He's Got the Whole World in His Hands is a spiritual song originating in the USA.

But it first caught the public's attention when Laurie London took it to the top of the charts in 1958.

In this programme, people describe the place that the song has in their lives. Including the conductor of a choir for refugees and asylum seekers and the minister who led prayers on President Obama's first day in office.

There's also a performance from Washington Performing Arts Society's Children of the Gospel Choir. They sang an arrangement of He's Got the Whole World in His Hands made by their conductor and Artistic Director Stanley J Thurston at the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral on January 21, 2009.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden and their families attended this service and the sermon was given by the Reverend Sharon E Watkins.

Contributors:

John Copley

Series exploring famous pieces of music and their emotional appeal.

Producer: Sara Conkey

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2010.