What's the origin of the campfire song Kum Ba Yah?
by 
Highlander is semi-retired from AB
ANSWERS: 4
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I think its a christian song, not exactly sure where from.
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The common belief is that Reverend Marvin V. Frey wrote it in the 1930s. There is some debate surrounding the issue, though, as credible claims of it originating as a slave song in South Carolina and Georgia have surfaced. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbaya
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Kumbaya is "Gullah" (a slave language spoken in the Carolinas) for "come by here". It first appears in print in revival chorus books of the 1930s, but is clearly older than that.
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Kum Ba Yah is a mispronunciation of "Come by here". It was a slave prayer song asking God to "come by here" and intercede for the person. "Someone's crying LORD, Come by here." They are asking God to come and take notice of their tears and their worship, and alleviate their suffering.
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