spiritual by African American composer George Walker Sometimes permanent dead link a 1976 work for tenor and tape by Olly Wilson based on the spiritual Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child amp oldid 1173889448, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
