So, long ago and far away in Kindergarten i learned this rhyme. It was treated as a sort of game when i learned it, and can remember thinking that game where you intentionally fell into dirt and or mud could be alot of fun, however my Mom didn't agree.
There is a myth that the British children’s rhyme "Ring a Ring a Roses"
is all about the plague—either the Great Plague of 1665-6 or the Black Death
centuries earlier—and dates from those eras. The words describe the
contemporary practice in treating it, and refer to the fate so many
befell.
The Truth
The earliest known use of the rhyme is the Victorian era, and it almost
certainly doesn’t date back to the plague (any of them). While the
lyrics can be interpreted as being loosely connected to death and
disease prevention, this is believed to be just that, an interpretation
given in the mid-twentieth century by overeager commentators, and are
not a direct result of plague experience, or anything to do with it.
A Children’s Rhyme
There are many variations in the words of the rhyme, but a common variant is:
Ring a ring a roses A pocket full of poses Atishoo, Atishoo We all fall down
The last line is often followed by the singers, usually children, all
falling down to the ground. You can certainly see how that variant
sounds like it might be something to do with the plague: the first two
lines as references to the bundles of flowers and herbs which people
wore to ward away the plague, and the latter two lines referring to
illness (sneezing) and then death, leaving the singers dead on the
ground.
It’s easy to see why a rhyme could be connected to the plague. The most
famous of these was the Black Death, when a disease swept across Europe
in 1346–53, killing over a third of the population. Most people believe
this was the bubonic plague, which causes black lumps over the victim,
giving it the name, although there are people who reject this. The
plague was spread by the bacteria on fleas on rats and devastated the
British Isles as much as continental Europe. Society, economy, and even
war was changed by the plague, so why wouldn’t such a massive and
horrifying event have ingrained itself into the public consciousness in
the form of a rhyme?
Robin Hood’s
legend is about as old. The rhyme is linked to another outbreak of
plague too, the "Great Plague" of 1665-6, and this is the one which was
seemingly stopped in London by the Great Fire burning a huge urban area.
Again, there are surviving stories of the fire, so why not a rhyme
about the plague? One common variant in the lyrics involves "ashes"
instead of "atishoo," and is interpreted as either cremation of corpses
or skin blackening from the diseased lumps.
However, folklorists and historians now believe that the plague claims
date only from the mid-twentieth century, when it became popular to give
existing rhymes and sayings older origins. The rhyme began in the
Victorian era, the idea it was plague-related began only a few decades
ago. However, so widespread was the rhyme in England, and so deep in
children’s consciousness did it lodge, that many adults now connect it
to the plague.
MMMMMMM, yummy, and it uses up some left overs too. Yes,yes,yes, I like healthy food, and true this is reminiscent of the cafeteria food of the 60's, rich and sauced well. Sorta like Truck Stop food. Yum and ymmyier
Then there are those day, rainy, damp chills, dark and dispiriting, when, comfort food just might be the solution.
To add my own touches and make it my own as it were, I used kielbasa, a few dashes of hot sauce, and as many a leftover veg as I could find in the concaveness depths of the fridge. Oh and IF, yes "IF" there are any leftovers, it's even better the next day.
While growing up in the Amish, we didn’t have crock pots, because
electricity was forbidden. Recently when I had leftover hot dogs from a
cook-out I remembered this hot dog and potato casserole my Aunts made
for us (yes, Amish can eat hotdogs too!) and decided to develop a crock
pot version. This cheesy hot dog and potato dinner is budget friendly,
kid friendly and is very easy to toss together, making the perfect
weeknight meal for our family!
Follow along for more Amish and Mennonite recipes, or sign up below for email updates on new recipes.
Amish hot dog casserole (adapted to crockpot)
This easy and cheesy hot dog casserole is a quick toss and go casserole that the whole family can enjoy!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Amish
1/3cup chicken broth
5mediumpotatoes, cubed (peeling optional)
salt and pepper (to taste)
4 oz. canned mushroom pieces (or fresh, sliced mushrooms)
1/2cup diced onion (white or yellow)
4hot dogs, sliced (your choice of cheddar, regular, beef, etc.)
10.5oz. cream of cheddar soup
10.5oz. cream of mushroom soup
1/2teaspoon season all (Lawry's salt)
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Toppings:
shredded cheese of your choice
fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup chicken broth into a 3-4 quart crock pot, you will need enough to cover the bottom of the crock pot.
