"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" (or simply "Motherless Child") is a traditional Negro spiritual. It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States when it was common practice to sell children of slaves away from their parents. An early performance of the song dates back to the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Like many traditional songs, it has many variations and has been recorded widely.
The song is clearly an expression of pain and despair as it conveys the hopelessness of a child who has been torn from their parents. Under one interpretation, the repetitive singing of the word "sometimes" offers a measure of hope, as it suggests that at least "sometimes" I do not feel like a motherless child.
Although the plaintive words can be interpreted literally, they might alternatively be metaphoric. The “motherless child” could be a slave separated from and yearning for his or her African homeland, his or her spouse, parents, siblings or child(ren) (from all or any of which he or she may have been separated in the trafficking process) or a slave suffering “a long ways from home”—home being heaven—or most likely all.
Notable versions and covers
Blind Willie Johnson as "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time" December 3, 1927, Dallas, Texas; Columbia 14343-DPaul Robeson, originally recorded by EMI in the 1930s, rereleased on Songs of Free Men (1997) and on Paul Robeson: The Complete EMI Sessions 1928-1939 (2008) and on several previous LPsBobby Breen, in the movie Way Down South (1939)Elmer Keeton, who arranged a performance by the Bay Area Negro Chorus for a radio program commissioned in 1942 by the Federal Music Project, Works Progress Administration. This version was earlier used in an animated Soviet propaganda film called Black and White (1932) depicting racism in the United States.country singer Eddy Arnold (1955)Louis Armstrong on Louis and the Good Book (1958)Fats WallerGrant Green on Feelin' the Spirit (1962)Odetta's live performance of the song on April 8, 1960 at Carnegie Hall was released on Odetta at Carnegie Hall (1960) and used in the soundtrack of Pasolini's film The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964); she performed it as recently as summer 2008, during her final tour.Lou Rawls and the Pilgrim Travelers for the album The Soul Stirring Gospel Sound of the Pilgrim Travelers (1962)Pete Seeger, on the album American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 3Folk artists The Simon Sisters in the mid 1960sPeter, Paul & Mary on A Song Will Rise (1965)Mahalia Jackson recorded it as a medley with Gershwin's "Summertime"Darlene Love covered part of it for the first part of the Gospel Medley in the Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special (1968)Richie Havens performed a live cover of it for 1969's Woodstock festival, his recording appearing on both the album and in the documentary film.Jimmy Scott on his album The Source (1969)Ike & Tina Turner covered it on their album Outta Season (1969)Kathleen Emery on her single (1970)Egill ÓlafssonEl Chicano on their initial album Viva Tirado (1970)The Les Humphries Singers on their first album Rock My Soul (1970)The Osmonds on the album The Osmonds Live (1971)Boney M. on their second album Love for Sale (1977)Maria Farantouri on her album Protest Songs from Around the World (1978)Van Morrison on Poetic Champions Compose (1987), also on The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two (1993)Martin L. Gore, on Counterfeit e.p. (1989)Wynton Marsalis, Track 14: Traditional Spiritual from Portrait of Wynton Marsalis, SONY Classical, 1989/92Crime and the City Solution, on Paradise Discotheque (1990)Charlie Haden and Hank Jones on Steal Away: Spirituals, Hymns, and Folk SongsMarion Williams recorded it on Strong Again (1991)The Kelly Family on Honest Workers (1991)Shlomo Gronich and the Sheba Choir (1993) an Ethiopian-Israeli Children's choir. Track 8.Hootie & the Blowfish, appears as a hidden track on Cracked Rear View (1994)Kevin Eubanks, on Live at Bradley’s (1996, Blue Note) (1994)Ghostface Killah on Ironman (1996)Tom Jones (accompanied by Portishead) on Reload (1999)Amy Jo Johnson, for the film Sweetwater: A True Rock Story (1999)Waterson on Matchbox Selection (2000)Under the name Lucky Pierre, Aidan Moffat used an operatic sample of the phrase "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child" on the track of the same name from his 2002 solo album Hypnogogia.Dick Annegarn covered it in French as "Enfant sans mère" on Un' Ombre (2002).James Gelfand (Jack Paradise (les nuits de Montréal) Soundtrack, 2004)Madrugada Included on their live album Live at Tralfamadore (2005).John Legend on Solo Sessions Vol. 1: Live at the Knitting Factory (2005) and at the Hope for Haiti Now telethon (2010).Wishbone Ash on Clan Destiny (2006)Eric Burdon, for the film The Blue Hour (2007).Matthew Perryman Jones, on Swallow the Sea (2008)Beth Nielsen Chapman, the 2008 compilation album, Song of AmericaBy The Gospel River, appears in track 4 on the album Invitation (2009)Anthony Rankin Wilson ("Motherless Child"), from the movie Addicted to plasticPrince ("Motherless Child"), performed live in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2013, 2016The Sessions Voices (band) arranged a version for their record album Songs of Freedom, a collection of Civil Rights Songs released in December 2011. A music video directed by Marzia Mete for the band, was released in 2015, featuring pictures of the Door of No Return to pay tribute to the African slaves that left their homeland Clutch created a song heavily inspired by the original with the same name, adding in new lyrics and turning it into a hard rock song. It has no definite meaning, as with most Clutch songs.Rede Globo (Globe Network) This song was performed in the final episode of the Brazilian Globo series Amores Proibidos in January 17, 2013.Joywave released a version called "Motherless Child" on their mixtape 88888 in April 2013.Egill Ólafsson performs the song at the album for his 60th anniversary "Örlög minn" (My Destiny) - release October 2013John Owen-Jones on his 2015 album Rise.Arms and Sleepers - The MotoristJohn Scofield recorded the song on his Piety Street album, that features the pianist/singer Jon Cleary.Maki Asakawa sang it from time to time on her live performances. She also released a cover on her debut album, released in 1970.Alice Ella performed a version of this song for the 2013 Spanish thriller Grand Piano. A music video was made available in 2014.
