He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” is a traditional African American spiritual, first published in 1927. It became an international pop hit in 1957–58 in a recording by English singer Laurie London, and has been recorded by many other singers and choirs. The song was first published in the paperbound hymnal Spirituals Triumphant, Old and New in 1927.  In 1933, it was collected by Frank Warner from the singing of Sue Thomas in North Carolina.  It was also recorded by other collectors such as Robert Sonkin of the Library of Congress, who recorded it in Gee’s Bend, Alabama in 1941. That version is still available at the Library’s American Folklife Center. Frank Warner performed the song during the 1940s and 1950s, and introduced it to the American folk scene.