Place
the potatoes on top of the chicken broth in the crock pot and season
lightly with salt and pepper. Layer the diced onion and mushroom pieces
over the cubed potatoes, then layer the hot dog slices over top.
Whisk
the soups, season all and garlic salt together in a medium sized bowl.
Pour the soup mixture evenly over the hot dogs, veggies and potatoes,
ensuring the potatoes are well covered.
Cook
on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3.5 to 4 hours until the potatoes
are soft. If you wish you can stir the mixture half way through the
cooking process. Add shredded cheese at the last ten minutes of cooking
and allow to melt. Garnish with diced parsley (optional) and enjoy!
Feel free to add seasoning to taste in this hotdog casserole!
Cooking times may vary per crockpot size and strength. I
suggest checking the potatoes every couple of hours if it is your first
time trying out the recipe.
See below for photos and notes.
Keyword Amish, hot dog casserole, crockpot, slow cooker
Equipment needed for this Amish hot dog casserole:
Crockpot I used my 2.5 quart
casserole crockpot for this Amish hot dog casserole, but a 3-4 quart
crockpot works well too. Cooking times may vary slightly if you wish to
size up on the crockpot.
Cutting board A cutting board is useful for slicing the hot dogs, cubing potatoes, and dicing the onions.
Whisk A
whisk is needed to combine the cream of soups with the seasonings
before pouring the mixture over the hot dogs and veggies in the
crockpot.
Mixing bowl I like to use a stainless steel mixing bowl for combining the soups and seasonings.
Measuring cups
Measuring cups are needed to get an accurate measurement of the diced
onions and chicken broth before adding them to this hot dog casserole.
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Step 1-2: Add a little chicken broth to the bottom
of a 2.5-4 quart slow cooker, then place potatoes on top and season
with salt and pepper. Add remaining veggies, then spread hot dog pieces
over top.
Substitutions:
I like to use cheese franks in this recipe but regular or beef franks
could also be used. I haven’t tried sausages yet, but I believe they
would be delicious in the casserole if you prefer them over hot dogs!
Garlic powder can be used instead of garlic salt, simply add a little
more salt (to taste) to the soup mixture or cut the salt out entirely
(from the soup mixture) if you wish to reduce sodium.
Step 3: Combine cream of soups and seasonings in a medium sized bowl.
I am generally not a huge fan of cream of soups, but in this casserole they go so well together so I took the easy route!
Step 3 continued: Pour the soup mixture over the hot dogs, ensuring everything is well covered in the soup mixture.
Step 4: Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4
hours, until the potatoes have softened and the remaining ingredients
are cooked through.
This is my 2001st post. It amazes me that I could manage to do that, I love to write letters, but other than that, not liking writing too much, my thinking is that it was from all of the dull stuff I had to write about in High School. Yah, that's a good thing to blame it all on, all that grammar and spelling and Yadda, yADDA, SO fORth AND eTCEtRRA but then all those years ago..... my attention was always trailing off, even then.
But ! I done surprised myself. Surprised myself ALOT! Enough that most days I look forward to sitting down and writing to my readers. And for myself.
OH!, the random thoughts and random images, the things I have learned and the things I have wondered about. My laptop is my magic carpet, my personal musicians, and magician, also my personal guide to the world. Every now and then I do like to hit the road, talk to people, see the majesty of the hills, and sometimes fish. Those rare adventures are always just ahead. And adventures come in all sizes, and can be found in the most unexpected or ordinary places. One of the best parts is getting to share them, if I want to. Among the rewards of aging are that your time is not so structured, by jobs, and young/younger children. "This is my time now!" say it loud and proud.
These simple, and usually brief adventures, fill up my soul, and my senses. {thanks John Denver wherever you are}
Mostly they come with photos, I love to record the world and my small corner of it.
The world is a vast place, but having found a place, a "place just right", is a most wonderful thing. Not saying it is perfect, OK rambling again, that and digressing are my favorite personality flaws. OK I forgot what I wanted to tell you...hmmmm....got it now., just a bit hard for me to express this, the one thing learned is how much the little things in life matter, the smallest things can enrich life. Seriously , they can.
Nope! still can't believe it, 2000 posts, when noticed that I had reached 1975 or so posts I began asking myself if I should celebrate this milestone, it took me over a decade to get here. Etc, etc,etc so should I celebrate??
