Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen: No. 1 of Two Uncommon Spirituals

"Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is a lesser-known, but nonetheless authentic, African American spiritual. The unknown folk singer who wrote the original song describes the "trouble" of a hard life, but finds relief from suffering and conflict in prayer.

This anthem may be sung independently or as a set with "This Little Light of Mine" ("No. 2 of Two Uncommon Spirituals"). Both spirituals are arranged with completely different tunes than those commonly associated with the texts.

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Publisher Augsburg Fortress
Format Sheet Music
ISBN 9781451498912
Brand Augsburg Choral Library
Dimensions 7 x 10.25
Pages 8
Season/Occasion General; Lent & Holy Week
Difficulty Medium
Voicing A cappella; SATB/4-part mixed
Publication Date March 18, 2015

Composer Commentary

African American spirituals are, in my opinion, the finest folk music to arise from U.S. culture. Among the thousands of surviving songs are tunes that are not widely known but deserve to be. My hope is that more people will come to know this wonderful tune, fashioned by an unknown African American, probably a slave. When "Two Uncommon Spirituals" are performed as a set, "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is sung first, moving immediately to "This Little Light of Mine." The first spiritual in the set is in the key of D minor, the second in D major. "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is dedicated to dear friends David Marston Gillespie and Joanna Bowen Gillespie, retired Episcopal priest and retired historian, respectively. They live in Rochester, Vermont, and Tucson, Arizona.