Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child is one of the songs from 21 Easy Ukulele Folk Songs, our newest book in the Beginning Ukulele Books series. As the title suggests, you get 21 carefully selected songs with lyrics, chords and tabs. But not only that, you get many ukulele tips. Plus you also get access to online videos that go with the book. Get a copy of the book here.

MOTHERLESS CHILD UKULELE TUTORIAL

Indeed, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child ukulele tutorial is an easy one as you need just two chords – Am and Dm. Additionally, you can follow a simple all-down strumming pattern to play the whole song. On the other hand, you can vary the strumming pattern by using a D-DU-D-DU (D-down, U-up) pattern. Finally, you can also work on playing the melody tab for the song. Or what some people refer to as solo ukulele.

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Also, don’t forget to like our Facebook page so you can join Jenny’s Facebook live stream for Motherless Child ukulele tutorial later this week. In case you miss the live session, just find a recording of it on the videos section of our page.

HISTORY

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, which many people shorten to simply Motherless Child is a traditional song that traces its roots in the period of slavery. At that time, many African American families were separated when sold. And the song expresses the anguish of this separation and the longing for home and family. Eventually, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child developed as an African American spiritual paradigm and made its way to the folk music setting.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES OF THE SONG

Many famous personalities from different music genres have performed Motherless Child. African American luminaries Paul Robeson, Louis Armstrong and Mahalia Jackson recorded their renditions of the song. Although Prince had not officially recorded the song, he had performed his version of it in various concerts.

Folk greats Pete Seeger and Odetta also recorded covers of the song. In addition, Richie Havens created an impromptu rendition based on the song’s melody for his final performance at Woodstock in 1969. Even the king of rock and roll himself, Elvis Presley, performed the song with Darlene Love in 1968.  Moreover, famed Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison recorded another version of the song. He included this recording on his Poetic Champions Compose album released in 1987.

Happy strumming!