"Speak Like a Child" is an instrumental composed by Herbie Hancock in 1968. It is the title track of his sixth album as a leader, released by Blue Note in October 1968 and produced by Duke Pearson. The session took place at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs on March 6 and 9, 1968. The personnel were Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Mickey Roker on drums, Jerry Dodgion on alto flute, Thad Jones on flugelhorn and Peter Phillips on bass trombone. The title came from Francis Wolff and was suggested by David Bythewood's cover photograph. Earlier, in January 1968, the Miles Davis Quintet had tried to record the piece but did not get a finished take. The track runs about seven minutes and fifty seconds and is described as a haunting piece with singable melodies and freer harmonies, more concerned with sounds than chords. Nat Hentoff called the album an impressive further stage in Hancock's development as a writer and player. The tune is listed under hard bop and jazz.
