I, too, grew to hate this song. HOWEVER, one perfect day about ten years ago, a spent a lovely afternoon at The Huntington, an art gallery, library, and gardens in a gorgeous setting in San Marino in the Los Angeles area. The Huntington is the home of the famous Blue Boy and Pinkie. After the museum closed, I went to my car. In a garden next to the parking lot, there were eight or ten little girls, sitting in a circle in their Gainsborough-era pastel dresses, singing Kumbaya.
It was a lovely end to a very nice day, and I think of that day whenever I hear mention of "Kumbaya." When I hear "Kumbaya," I think of those earnest, innocent little girls. Well, I also think of how obnoxious my little sister was when she sang it all the time - but in kinder moments, I remember that she was earnest and innocent, too.