Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine

Subject: This Little Light of Mine
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jan 00 - 08:07 AM

Subject: RE: This Little Light of Mine
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Jan 00 - 09:19 AM

Just in case some poor soul was indeed looking for the lyrics, there is at least one sey in the DT listed under (appropriately enough)"This Little Light of Mine (click)."

Spaw

Subject: RE: This Little Light
From: GUEST,joe
Date: 21 May 01 - 10:11 PM

i recall the K3 version thus; 2nd vrs, now some say, 'the time's too late, this old world's in a sorry state'. we've got a different story. we say, 'this world is a-bound for glory' thre's a little white dove flyin' in the blue. gonna show ya what the powr of love can do. so where there's a dark corner in this land, i'm gonna let my little light shine.

how's that?

Subject: Lyr Add: THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 04:37 PM

This Little Light O' Mine.

This little light o' mine, I'm goin' let it shine (3 times)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Ev'rywhere I go I'm goin' let it shine (3 times)
Let it shine, etc.

In my neighbor's home, I'm etc.

Repeat 1st verse.

Doris McMurray, Goree Farm, Huntsville, TX.
John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip. Click on Links at top of page and go to Lomax Collection. (Click audio subject and go to spirituals.
@religion @gospel @spiritual

Subject: This Little Light Of Mine
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 05:04 PM

Say, that's quite different from the This Little Light of Mine in the Digital Tradition. I know at least two tunes for this song, but the one I prefer is the one that goes with the lyrics above. Here are some other verses I've learned. I suppose they developed from church camps. What I sing is closer to This Little Guiding Light of Mine, although I sing it as "This Little Candle Light of Mine."
-Joe Offer-

---

All around the world, I'm gonna let it shine...

Walk my candle 'round the block, I'm gonna let it shine.

Don't you blow my candle out.... (or substitute a blowing action for "blow")

Put it under a bushel, NO!...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Nov 01 - 05:58 PM

Went to google to find out more. The song was composed by Harry Dixon Loes (1895-1965). He was with the Moody Bible Inst. from 1939-retirement.
The original (public domain) is in the CCF Chordbook, www. its.caltech.edu/~chords/chord355.shtml.

The verses given are:

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine (sing couplet 3 times)
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, NO!
I'm gonna let it shine, etc.

Won't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine, etc.

Let it shine 'till Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine, etc.

Looks like there are many variations.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: masato sakurai
Date: 28 Nov 01 - 02:34 AM

The Lomax recording (1939) is HERE.
~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Burke
Date: 28 Nov 01 - 11:48 AM

I learned it in Sunday School with hand motions. What I remember is:

(Holding index finger up)
This little Gospel light of mine
I'm gonna (going to?) let it shine (2 lines 3 times)
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? NO! ... etc.
(Cup other hand over finger, pull off at NO!)

Don't you try to (blowing sound) out!..etc.
(Shake finger, then blow on finger at appropriate point)

All around the neighborhood... etc.
(Hold up index finger & move in circular manner)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Nov 01 - 12:33 PM

This white gospel tune has been adapted to various purposes. The designation spiritual in my original posting should be removed.
In going through google, I found a couple of references to the hand motions. The song has been used with children from its inception.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: GUEST,PK
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 01:34 AM

Well, Dicho, The version with "...hide it under a bushel...," ""...won't let Satan [whoosh] it out...," and even the title concept (let your light shine) definitely do have roots in the New Testament Gospels. In that sense, I say it's Gospel, even if it's evolved into New Age music in some versions.

PK

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 12:19 PM

In Harrisonburg, Virginia, eons ago, I attended monthly all-night sings. One white quartet used to sing 'This Little Light of Mine', not in the Sunday school fashion, but rather in a black approach. They sang it unaccompanied. I remember a verse/arrangement that went:

Jesus gave me the light; I'm gonna let it shine
Yes, Jesus gave me the light; I'm gonna let it shine
Jesus gave me the light; I'm gonna let it shine
Every day (every day) Every day (every day)
Every day I'll let my little light shine.

They went from lead to lead, changing keys as needed. It was rousing. Wouldn't mind hearing it again.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 12:22 PM

This song is sung ALL THE TIME in black churches. You can add the verse... "The World Didn't give it to me."

