Who is the original singer of 'Nobody's Child'?

[kidd]

I've searched the net and came up with the following answers.

Lonnie Donegan
Harry Hibbs
Snow Hank
Karen Young
Patricia Lennon

Anyone know the true answer?

Nobody's Child

Writers: Cy Coben, Mel Foree

As I was slowly passing an orphan's home one day.
And stopped there for a moment just to watch the children play.
Alone a boy was standing and when I asked him why
he turned with eyes that could not see and he began to cry.

Refrain:
I'm nobody's child
I'm nobody's child
Just like a flower I'm growing wild.
No mommy's kisses and no daddy's smile
nobody wants me
I'm nobody's child.

People come for children and take them for their own.
But they all seem to pass me by and I'm left here all alone.
I know they'd like to take me but when they see I'm blind
they always take some other child and I am left behind.

(Refrain)

No mommy's arms to hold me or soothe me when I cry.
Sometimes it gets so lonely I wish that I could die.
I'd walk the streets of heaven where all the blinds can see.
And just like all the other kids there'd be a home for me.

[john-e]

And the answer is....

Hank Snow, according to Wikipedia. The song is not listed under Hank Snow in wiki, but I did find a reference that he was the first to record Nobody's Child under the Alexander Brothers, who also recorded it. Read the "career" section here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Brothers

[kidd]

Thanks John.

I wish I could hear the original.

The first version of Nobody's Child I heard is Agnes Chan's version. Very sad and touching song.

[john-e]

I listened to different versions including Agnes Chan's. There are quite a few on YouTube.

Haven't found anything by Hank Snow, but I'd bet it sounds alot like Hank Williams Jr's...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tem6B1zWWW8

Not my type of music, good lyrics though. A very sad song indeed.

[kidd]

I just found Agnes Chan's version. Not as good as the one in my memory . But still good . Agnes Chan sounded so young in this song.

It's been a decade since I last listen to this version. I listen to it last time on vinyl records. Now, the records are all useless liao since we don't have vinyl record player anymore.

I prefer the versions sung by Agnes Chan and Karen Young more than Hank Williams Jr's.

[cclh25]

you can listen to hank snow singing nobody's child in : http://www.imeem.com/people/jy2ErR/m...nobodys_child/
Unfortunately he is not as good as Karen Young or Agnes Chan.

[kidd]

Thanks a lot cclh25. Really appreciate it.

His style reminds me of Roger Miller's.

I like this version a lot.