The answer was pretty easy, it was just turning it into a post....you get the idea.
"Simple gifts", i am not sure where or when i first heard this wonderful song. At the time i was learning to quilt, and all things Appalachian were of interest to me. I was surprised to learn it wasn't Appalachian in origin. Sometime later i heard this same melody opening "Lord of the Rings." Of course i made a wrong connection immediately, and that was that it was a Celtic song or folk music that the Shakers had adopted. Joyfully, yes I mean joyfully, because .......i dunno....anyroad, I wanted to share some of the things I learned....boundlessness of my curiosity often captures my attention, and accounts for most overcooked or under cooked meals.
So gentlereaders, some of what I read, in case you are as moved by this simple tune as I am, here are the most interesting, at least to me, pieces of reading.
Song History: "Lord of the Dance" and "Simple Gifts"
"Lord of the Dance" Began With a Simple Dance Tune
A
simple dance tune composed in Alfred, Maine, in 1848 has circled the
globe, touching the hearts and minds of people—Catholics and
Protestants, Jews and Buddhists, and people of no religion at all. It's a
song of about 16 bars of music and eight lines of words, both music and
words of a gentle simplicity.
The
song has, despite its simplicity, found its way into ballet music, a
religious song or two, and a dance spectacular that is very far removed
from where it started.
'Tis the Gift to Be Simple ...
The
song is called “Simple Gifts” and was written by Shaker Elder Joseph
Brackett, who would, I'm sure, be amazed—even perhaps a little
scandalized—by the uses his little tune has been put to.
Elder Joseph Brackett. Image Wikipedia
A manuscrpt of Mary Hazzard of the New Lebanon, NY Shaker community shows this original version of the melody. Image Wikipedia
The Song "Simple Gifts"
“Simple
Gifts” is often described as a Shaker hymn, even sometimes
misattributed as being a traditional song, but it was written as a dance
song by Elder Brackett. It describes a dance routine used in Shaker
worship. The full words of the song as written by Brackett are:
"'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right."
Is It "'Tis a Gift" or "'Tis the Gift"?
The first words are often incorrectly written as, “'Tisagift
...” but it should have the definite article “the” because the writer
was very sure of which gift he was writing about, the gift of faith, so
it's “thegift.”
A Shaker dance. Image Wikipedia
Who Were the Shakers?
The
Shakers came into being in England in the mid-18th century when there
was almost constant fighting between Catholics and Protestants. Like the
Quakers, the Shakers believed that every person is able to find God
within themselves rather than through the mediation of clergy. The
worship of the Shakers was rather more demonstrative than the quieter
Quaker meetings, with a lot of singing and dancing.
The
church was founded by Mother Ann Lee, the daughter of a blacksmith. She
was born in Manchester on 29 February 1736 and was forced by her father
to marry a man called Abraham Standley. She fell pregnant eight times
and eight times her children died, four of them were stillborn and the
other four died before they turned six. Mother Ann apparently had a
physical repulsion towards sex and developed some radical religious
ideas as well as a commitment to gender equality.
The
name “Shaker” came about because of the trembling that she and her
followers experienced during times of prayer and worship. She taught her
followers that these manifestations were the result of the Holy Spirit
cleansing them. She also taught that refraining from sexual relations
could lead them to complete holiness.
In
1774 Mother Ann and a group of her followers landed in New York. They
had fled England in the face of increasing persecution as a result of
her radical teachings. She was in fact herself imprisoned several times.
In one period of imprisonment she had a revelation that "a complete
cross against the lusts of generation, added to a full and explicit
confession, before witnesses, of all the sins committed under its
influence, was the only possible remedy and means of salvation." After
this she was chosen as the leader of the Church and began to call
herself “Ann, the Word” or “Mother Ann.”
In
the United States she and her followers undertook some missionary
journeys and, in spite of sometimes violent opposition, won many
converts, though the Church was never at any time very large, reaching
something in the order of 20000 members at its height. Because of the
total celibacy of its members the Church could only grow by means of
attracting converts and by adopting orphans. By 2008 the Church had only
a handful of members left.
Central beliefs in the Church, apart from celibacy, were the sanctity of work and the necessity ofsimplicity.
The Church became known for the quality of the workmanship and
simplicity of design that went into anything they produced, in
particular, buildings and furniture.
The Church calls itself the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing.
