Kumbaya facts for kids
"Kum ba yah" ("Come by here") is a well-known African American spiritual song. It asks God to "come by here" and help people in need. The song is thought to have started with the Gullah people, who live on islands off South Carolina and Georgia. These islands were home to many enslaved people from West Africa.
The song likely spread from these islands to other parts of the United States and even around the world. The very first known recording was made in 1926. It featured a singer named H. Wylie, who sang in the Gullah dialect. This recording was made by a folklorist named Robert Winslow Gordon. Later, "Kum ba yah" became a popular song sung around campfires at Scouting events and summer camps. It became even more famous during the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s.
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Where "Kum ba yah" Came From
The song "Kum ba yah" almost certainly began with African Americans in the southeastern United States. It had a Gullah version very early on. The two oldest versions we know for sure were both collected in 1926. They are kept at the Library of Congress.
One version was written down by a high school student named Minnie Lee in North Carolina. The other 1926 version was recorded on a wax cylinder by Robert Winslow Gordon. He was the founder of the Library of Congress's Archive of Folk Song. The singer on this recording was H. Wylie, and the song was recorded near Darien, Georgia. Between 1926 and 1928, Gordon recorded more songs with the phrase "come by here."
Some people thought a white songwriter named Reverend Marvin V. Frey wrote the song around 1936. He said he was inspired by a prayer he heard in Portland, Oregon. His version first appeared in print in 1939. Frey also claimed that the name "Kum Ba Yah" came from an African language in Angola in 1946. However, this story is not supported by facts. The 1926 recording of H. Wylie shows that "come by yah" was already being sung. In the Gullah language, "here" is often pronounced as "yah." This means the phrase "come by yah" was already part of the song's early history.
Becoming Popular: Folk Music and Civil Rights
The song gained new popularity during the American folk music revival in the 1960s. Musicians like Pete Seeger recorded it in 1958. Joan Baez's recording in 1962 made it even more famous.
Because of its message of asking for help and coming together, "Kum ba yah" became connected with the Civil Rights Movement. This was a time when people fought for equal rights for African Americans. For example, marchers sang the song during the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches for voting rights. It became a symbol of unity and hope during this important time.
"Kumbaya" in Politics
Sometimes, the song's title is used in a joking or sarcastic way, especially in politics. When someone says "singing Kumbaya," they often mean that a group is being too friendly or trying to compromise too easily. It can suggest that people are avoiding real problems or being overly optimistic.
For example, when discussing big disagreements, leaders might say, "This can't be solved by just holding hands and singing 'Kumbaya.'" This means the problem is too serious for simple solutions. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee once used the phrase to show his doubt that political rivals would easily unite. Businessman Herman Cain also said, "Singing 'Kumbaya' is not a foreign policy strategy." These examples show how the song's name is used to criticize ideas that seem too simple or unrealistic.
Lyrics
| Version No. 1 | Version No. 2 | Version No. 3 | Version No. 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Someone need you, Lord, come by here |
For the sun, that rises in the sky |
|
Someone's laughing, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Hear me crying, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Now I need you, Lord, come by here |
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
|
Someone's crying, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Hear me singing, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Come by here, my Lord, come by here, |
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
|
Someone's praying, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Hear me praying, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
In the mornin' see, Lord, come by here, |
For the second on this world you made, |
|
Someone's singing, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
Oh, I need you, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
I gon' need you, Lord, come by here, |
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
|
Oh, Sinners need you, Lord, come by here, |
Kum bay ya, my Lord, kum bay ya; |
||
|
In the morning - morning, won't you come by here |
Additional stanzas by Barry Moore (1973):
In Your Body, Lord, we are one.
In Your Body, Lord, we are one.
In Your Body, Lord, we are one.
O Lord, we are one.
In his banquet, Lord, we find strength.
In his banquet, Lord, we find strength.
In his banquet, Lord, we find strength.
O Lord, we find strength.
Draw us nearer, Lord, each to each.
Draw us nearer, Lord, each to each.
Draw us nearer, Lord, each to each.
O Lord, each to each.
Fill our mind, Lord, with Your peace.
Fill our mind, Lord, with Your peace.
Fill our mind, Lord, with Your peace.
O Lord, with Your peace.
Undivided, Lord, we shall stand.
Undivided, Lord, we shall stand.
Undivided, Lord, we shall stand.
O Lord, we shall stand.
See also
In Spanish: Kumbayá para niños
- Christian child's prayer § Spirituals
- Civil rights movement in popular culture
