SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A MOTHERLESS CHILD
(Traditional 19th Century Spiritual)


Paul Robeson - 1926
Bobby Breen (feat. in the film "Way Down South") - 1939
Lena Horne - 1946
Eddy Arnold - 1955
Louis Armstrong - 1958
Patti Page - 1959
Jimmy Witherspoon - 1959
Odetta - 1960
Lou Rawls - 1962
Jeanne Lee with Ran Blake - 1962
Donald Byrd - 1964
Jimmy Scott - 1969
Ike & Tina Turner - 1969
Kathleen Emery - 1970
Patty Pravo - 1970
Jimmy Scott - 1970
El Chicano - 1970
Les Humphries Singers - 1970
Donnie Osmond - 1971
Sergio Y Estibaliz - 1973
Charlie Rich - 1976
Ray Bryant - 1977
Boney M - 1977
Maria Farantouri - 1978
Barbara Hendricks & Dimitri Alexeev - 1983
Van Morrison - 1987
Marion Williams - 1991
The Kelly Family - 1991
Hootie & The Blowfish - 1994
Kevin Eubanks - 1994
Tom Jones & Portishead - 1999
Amy Jo Johnson (feat. in the TV film "Sweetwater") - 1999
Tok Tok Tok - 1999
John Legend - 2005
Madrugada - 2005
Wishbone Ash - 2006
Eric Burdon (feat. in the film "The Blue Hour") - 2007
Matthew Perryman Jones - 2008
Beth Nielsen Chapman - 2008
The Wailin' Jennys - 2009
Clutch - 2009

Also recorded by:
Marian Anderson; Memphis Slim; Bessie Griffin; Clara Ward;
Lois Deppe & Earl Hines; Loren Connors & Suzanne Langille;
Marilyn Horne; Charlie Haden & Hank Jones; Martin L. Gore;
Johnny, Gil & Bobby; Blind Boys Of Alabama; Big Joe Turner;
Sinead O'Connor; Harry Belafonte; Johnny Nash; Pete Seeger;
Simon Sisters; Mahalia Jackson; Sarah Vaughan; Julie London;
John Scofield; Carmela Corren ............. and many others.





Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
True believer
A long ways from home
A long ways from home

Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Way up in de heab'nly land
Way up in de heab'nly land
True believer
Way up in de heab'nly land
Way up in de heab'nly land

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
There's praying everywhere


********************


As recorded by Paul Robeson, January 27th 1926:

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
True believer
A long ways from home
A long ways from home

Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
True believer
A long ways from home
A long ways from home


********************


A later 1930's recording by PAUL ROBESON:

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
Come my brother
A long ways from home
A long ways from home

Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
Come my sister
A long ways from home
A long ways from home


********************


As recorded by LOUIS ARMSTRONG:

(Sometimes I feel like a motherless child)

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
True believer
A long ways from home
A long ways from home

SPOKEN:
Yes, sometimes I feel like a motherless child
(Why?)
Why? 'Cause nothin' ever happens
(Nothin'?)
Well, nothin' good
(So what's good?)
You know, to have a ball
(You sick?)
No
(Hungry?)
No, man
I just had myself a mess o' black-eyed peas and rice
(Long way, long way)
(See what I mean?)
I did, I am a long ways from home
But things could be worse, sure could


********************


As recorded by PATTI PAGE, November 1959:

(Sister, Sister, why are you so sad?)
(Why are you so sad?)

Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long way from home
A long way from home

Sometimes I feel like I'm almost gone
Yes, sometimes I feel like I'm almost gone
Sometimes I feel like I'm almost gone
Way up in the heavenly land
Way up in the heavenly land
(True believer)
Way up in the heavenly land
A long way from home
(Sometimes I feel like a motherless child)






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - March 2013)