Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen is a popular Negro spiritual . Its composer and date of composition are unknown. An early well-known version of the song is the 1917 adaptation by the African American composer Harry Thacker Burleigh . The spiritual has been recorded many times. Some of the best-known recordings were sung by jazz musician Louis Armstrong , concert singer Marian Anderson , and singer and actor Paul Robeson .
Following are some commonly performed lyrics for “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” The title and first line sometimes appear as “Nobody Knows the Trouble I See” or “. . . Trouble I’ve Had.” The second line is sometimes sung as “Nobody knows my sorrow.”
Chorus: Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Nobody knows but Jesus Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Glory, Hallelujah. Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down, Oh, yes, Lord Sometimes I’m almost to the ground, Oh yes, Lord. Chorus: Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Nobody knows but Jesus Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Glory, Hallelujah. If you get there before I do, Oh yes, Lord Tell all my friends, I’m coming too, oh yes, Lord. Chorus: Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Nobody knows but Jesus Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Glory, Hallelujah. Although you see me goin’ on so, Oh yes, Lord I have my trials, here below Oh yes, Lord. Chorus: Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Nobody knows but Jesus Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen Glory, Hallelujah.
