Children Go where I Send Thee" Christmas Song Performed By A British Children's Choir

BritishGospelArts, Feb 16, 2012

2020 perform Children Go where I send thee - The Stables, Milton Keynes, 26 Nov 2011 in concert with London Community Gospel Choir.  Conducted by Andrea Encinas, Abe Hampton on Keys, Ma'el Ekpitini on African drum.
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I think the name of this children choir is the "London Community Gospel Choir". I don't know what "2020" refers to since this concert was held in 2011 and this video was published in 2012. If you have any information about this choir please share it in the discussion thread below. Thanks!

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a 2011 YouTube video of a British children's choir singing the African American Christmas song "Children Go Where I Send Thee".

This post also presents the lyrics for "Children Go Where I Send Thee as well as explanations for that song's lyrics.

The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who are associated with this choir.
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The remainder of this 2025 post was first published in this 2022 pancocojams post:
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/12/african-american-christmas-song.html for a pancocojams post of Spelman University's Choir (Atlanta, Georgia) singing "Children Go Where I Send Thee".

**** "COMMONLY FOUND" LYRICS FOR "CHILDREN, GO WHERE I SEND THEE" [composers unknown; traditional African American song]

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 preacher
Four 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 preacher
Four 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 preacher
Four 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 preacher
Four 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 nine that 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 preacher
Four 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 that never got in
Nine for the nine that 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 preacher
Four 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 deriders
Ten for the ten that never got in
Nine for the nine that 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 preacher
Four 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 that never got in
Nine for the nine that 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 preacher
Four 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.

Online source: https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5018
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*In my experience, these word are usually as "who was born, born, born in Bethlehem".

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SOME EXPLANATIONS FOR "COMMONLY FOUND" LYRICS AND OTHER LYRICS FOR THIS SONG
[I gleaned these explanations from several offline and online sources.]

One for the little bitty baby (meaning Jesus).
Two for Paul and Silas. (or "two for Mary and Joseph")
Three for the three men riding (meaning the three Kings/Magi); or "three for the Hebrew children")
Four for the four knocking on the door (meaning the Four Evangelists).
Five for the Five that came back alive (or "five for the Gospel preachers")
Six for the six that never got fixed. 
Seven for the seven that all went to Heaven
Eight for the eight that stood at the gate.
Nine for the nine that stood in the line.
Ten for the Ten Commandments.
Eleven for the eleven deriders.
Twelve for the Twelve Apostles (or the twelve Disciples)

In the line "eleven deriders", "deriders" means people who deride (ridicule) the Bible. Because of folk processing (accidental mishearing, misremembering etc.) that line is also given as "eleven is the (or for the) Gospel riders (or Gospel writers).

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