The Soul Children of Chicago - "Tell Them I'm A Child of God" (1980s video & lyrics)

Soul Children Of Chicago, August 8, 2013

25,713 views • Aug 8, 2013

Throwback SCC out the vault. **** Edited by Azizi PowellThis is Part I of a three part pancocojams series about the African American song "If Anybody Ask You Who I Am" (also known as "Tell Them I'm A Child Of God", and "Child Of God".

This post showcases a YouTube video of The Soul Children Of Chicago singing a version of this song in the early 1980s. My transcription of the lyrics for that song is included in this post.
The Addendum of this post includes a 2019 YouTube video about The Soul Children Of Chicago.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/12/late-19th-centuryearly-20th-century.html for Part II of this pancocojams post. That post presents information about and some lyrics for late 19th century and early 20th century examples of "Child Of God" (also known as "Tell Them I'm A Child Of God" etc.). That post also presents information about and YouTube video links for some other late 19th century/early 20th century African American Christmas songs.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/12/more-lyrics-to-gospel-song-if-anybody.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III presents some additional lyrics of "If Anybody Tells You Who I Am" that I found online.
-snip-This Gospel group may be known now as "Walt Whitman and the Soul Children Of Chicago". **** The content of this post is presented for religious, historical, and aesthetic purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. **** Thanks to the unknown composer/s of this song. Thanks also to Walt Whitman, director of the Soul Children of Chicago, and thanks to all members of this choir who sang in this film. -snip- A pancocojams post about the history of "Tell Them I'm A Child Of God" and some lyrics for several versions of that song will be published ASAP and that link will be added in this post. **** LYRICS - TELL THEM I'M A CHILD OF GOD (as sung by The Soul Children Of Chicago, in the early 1980s) The song begins with the chorus sung by soloist alone

Chorus If anybody ask you who I am, Who I am, who I am, If anybody ask you Who I am, Tell ‘em I'm a child of God

Hey! If anybody ask you who I am, Who I am, who I am, If anybody ask you who I am, Tell ‘em I'm a child of God

Hey!
Verse #1
My Father is rich with houses and land He holds the wealth of the world in the palms of His hands Rubies and diamonds Silver and gold Just tell ‘em I’m a child of God
Hey!
[chorus]- sung by soloist and the entire choir

Soloist repeats verse #1 and the choir joins in singing the chorus

Soloist -God’s my Father Choir- Yes I’m a child. Tell ‘em Soloist -He’s my Savior Choir- Yes I’m a child. Tell ‘em Soloist- He’s my Redeemer Choir- Yes I’m a child. Tell ‘em Soloist-He’s my Friend Choir- Yes I’m a child. Tell ‘em Bass voices - Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em   Soloist- God’s my Father Bass voices - Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em   Soloist – He’s my Friend Bass voices - Tell ‘em I’m a child [joined by other Choir voices]- Tell’ em   Soloist - He's my Savior Choir- Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em Soloist- He’s my Redeemer Choir- Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em Soloist- God’s my Father Choir- Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em Soloist- He’s my Friend Choir- Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em Soloist – He’s my Savior Choir- Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em Soloist- He’s my Redeemer Choir- Tell ‘em I’m a child, Tell ’em Soloist -God’s my Father And He never let me down Choir – Tell ‘em Soloist -He’s my Redeemer And He put food on my table Choir – Tell ’em Soloist – He’s my Savior And He put shoes on my feet Choir – Tell’ em Soloist - God’s my Father And He never let me down
Choir -Tell ‘em Soloist - He’s my Savior And He shows me the way Choir -Tell ‘em Soloist – God’s my Father Choir -Tell ‘em I’m a child of God Tell’ em I’m a child of God   Soloist- I want you to Tell ‘em Choir -Tell ‘em I’m a child of God Soloist- Tell ‘em I’m a child [Elongate the word “child”] Choir – Yes. [Elongate the word “yes”] Tell ‘em I’m a child of Soloist - God [Elongate and sing riffs with this word] Choir joins soloist and sings – God [Elongates this word] **** INFORMATION ABOUT SOULD CHILDREN OF CHICAGO From https://chicagodefender.com/the-soul-children-of-chicago-decades-of-youth-singing-the-gospel/ "The Soul Children of Chicago: Decades of youth singing the gospel" by rtmadmincd, November 23, 2010 "The Soul Children of Chicago is not your typical sunshine youth choir. The lively group of 7- to 17-year-olds offers stirring lyrics, boasts powerhouse singers and is known around the globe.

Walt Whitman established The Soul Children of Chicago choir in 1981 at St. John De Salles Catholic school. For almost three decades, Whitman and the choir have helped children while motivating audiences around the world.

By 1988, The Soul Children of Chicago released its debut album, “We Are One”, and has gone on to record several others. […]

The Soul Children – as they are called – have performed internationally in Sweden, Italy, Holland, Israel and Switzerland and all over the United States. Some 1.7 billion people got to witness the choir performing for the opening day of the World Cup in South Africa over the summer.

The sought after choir has recorded with Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Yolanda Adams and many others. Their experience crosses several music genres as the choir has also performed with the Chicago Jazz Philharmoic Orchestra and other non-gospel entities. The choir is called upon often to performer for special community, civic and other ceremonies including its appearance at The Democratic National Convention for Bill Clinton, and at the White House for Presidents George H. Bush, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

[…]

The choir, which has recorded eight albums, inked an international distribution deal with Central South that will allow the new disc to be placed in Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Kmart, and to sold on iTunes. 

The Soul Children was already a Stellar Award-winning choir, then this year they the choir picked up a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album as part of the "Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration” compilation. On the album, The Soul Children collaborated with rock group 3 Doors Down on the song "Presence of the Lord.” "… **** ADDENDUM - Walt Whitman & SCC Intro Promo
Soul Children Of Chicago, December 3, 2020 -snip- Here's the partial transcript of this video (with minor corrections): [This video begins with a sound clip of the same soloist in the video embedded above singing "Tell Them I'm A Child Of God"] "in 1981 an idea emerged to inspire the world through music. Walt Whitman started the Soul Children of Chicago with 22 kids and a drum to make a difference. Over the next 20 years Walt Whitman developed a world-class performance group with the single-minded purpose to educate, elevate, and illuminate the minds and souls of our youth. Under the direction of Mr. Whitman the Soul Children of Chicago have produced eight albums, performed before 1.7 billion people at the opening day of the World Cup, have won the prestigious stellar and Grammy Awards, have generated millions of combined hits on YouTube, and have been guests of the White House on numerous occasions"... -snip- Here's a link to the latest YouTube video of the Soul Children of Chicago that I've come across: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r06O-o0D93k "Walt Whitman & the Soul Children of Chicago Perform “Put A Little Love in Your Heart", published by Tamron Hall Show, April 28, 2021
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