Jerry

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: GUEST,Deda
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 01:37 PM

In the Unitarian Universalist church I used to go to, we could expand this song almost forever, thus:

I've got the light of freedom
I'm gonna let it shine

I've got the light of truth

I've got the light of love

etc., etc. The minister would have the congregation fill in the blank and we'd sing whatever verses we wanted.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 02:58 PM

Composed by a white hymnist, this easily learned little song has been adapted by both blacks and whites. Unlike many hymns, it uses the old two-line verses common in Negro spirituals and a repetitive chorus, making it easy to add to and revise.
In answer to PK, these songs are all based "on de Book" in some way, but there are so many that they must be classified in some way to make finding and comparing them easier. The general heading is religion, but divisions such as hymns (more or less formally composed), spirituals (Negro songs composed during the slavery period and in succeeding decades but in the same forms), gospel (white and black), (religious) blues, etc. are very useful, if sometimes overlapping.
See African-American Spirituals Permathread and other threads mentioned there.

Subject: Lyr Add: LET HIT SHINE
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 08:27 PM

LET HIT SHINE

1
This little light of mine I'm gonna let hit shine
Oh, this little light of mine I'm gonna let hit shine
This little light of mine I'm gonna let hit shine,
Let hit shine
Let hit shine
Let hit shine.

2
All in the church He told me to let hit shine
All in the church He told me to let hit shine
Well, all in the church He told me to let hit shine,
Let hit shine
Let hit shine
Let hit shine.

3
Everywhere I go, oh I'm gonna let hit shine
Everywhere I go, oh I'm gonna let hit shine
Everywhere I go, oh I'm gonna let hit shine,
Let hit shine
Let hit shine
Let hit shine.

SOURCE: Olivia and Jack Solomon, "Honey in the Rock": The Ruby Pickens Tartt Collection of Religious Folk Songs from Sumter County, Alabama (Mercer University Press, 1991, p. 5; words only). The editors seem to think this originated among African Americans: "Widely performed by choirs and gospel groups during the 1930s, a favorite on gospel radio shows, 'Let hit shine' is now also in white folk tradition."(p. 5)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 11:59 PM

So, far, the date of Loes composition is not known. Dates are indefinite for the Negro versions. "Let It Shine" appears frequently. It is the title of a new book (2000) on Stories of the Black Women Freedom Fighters, as a list heading of children's books on the Afric-American experience put out by the San Francisco Public Library, for a show of African American star quilts, and in secular versions:

THE JUNIOR FARMER LIGHT OF MINE

The Junior Farmer light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, (3 times)
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, no, I'm gonna let it shine, (3 times)
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Shine all over Ontario, I'm gonna let it shine, (3 times)
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Canadian version from www.jfao.on.ca.

There is another gospel song, recorded by Lead Belly and others, called "Let the Light From the Lighthouse Shine On Me" (or, Let It Shine On Me).

THIS LITTLE LIGHT

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine (3x)
Let it shine (3x)

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine (2x)
This little light of mine, you know I'm gonna let it shine,
Let it shine (3x)

This little song of mine, I'm gonna sing out every line (3x)
Let it shine (3x)

This little dream of mine, I'm gonna dream all the time (3x)
Let it shine (3x)

Judy and David Gershon, another secular version.

Music has been composed by Elton John for lyrics by Bernie Taupin, "Let it Shine." Not seen.

"This Little Christian Light of Mine" is offered on one Christian website.
A peculiar one is "Be a jack-o-lantern for Jesus! This little light of mine, I'm ..."
Sites which offer "This Little Light..." may list no author, state "unknown" or "spiritual," and in a few cases cite Loes as author. There are many, many sites offering this little song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine

From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Dec 01 - 10:45 PM

Este Pequeño Lucero mío

Este pequeño lucero mío
Voy a permitir su brillo.
(sing couplet 3 times)
Permitir su brillo, permitir su brillo, permitto su brillo.

En todo mi esquela,
Voy a permitir su brillo, etc.

