Children Go Where I Send Theee

We are now headed into the winter holidays. I'll try to give some time to all the traditions in some fashion, but to kick it off, a great spiritual with many variations that draws on both the Old and New Testaments sung by the incomparable Audra McDonald.




Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee one by one
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee two by two
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee three by three
Three for the Hebrew children
Two for Paul and Silas
One for the little bitty baby
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee four by four
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee five by five
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee six by six
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee seven by seven
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee eight by eight
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee nine by nine
Nine for the ninety nine in line
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate
Seven for the seven that never got to heaven
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee 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 that never got to heaven
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee eleven by eleven
Eleven for the eleven who went to heaven
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 that never got to heaven
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.

Children, go where I send thee
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee twelve by twelve
Twelve for the twelve Apostles
Eleven for the eleven deriders
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 that never got to heaven
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
Born, born, born in Bethlehem.