| I'll Be a Sunbeam | |
|---|---|
| by Nellie Talbot | |
 E. O. Excell | |
| Genre | Hymn |
| Based on | Judges 5:31 |
| Meter | 8.6.8.6 with refrain |
| Melody | by E. O. Excell |
| Published | 1905 by Excell |
"I'll Be a Sunbeam" (also called "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam") is a popular children's Christian hymn composed by Nellie Talbot; it is sung to music composed in 1900 by Edwin O. Excell.
Due to its age, the hymn has entered the public domain in the United States. Published in Chicago by Excell as hymn number 137 in his Praises in 1905, the words and music were anthologized at least three more times in other hymnals before 1923. Virtually nothing is known about lyricist Nellie Talbot; attempts to search census records suggest that she may have been born in Missouri in 1874 and was living in Chicago in 1910, but these identifications are speculative.[1]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a children's primary program which includes Sunbeams (a class for 3-year-olds). The theme song to this class is, "Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam."
- ^ "Nellie Talbot, 1874-After 1910" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-20. Retrieved 2010-01-09.