"Sweet Little Jesus Boy" is a spiritual Christmas song composed by Robert MacGimsey and published in 1934 by Carl Fischer Music.
Baritone Lawrence Tibbett was the first to record it.
[1] Robert Merrill covered the song in 1947 (Victor 10-1303).
[2] Other versions were subsequently recorded by various artists including Mahalia Jackson, Andy Williams, Kenny Rogers and Trisha Yearwood.
The song's lyrics are retrospective, one person singing for a group of people, collectively asking Jesus for His forgiveness for the way He was treated- from being born in a manger to His crucifixion, with the recurring statement, "We didn't know who you were".