<P> "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 . 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 . </P> <P> 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 . </P>

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