"Baba Yetu" is a song by composer Christopher Tin. It was composed in 2005 when video game designer Soren Johnson, Tin's former roommate at Stanford, asked him to compose the theme song for Civilization IV and was sung by Ron Ragin and the Stanford Talisman. For its re-release in Tin's debut album Calling All Dawns, it was sung by Ron Ragin and the Soweto Gospel Choir.
In 2007, "Baba Yetu" was released by Alfred Music Publishing, and in 2011 it was rearranged by Tin for an SATB a cappella choir with optional percussion accompaniment.
On December 5, 2010, it was reported that "Baba Yetu" was nominated for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in the 'Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)' category, making it the first video game theme nominated for a Grammy Award. On February 13, 2011, it was announced as the winner of its category, making it the first piece of music composed for a video game to win a Grammy Award. At the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards, "Baba Yetu" was the winner in the 'Song Used in Film/TV/Multimedia' and 'World Beat Song' categories, and at the 2006 Game Audio Network Guild (GANG) Awards in 2006 it won Tin two awards.
Baba and similar words may refer to:
I woke up one morning heard a robin's song.
I asked that robin "Why do you sing?"
"It was a voice whose rhymes are worlds
That made my song for me
How could I not sing?"
I woke up on morning heard a robins song
I asked that robin "Who made your throat?"
"That same hand that flies a million dawns
Made my tiny throat and wrote my songs
How could I not sing?"
I built an arbor and I asked the vine
"How come you grow so tall?"
"If I can make it above the wall
That same hand that holds out hope for all
Will gild me in the morning sky
And though I cannot sing
That hand a gentle wind will bring
And make a rustling lullaby
For milky sleeping babes
How could I not grow?"
I woke up one morning and I asked the sky
"How can you bear such emptiness?"
"For that bright eye that looks out and smiles
And makes my night her day
What would I not bear?"
I woke up one morning and I heard her voice
She called me by my name
What would I not give
To be called her child
What would I not give
To be called her friend
I'm gonna wake up one morning I'm gonna see her face
Smiling down on me
That robin's song and that morning sky
Are all the hope I need
I don't know how and I don't know why
But I'm gonna wake up one morning and I'll see her face
Smiling Down on me
I'm gonna wake up one morning
I'm gonna wake up one morning
"Baba Yetu" is a song by composer Christopher Tin. It was composed in 2005 when video game designer Soren Johnson, Tin's former roommate at Stanford, asked him to compose the theme song for Civilization IV and was sung by Ron Ragin and the Stanford Talisman. For its re-release in Tin's debut album Calling All Dawns, it was sung by Ron Ragin and the Soweto Gospel Choir.
In 2007, "Baba Yetu" was released by Alfred Music Publishing, and in 2011 it was rearranged by Tin for an SATB a cappella choir with optional percussion accompaniment.
On December 5, 2010, it was reported that "Baba Yetu" was nominated for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in the 'Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)' category, making it the first video game theme nominated for a Grammy Award. On February 13, 2011, it was announced as the winner of its category, making it the first piece of music composed for a video game to win a Grammy Award. At the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards, "Baba Yetu" was the winner in the 'Song Used in Film/TV/Multimedia' and 'World Beat Song' categories, and at the 2006 Game Audio Network Guild (GANG) Awards in 2006 it won Tin two awards.