On Friday night, John legend played the traditional Negro song “Sometimes I feel like a mother less child” to raise funds for earthquake relief in a collective effort by stars named “Hope for Haiti Now”. John Legend has earned special Starlight award from the songwriters Hall of fame and 7 Grammy awards.
“Sometimes I feel like a motherless Child” is an old song that the Negro slaves used to sing. The slave owners used to sell the slave babies in their childhood. The first professional group to perform this song was Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1870.
The song expresses the misery and hopelessness of the children that were raised in cruel slavery times without their mothers. Some of the children could not remember the names or faces of their mothers.
The other interpretations say that the word motherless may have been used in a metaphoric way it can be attributed to the longing of a Negro for his homeland or the miseries of slavery or the human aspiration for going to heaven.
Some other interpreters attribute the word “sometimes” to a little hope. Perhaps they want to say that the slave children had some kindling hope in their lives that they might see their mothers. Hope is the main theme of life and slave children had the hope of joining their families. The song has been played by many stars in various compositions.
“Sometimes I feel like a motherless child” relates to Haiti children as many of the kids have lost their mothers, homes and families.
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
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