(This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine (3 times). Let it shine (3 times)
All over my school

Spanish version by Arturo Romero. Doesn't rhyme very well!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O Mine
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Feb 02 - 04:53 PM

The above now indexed in the African-American Spirituals Permathread. If more lyrics (with titles other than the above) are added in this thread, please help us index them by posting the song title and thread URL to the Permathread. Thanks.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine
From: oldhippie
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 01:07 PM

Deda, there are additional Unitarian Universalist verses:

first lines:

"This little liberal light of mine"

"Don't you come and puff it out"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 01:29 PM

This Little Light of Mine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4wDKP-Oi2A

Added December 04, 2006; From danaeandrea

"Danae Andrea Howe singing with the POCC Danae Andrea Howe singing with the POCC choir at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference in Seattle- December 2, 2006"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 01:44 PM

Good one!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light O' Mine
From: Richie
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 09:44 PM

I learned to sing a different version. In addition to the regular verses there is a Chorus/Bridge:

The light that shines is the light of love,
Lights the darkness from above,
Shines on me and it shines on you,
Shows you what the power of love can do.
I'm gonna shine my light both far and near,
I'm gonna shine my light both bright and clear,
If there's a dark corner in this land,
I'm gonna let my little light shine.

There are two additional bridge/chorus parts that I used to know. Anyone know where this came from?

Richie

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light o' Mine
From: GUEST,michaela
Date: 27 Sep 07 - 05:09 PM

Another Spanish version (by Francisca Gonzalez and Micaela O'Donnell)

Esta luz mia
deja la brillar

esta luz mia
deja la brillar

esta luz mia
deja la brilla

a brillar, a brillar, a brillar...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light o' Mine
From: GUEST,titi
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 04:12 PM

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Shine all over [name of town],
I'm gonna let it shine
Shine all over [name of town],
I'm gonna let it shine
Shine all over [name of town],
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light o' Mine
From: GUEST,Tinker in Chicago
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:15 AM

The Kingston Trio did a version on their "College Concert" album that kept the chorus of the original and only had one verse, augmented by repetition:

On Monday, (he) give me the gift of love,
On Tuesday, peace came from above,
On Wednesday, told me to watch and pray
On Thursday, told me just what to say
On Friday, sent me down some faith,
On Saturday, give me a little more grace,
On Sunday, give me the pow'r divine just to let my little light shine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 02:45 AM

this little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
Oh this little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

E'vry where I go
I'm gonna let it shine
Oh e'vry where I go
I'm gonna let it shine
E'vry where I go
I'm gonna let shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

Jesus gave it to me
I'm gonna let it shine
Oh jesus gave it to me
I'm gonna let it shine
Jesus gave it to me
I'm gonnna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

Gonna Lay my burdens down
I'm gonna let it shine
Gonna lay my burdens down
I'm gonna let it shine
Gonnna Lay my burdens down
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

All in my house
I'm gonna let it shine
All in my house
I'm gonna let it shine
All in my house
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

Ain't gonna give it away
I'm gonna let it shine
Ain't gonna give it away
I'm gonna let it shine
Aint gonna give away
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

You can repeat or ad lib... my great grandmother and the decons used to sing this all the time the NEGRO way lol... they got real deep with it some times...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine
From: Azizi
Date: 02 Nov 08 - 06:09 PM

Well at least GUEST 02 Nov 08 - 02:45 AM capitolized the referent "NEGRO" that has been retired from use since the 1960s.

With all sincerity, just in case some people aren't aware of this, the formal referent for Black Americans is "African American".

While it seems to me a legitimate question could be "What is the "Negro" [African American] way of singing a song?", I'll refrain from asking that question at this time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 08:56 PM

Well, it's not altogether retired. I see the United Negro College Fund hasn't gotten around to changing its name yet, and neither has the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. However, they do seem to use their initials more often than their spelled-out names.

Nothing is ever simple, is it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine
From: GUEST,wayne monroe
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 08:03 PM

Bob Gibson recorded richie's version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Nov 08 - 08:09 PM

Look, just get onto live TV the world is moving on

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: This Little Light of Mine
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 11:17 PM

there is another bridge...
monday gave me the gift of love
tuesday peace came from above
wednesday told me to have more faith
thursday gave me a little more grace
friday told me just what to say
saturday told me to watch and pray
sunday gave me the Power Devine just to let my little light shine!