Nobody's Child (song)


"Nobody's Child" is a song written by Cy Coben and Mel Foree and first recorded by Hank Snow in 1949. Many other versions of this song exist.

History

It was first recorded by Hank Snow in 1949 and it became one of his standards, although it did not chart for him. The song has been covered a number of times in the UK; it was on Lonnie Donegan's first album in 1956, and in 1969 Karen Young took the song to No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and used it as the title track on her album. In 1969, Hank Williams Jr. did a version of it that made it to No. 46 on the US Country chart. The Traveling Wilburys' 1990 version made it to No. 44 on the UK chart.
The song lyrics are about an orphan whom no one wants to adopt because he is blind:
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

The Beatles with Tony Sheridan

It was also covered by Tony Sheridan and recorded in June 1961 in Hamburg with The Beatles as his backing group. This recording was released by Polydor in 1964 when the British group's popularity was cresting. On this recording, Sheridan sings "Mammy's," not "Mommy's." Sheridan returned in studio during that year to rerecord the lyrics of "Sweet Georgia Brown", another Beatle track from these early sessions, and, at the same session, put to tape a new solo acoustic version of "Nobody's Child" which was only released in Germany.

Release details

Singles

All these albums have the same tracklist.
CD reissue
The Traveling Wilburys version of "Nobody's Child" was the first track on the benefit album ', released on July 24, 1990. Wilbury member George Harrison had also appeared on the 1961 Beatles/Tony Sheridan version. Other members of the Traveling Wilburys on this track were Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty.
Year-end charts'''
Chart Position
New Zealand 43

Other cover versions