How the Tune Appears in "Appalachian Spring"
In
1944 choreographer Martha Graham commissioned a ballet score from
renowned composer Aaron Copland. The storyline of the ballet was a
celebration of Pennsylvania pioneers in the 1800s after they had built a
new farmhouse. The characters in the ballet included a newlywed couple
and a revivalist preacher. At first, the ballet was unnamed. Shortly
before the première on 30 October 1944, Martha Graham suggested the
title “Appalachian Spring” which she took from a stanza of Hart Crane's
poem, “The Bridge”:
"O Appalachian Spring! I gained the ledge;
Steep, inaccessible smile that eastward bends
And northward reaches in that violet wedge
Of Adirondacks!"
The
music of the seventh section of the ballet suite consists of five
variations on the melody of “Simple Gifts”. This is a very grand use of a
very simple tune.
Sydney Carter
The Use of "Simple Gifts" in "Lord of the Dance"
One
of the ways in which many people have become familiar with “Simple
Gifts” is through its use in the religious song “Lord of the Dance.”
This song is, like “Simple Gifts,” often thought of as somehow
“traditional” but it was in fact written by British poet, folk singer,
and songwriter Sydney Carter.
Carter,
was born in Camden Town, London, England on 6 May 1915 (coincidentally,
he shares a birthday with Elder Joseph Brackett, who was born on 6 May
1797 in Cumberland, Maine, USA) and died in March 2004.
Carter
described “The Lord of the Dance” like this: "I see Christ as the
incarnation of the piper who is calling us. He dances that shape and
pattern which is at the heart of our reality. By Christ I mean not only
Jesus; in other times and places, other planets, there may be other
Lords of the Dance. But Jesus is the one I know of first and best. I
sing of the dancing pattern in the life and words of Jesus.” -Green Print for Song(1974).
This
song has become popular with church congregations around the world. As
is the case for many, I came to know “Simple Gifts” by getting to know
“Lord of the Dance.” I was in the early to mid 1970s living in Durban,
South Africa, and worshipping with the congregation of the parish of Our
Lady of the Assumption in the suburb of Umbilo. I became involved in
the music ministry in that parish and this song was one of those we
played and sang in our weekly Mass.
The
popularity of “Lord of the Dance” surprised Carter: "I did not think
the churches would like it at all. I thought many people would find it
pretty far flown, probably heretical and anyway dubiously Christian. But
in fact people did sing it and, unknown to me, it touched a chord ...
Anyway, it's the sort of Christianity I believe in."
Michael Flatley and “Lord of the Dance”
Irish-American
dancer Michael Flatley (the fastest feet on earth!) devised a dance
show that told a story about characters based on Irish folklore and
Biblical stories. In a rather weird twist the leading character in the
piece is called “The Lord of the Dance” and the music uses the melody of
“Simple Gifts” to introduce this character.
The music of the show was written and arranged by Ronan Hardiman.
The “Simple Gifts” melody is used by the character “The Little Spirit” who plays it on a pipe at various stages in the show.
I
have seen the show twice in South Africa and loved it each time, and
each time I wondered about the way this simple melody has travelled. I
wonder indeed what Elder Brackett would have to say about this show,
with all its glitz and fancy lighting and very loud music – all the very
antithesis of simplicity?
Great
music should always lead one back into oneself, into a different
perspective on one's life, as all art should. Clearly Elder Brackett's
simple melody works like this for many, many people. It has stood the
test of time, as they say, and opened people's minds to something beyond
the ordinary, something simple yet deeply profound, and in so doing it
has moved them.
We are always being asked about Sydney Carter’s Lord of the Dance, so here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions, as well as a few other facts you might not have known.
Lord of the Dancewas composed in 1963 – many people believe it’s old because it’s a hymn they sang at school.
No, Mr Flatley it’s not Celtic!
Sydney was born on 6th May 1915 and died on 13th March 2004.
The tune is an adaptation of the Shaker tune Simple Gifts, but is accepted and acknowledged as a separate copyright in its own right
It’s not ‘Traditional’ – it is fully copyright throughout the world, and as such, permission should be requested
for reproduction on websites and in order of services etc. Stainer
& Bell Ltd (the host of this page) are the copyright owners and to
whom requests should be sent. For the USA, and Canada however, Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188 (e-mail hope@hopepublishing.com) administer the copyright on our behalf
The so called ‘Pagan version’ is simply a rip-off and parody of the song and has obviously never been authorised
In recent statistics from CCLI, Lord of the Dance was found to be the fifth most sung copyright song in school assemblies in the UK. (Sydney’s One More Step came first and When I needed a Neighbour was the seventh most performed)
Sydney described it as a carol – ‘a dancing kind of song, the life of which is in the dance as much as in the verbal statement’
Here is the definitive authorised version of the words:
I danced in the morning
When the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon
And the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven
And I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem
I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the Dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he.
