My mother sang her own version of this song almost daily throughout her life. She learned it from Odetta’s version that she got the album of as a teenager, and I put this arrangement together based on what I heard growing up with my own interpretation of the lyrics and mood.

Lyrics

sometimes I feel like a motherless child
sometimes I feel like a motherless child
sometimes I feel like a motherless child
a long way from home
a long way from home

sometimes I feel like an eagle in the air
sometimes I feel like an eagle in the air
sometimes I feel like an eagle in the air
and I’m almost home, yes
I’m almost home

sometimes I feel like my soul’s on fire
sometimes I feel like my soul’s on fire
sometimes I feel like my soul is on fire
and I know I’m already home
I know that I’m already home

sometimes I feel like a motherless child
sometimes I feel like a motherless child
sometimes I feel like a motherless child
and I just wanna go home
oh why can’t I go home
why can’t I go home

(there’s no place like home)

sometimes I feel like a feather in the air
sometimes I feel like a feather in the air
sometimes I feel like a feather
a long long way from home
a long long way from home

sometimes I feel like my soul’s on fire
sometimes I feel like my soul’s on fire
sometimes I feel like my soul’s on fire
and I’m already home
I’m already home
I’m already home
I’m already home