“I am so old!”
“How old are you?”
“I’m so old I learned to sing “I am a Child of God” before they messed with the lyrics.”
This is a simple age test: When you sing, or hear, the Primary song/hymn “I am a Child of God”, which word do you hear in your head: Know or Do?
If you remember the know version, don’t forget to schedule your annual colonoscopy.
The song was written by Naomi Randall and first performed in 1957 (before my time) at a Primary General Conference. Here is the first verse and chorus: (as if they weren’t already embedded in your LDS DNA)
I am a child of God, And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, Help me find the way.
Teach me that I must do to live with him some day.
Later, Elder Spencer W. Kimball suggested that “Teach me all that I must know” be changed to “I must do.” He explained that “to know isn’t enough. … We have to do something.” Sis. Randall was “down with it”, and the change was made. (reference)
Scripturally, the idea that knowledge, or belief was adequate was dispelled by James in James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.“
Here’s the deal – I was born after 1960, but I remember learning the old-school version of the song in the mid-sixties, and the word know is still clinging to its former place in my brain. I can’t find when they actually made the change. Does anybody remember?
I also do not know if the increased pressure from this single word change contributed to what my mother referred to as my “hyperactive wild-indian phase.” (Pre-PC Mom expression)
For your listening pleasure: I am a Child of God:
I have the same problem with “Soy Un Hijo De Dios” (I am a Child of God, in Spanish). I grew up in a Spanish-speaking ward in Jersey and the lyrics changed (and a brand new version of the hymnal! It was now green, and no longer a dark brick red, and matched the English hymnals. It was a joyous day for me!) somewhere between my graduation from Primary to YW (I think). It took a lot of getting used to!
I was born in 1968 and my first inclination is to sing “know”. I always have to catch myself. It’s nice to know that I’m not alone.
I was born in 1961 and remember the “know” version. I’m pretty sure that I was younger than 9 when it was suggested it be changed, so it had to be before 1970. It was probably *officially* changed in the ’70’s, but I remember our Primary chorister, or maybe my mom, telling us that it was suggested that we sing it differently. I always thought it was President McKay, but then, I was young, so what do I know…
I was born in 1969 and didn’t learn the ‘know’ version. But just today my sister and I were joking about all the Primary song that have been monkeyed around with.
I think Primary may have been more fun when it was during the week.
‘Know’ was embedded in my brain as well, until I was called to teach in the Primary a few years back, of course I still flub up at times.
According to my research and an article in the 1978 Liahona it looks like it was changed around the mid 70’s.
I have the same problem with the YW’s theme! I had barely gotten used to the added phrase “strengthen home and family” and then they go and add another value to it (virtue)! Don’t even get me started on the homemaking…no…enrichment….wait…Relief Society Activity issue! Sheesh!