I danced for the scribe
And the pharisee,
But they would not dance
And they wouldn’t follow me.
I danced for the fishermen,
For James and John –
They came with me
And the Dance went on.
Chorus
I danced on the Sabbath
And I cured the lame;
The holy people
Said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped
And they hung me on high,
And they left me there
On a Cross to die.
Chorus
I danced on a Friday
When the sky turned black –
It’s hard to dance
With the devil on your back.
They buried my body
And they thought I’d gone,
But I am the Dance,
And I still go on.
Chorus
They cut me down
And I leapt up high;
I am the life
That’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you
If you’ll live in me –
I am the Lord
Of the Dance, said he.
Chorus
Copyright 1963 Stainer & Bell Ltd. London, England
I danced for the fishermen,
For James and John –
They came with me
And the Dance went on.
Chorus
I danced on the Sabbath
And I cured the lame;
The holy people
Said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped
And they hung me on high,
And they left me there
On a Cross to die.
Chorus
I danced on a Friday
When the sky turned black –
It’s hard to dance
With the devil on your back.
They buried my body
And they thought I’d gone,
But I am the Dance,
And I still go on.
Chorus
They cut me down
And I leapt up high;
I am the life
That’ll never, never die;
I’ll live in you
If you’ll live in me –
I am the Lord
Of the Dance, said he.
Chorus
Copyright 1963 Stainer & Bell Ltd. London, England
“Great Moral Curiosity! Shaker Concert!, Ca. 1848. Poughkeepsie, NY:
“The American” Power Press. (detail) Retrieved on January 21, 2021, from
Ohio Memory.
Feb 10, 2021
‘Tis a gift to be simple, but things aren’t as simple as they seem
The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,” was not widely known
before American composer Aaron Copeland used the tune to score
choreographer Martha Graham’s 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring. The song,
however, was certainly popular among the Shakers – having been recorded
in at least 15 surviving manuscript hymnals according to Daniel
Patterson’s book, The Shaker Spiritual. The song, […]
The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,”
was not widely known before American composer Aaron Copeland used the
tune to score choreographer Martha Graham’s 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring. The song, however,
was certainly popular among the Shakers – having been recorded in at
least 15 surviving manuscript hymnals according to Daniel Patterson’s
book, The Shaker Spiritual. The
song, described by Patterson as a quick dance with a tempo of 106 beats
per minute, appears to have been written by Elder Joseph Brackett while he lived at the community at Alfred as a member of the Maine Shaker Ministry.
Recently it has been discovered that the song had, nearly a century earlier, enjoyed some popularity outside the Shaker community. In a November 5, 1851 article published in The New York Daily Times, a person in attendance at a rehearsal of a company of Shakers preparing for a performance in Boston recorded the words to asong beginning, “Tis a gift to be simple; ‘Tis a gift to be free, …” The entire article appeared as follows:
“AGUE POETRY!—A party of nine
Shakers, of both sexes, is preparing to “come out” at Boston in a series
of public entertainments, for the avowed purpose of drawing attention
to the peculiarities of their sect, and thus making proselytes. They purposegiving
representations of Shaker ceremonies and to sing the songs and hymns of
their order. A friend who attended one of their rehearsals not long
since speaks of their music as entirely original. The Company desire securing the services of a small orchestra, and additional attractions in the shape of vocal performers, selected from the world outside “the Church.” The Shaker songs and hymns generally refer to their form of worship, and their ceremonies are intended to be types of the tenets of their faith. Anyone
who has witnessed the turning and shaking process, as carried on by
this singular sect, will appreciate the following, which is one of the
songs about to be sung by the Boston Company, in a sort of light,
tripping, jig metre:
‘Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free;
‘Tis a gift to come down where we all ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
Twill be in the valley of Love and Delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shall not be ashamed;
To turn and to turn shall be our delight,
Till we turn and in turning we come around right.”
