History of "This Little Light of Mine"
"This Little Light of Mine" made it into the American folk music tradition when it was found and documented by John Lomax in 1939. Even though it's become a great
anthem of the Civil Rights movement, it's not believed to have hailed from slave spirituals. It was, however, adapted for the Civil Rights movement by Zilphia Horton (who also taught Pete Seeger "
We Shall Overcome") and other activists.
"This Little Light of Mine" Lyrics
The lyrics to "This Little Light of Mine" are very simple and repetitive, lending nicely to the folk tradition, making it an easy song to remember and sing along with. Only one line per verse changes: This little light of mine, Everywhere I go, All in my house, and Out in the dark. The rest of the verses repeat "I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
Who's Recorded "This Little Light of Mine"?
Several popular folk artists have recorded "This Little Light of Mine" through the years. Among them are versions by Pete Seeger (
purchase/download) and Odetta (
purchase/download).
