Simple Gifts

"Simple Gifts" is a traditional Shaker song.

The Song

"Simple Gifts" was written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine in 1848. These are the lyrics to his one verse song:

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::'Tis the gift to be simple,

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:::'tis the gift to be free,

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::'Tis the gift to come down

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:::where we ought to be,

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::And when we find ourselves

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:::in the place just right,

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::'Twill be in the valley

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:::of love and delight.

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::When true simplicity is gain'd,

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:::To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

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::To turn, turn will be our delight,

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:::Till by turning, turning we come round right.

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Several Shaker manuscripts indicate that this is a "Dancing Song" or a "Quick Dance." That is apparent with such lines of the song as "turn, turn will be our delight" and "turning, turning we come round right." These are dance instructions.

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