Considering the observer of the rehearsal
likely wrote down the words after hearing the song only once, the
variation in the exact wording of how the song has come down to the
present day can be politely ignored.
The “friend” who attended the rehearsal
and/or the author of the article did not understand that there was
little chance that these performers were, in fact, at that time, members of the Shaker Church. Rather, it is more likely that the “company” was one of several troupes of
Shaker apostates who, after leaving the sect, chose to monetize their
experience as Shakers by lecturing about Shaker life and belief and
performing their songs and dances.
There were at least four groups of seceders who departed Shaker communities during the 1840s and are known to have taken to the stage. Leaving Canterbury, New Hampshire, in 1844, WilliamTripture eventually gathered a group of nine ex-Shakers to perform around New England, New York, and beyond. While Tripture and company were performing in the Midwest, another group of Canterbury apostates had taken to the stage in New England and New York. Lydia A. Chase, once a member of Tripture’s company, was featured as “the miraculous Shaker Tetotum,” able to spin around 1,500 to 2,000 times. From the Maine communities, members of the Hammons family, once Shakers at Alfred, and members of the Palmer family, Shakers at New Gloucester, had also forsaken their Shaker homes for the limelight.
There is no neat explanation as to why any of these companies would have known the words and tune to “Simple Gifts.” They had all left their Shaker homes prior to the generally accepted date of 1848 for Elder Joseph Brackett’s creation of the song. One possible hypothesis is that by the time William
and Love Ann Palmer left the New Gloucester Shakers in 1847, Elder
Joseph had already sung his song to members of the community. Although “Simple Gifts” is attributed to the Alfred community, Elder Joseph spent most of his Shaker life as a member of either the Gorham Shakers (his youth) or at New Gloucester. He was the Elder at New Gloucester when, in 1848, he wasneeded to serve in the Ministry. For nearly the next decade he resided primarily at Alfred. He returned to New Gloucester where he died in 1882. Perhaps it was only in 1848 that the song was actually written down.
There is an extant poster for a performancegiven by the Palmer troupe in E. Meyers Hall in Fairfield County, south-central Ohio, on Friday October 20, 1848. The
program promises a lecture by onetime Shaker, Mr. William Palmer, on
the history of the Shakers and Mother Ann Lee, an illustrated
presentation about the Shaker Bible, and, of course, a selection of
Shaker songs and dances – culminating in Miss. L. A. Palmer’samazing whirling. Most interesting for the subject at hand is the presentation of songs that appears to come from the 1840s during the Shakers’ Era of Manifestations. Such songs reflect
the Shakers’ interactions with angels and other visitors from the
spirit world. Titles include, “The Song Which Was Learned of a Band of
Angels,” “Sowing the Spiritual Seed and Blowing the Spiritual Trumpet,” and “Indian Song, Believed By the Shakers to Have Been Given By Inspiration.” An entry only described as “A Song Given By Inspiration,” gives one pause to wonder if this may have been the yet untitled “Simple Gifts” that the Palmers may have heard at their onetime Shaker home at New Gloucester.
Whatever the process by which “Simple Gifts” became part of public performances outside the Shaker community, the fact that it did bears testimony to both the pleasantly memorable tune and the resonance of the message – keep your life focused, by not allowing extraneous and unnecessary forces distract you.
“Great Moral Curiosity! Shaker Concert!, Ca. 1848. Poughkeepsie, NY:
“The American” Power Press. (detail) Retrieved on January 21, 2021, from
Ohio Memory.
Feb 10, 2021
‘Tis a gift to be simple, but things aren’t as simple as they seem
The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,” was not widely known
before American composer Aaron Copeland used the tune to score
choreographer Martha Graham’s 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring. The song,
however, was certainly popular among the Shakers – having been recorded
in at least 15 surviving manuscript hymnals according to Daniel
Patterson’s book, The Shaker Spiritual. The song, […]
The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,”
was not widely known before American composer Aaron Copeland used the
tune to score choreographer Martha Graham’s 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring. The song, however,
was certainly popular among the Shakers – having been recorded in at
least 15 surviving manuscript hymnals according to Daniel Patterson’s
book, The Shaker Spiritual. The
song, described by Patterson as a quick dance with a tempo of 106 beats
per minute, appears to have been written by Elder Joseph Brackett while he lived at the community at Alfred as a member of the Maine Shaker Ministry.
