Go Where I Send Thee

The Kingston Trio

About Go Where I Send Thee

"Children, Go Where I Send Thee" is a traditional African-American spiritual song, as well as a cumulative song. This song is also known as "The Holy Baby" or "Born in Bethlehem." There are many versions of this song, each giving a Biblical meaning to the numbers mentioned. This song is often performed as a Christmas carol, and has been recorded by Kenny Rogers with Home Free, Joe and Eddie, Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nina Simone, Natalie Merchant, The Weavers, The Kingston Trio, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Mike Seeger with sisters Penny Seeger and Peggy Seeger, The Fairfield Four, Peter, Paul and Mary, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, The Burns Sisters, Mandisa, Johnny Cash, Mahalia Jackson, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Audra McDonald, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Scala & Kolacny Brothers, Odetta, Hall and Oates, REO Speedwagon, Kenny Burrell, Nick Lowe, Ledisi, Colin James & The Little Big Band, Neil Diamond, The Laurie Berkner Band, The Blenders,Mnogaja Leta Quartet, and Clara Ward.  


Year:
1960
2:36
73 
#2

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Dave Guard/Bob Shane/Nick Reynolds

Children, go where I send thee. How shall I send thee? Well, I'm gonna send you one by one, one for the little bitty Baby
Was born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee. How shall I send thee? Well, I'm gonna send you two by two, two for Paul and Silas,
One for the little bitty Baby was born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee. How shall I send thee? Well, now, I'm gonna send you three by three, three for the Hebrew children,
Two for Paul and Silas, one for the little bitty Baby was born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee. How shall I send thee? Well, I'm gonna send you six by six, well, six for the six that never got fixed,
Five for the gospel preachers, four for the four that stood at the door, three for the Hebrew children,
Two for Paul and Silas, one for the little bitty Baby was born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee. How shall I send thee? Well, I'm gonna send you eight by eight, eight for the eight that stood at the gate,
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven and six for the six that never got fixed,
Five for the gospel preachers, four for the four that stood at the door, three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas, one for the little bitty Baby was born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee. How shall I send thee? Well, now, I'm gonna send you ten by ten, ten for the ten commandments,
Nine for the nine all dressed so fine, eight for the eight that stood at the gate,
Seven for the seven who never got to heaven and six for the six that never got fixed,
Five for the gospel preachers, four for the four that stood at the door, three for the Hebrew children,
Two for Paul and Silas, one for the little bitty Baby was born, born, born in Bethlehem.
He was born, born, born in Bethlehem.

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The Kingston Trio

The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds. It rose to international popularity, fueled by unprecedented sales of 33⅓ rpm long-playing record albums (LPs), and helped to alter the direction of popular music in the U.S. more »

4 fans

Written by: TRADITIONAL, HARRY BLUESTONE

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Go Where I Send Thee" is an African American spiritual song. It is a traditional cumulative song, often used to teach children counting. The Kingston Trio offers a modern twist to the tune.
Album Success
The Kingston Trio included their version of "Go Where I Send Thee" in their live album, "Here We Go Again!". This album, released in 1959, was the group's first live album, and it quickly reached No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart.
Members' Contribution
The Kingston Trio, consisting of Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, and Bob Shane, all contribute to the vocals in the song. Their harmonizing style is distinctly evident in this piece.
Chart Performance
Despite the album's success, "Go Where I Send Thee" didn't chart as a single. However, it still remains a fan favorite and a staple in traditional American folk music.
Song Structure
The song follows a counting structure. Each verse builds upon the previous one by adding a number, starting from one and going up to ten. The lyrics correspond with each number, telling a story as it progresses.
Meaning of the Song
The narrative of "Go Where I Send Thee" is heavily imbued with religious elements. Each number stands for a biblical or spiritual significance.
Live Performances
The song became one of The Kingston Trio's regular performances in live concerts, adding to their reputation for energetic and engaging stage performances.
Influences
The Kingston Trio's interpretation of this song has been credited with inspiring many folk revival performers in the 1960s and continued to be covered or reinterpreted by many artists over the years.
Cultural Impact
Owing to its catchy tune and repetitive structure, "Go Where I Send Thee" is now often sung in schools, churches, and community gatherings across America during festive seasons.
Use in Media
This song by the Kingston Trio has been included in various films and TV shows. It was a part of their TV special "The Kingston Trio and ...", aired on NBC in 1961.

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