Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child


"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" is a traditional Negro spiritual. It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States. An early performance of the song dates back to the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Commonly heard during the Civil rights movement in the United States, it has many variations and has been recorded widely.

Description

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 her or his 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.

Renditions

and The Gospel Pearls recorded the song on their Portraits In Bronze album in 1960.
Odetta performed the song at Carnegie Hall in 1963. The song was included on her album, Odetta at Carnegie Hall the same year. Mary Travers performed the song on Peter, Paul and Mary's album: A Song Will Rise and on Milt Okun's album: Something to Sing About in 1968. Esther & Abi Ofarim recorded the song for their album Das Neue Esther & Abi Ofarim Album. Richie Havens performed a historical rendition of the song – retitled Freedom – on August 15, 1969 at the Woodstock festival. Multiple recordings of the song by Paul Robeson started in 1926.
Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA recorded the song in 1988 for the stereocassette, "Songs of My People." It was re-released in 2020 for the 30th anniversary of Sister Bowman's death as part of the digital album, '.
Prince performed his rendition of the song at many concerts beginning in 1999. Soprano Barbara Hendricks sang it when she received the 2002 Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts. John Legend sang the song during the ' telethon in 2010. The song is also included on his 2004 album, .