Children, Go Where I Send Thee

"Children, Go Where I Send Thee" also known as "The Holy Baby" or "Born in Bethlehem" is a traditional African-American spiritual song, as well as a cumulative song, each giving a Biblical meaning to the numbers mentioned. This tune is a similar format to the cumulative carol known as the "12 Days of Christmas."

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The exact origins of the song are difficult to trace, as it was passed down primarily by word of mouth rather than written music. Its closest known relative is the English folk song “The Twelve Apostles,” which shares the same counting structure and biblical imagery. Many scholars believe both songs belong to a much older tradition of cumulative hymns, the same kind of building, number-by-number style found in the Jewish Passover song “Echad Mi Yodea,” which dates back to the 1500s.

As English folk music made its way to America, these songs found new life in the American South, where African-American communities reshaped them with their own harmonies, rhythms, and storytelling. What emerged over time became the distinctly American spiritual “Children, Go Where I Send Thee.”

"Children, Go Where I Send Thee" Performances

Many performers have carried this popular hymn forward over the years. Some of the most notable performances include:

• The Weavers (1951)
• Johnny Cash (1971)
• Kenny Rogers with Home Free (2015)