Recently it has been discovered that the song had, nearly a century earlier, enjoyed some popularity outside the Shaker community. In a November 5, 1851 article published in The New York Daily Times, a person in attendance at a rehearsal of a company of Shakers preparing for a performance in Boston recorded the words to asong beginning, “Tis a gift to be simple; ‘Tis a gift to be free, …” The entire article appeared as follows:
“AGUE POETRY!—A party of nine
Shakers, of both sexes, is preparing to “come out” at Boston in a series
of public entertainments, for the avowed purpose of drawing attention
to the peculiarities of their sect, and thus making proselytes. They purposegiving
representations of Shaker ceremonies and to sing the songs and hymns of
their order. A friend who attended one of their rehearsals not long
since speaks of their music as entirely original. The Company desire securing the services of a small orchestra, and additional attractions in the shape of vocal performers, selected from the world outside “the Church.” The Shaker songs and hymns generally refer to their form of worship, and their ceremonies are intended to be types of the tenets of their faith. Anyone
who has witnessed the turning and shaking process, as carried on by
this singular sect, will appreciate the following, which is one of the
songs about to be sung by the Boston Company, in a sort of light,
tripping, jig metre:
‘Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free;
‘Tis a gift to come down where we all ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
Twill be in the valley of Love and Delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shall not be ashamed;
To turn and to turn shall be our delight,
Till we turn and in turning we come around right.”
Considering the observer of the rehearsal
likely wrote down the words after hearing the song only once, the
variation in the exact wording of how the song has come down to the
present day can be politely ignored.
The “friend” who attended the rehearsal
and/or the author of the article did not understand that there was
little chance that these performers were, in fact, at that time, members of the Shaker Church. Rather, it is more likely that the “company” was one of several troupes of
Shaker apostates who, after leaving the sect, chose to monetize their
experience as Shakers by lecturing about Shaker life and belief and
performing their songs and dances.
There were at least four groups of seceders who departed Shaker communities during the 1840s and are known to have taken to the stage. Leaving Canterbury, New Hampshire, in 1844, WilliamTripture eventually gathered a group of nine ex-Shakers to perform around New England, New York, and beyond. While Tripture and company were performing in the Midwest, another group of Canterbury apostates had taken to the stage in New England and New York. Lydia A. Chase, once a member of Tripture’s company, was featured as “the miraculous Shaker Tetotum,” able to spin around 1,500 to 2,000 times. From the Maine communities, members of the Hammons family, once Shakers at Alfred, and members of the Palmer family, Shakers at New Gloucester, had also forsaken their Shaker homes for the limelight.
There is no neat explanation as to why any of these companies would have known the words and tune to “Simple Gifts.” They had all left their Shaker homes prior to the generally accepted date of 1848 for Elder Joseph Brackett’s creation of the song. One possible hypothesis is that by the time William
and Love Ann Palmer left the New Gloucester Shakers in 1847, Elder
Joseph had already sung his song to members of the community. Although “Simple Gifts” is attributed to the Alfred community, Elder Joseph spent most of his Shaker life as a member of either the Gorham Shakers (his youth) or at New Gloucester. He was the Elder at New Gloucester when, in 1848, he wasneeded to serve in the Ministry. For nearly the next decade he resided primarily at Alfred. He returned to New Gloucester where he died in 1882. Perhaps it was only in 1848 that the song was actually written down.
There is an extant poster for a performancegiven by the Palmer troupe in E. Meyers Hall in Fairfield County, south-central Ohio, on Friday October 20, 1848. The
program promises a lecture by onetime Shaker, Mr. William Palmer, on
the history of the Shakers and Mother Ann Lee, an illustrated
presentation about the Shaker Bible, and, of course, a selection of
Shaker songs and dances – culminating in Miss. L. A. Palmer’samazing whirling. Most interesting for the subject at hand is the presentation of songs that appears to come from the 1840s during the Shakers’ Era of Manifestations. Such songs reflect
the Shakers’ interactions with angels and other visitors from the
spirit world. Titles include, “The Song Which Was Learned of a Band of
Angels,” “Sowing the Spiritual Seed and Blowing the Spiritual Trumpet,” and “Indian Song, Believed By the Shakers to Have Been Given By Inspiration.” An entry only described as “A Song Given By Inspiration,” gives one pause to wonder if this may have been the yet untitled “Simple Gifts” that the Palmers may have heard at their onetime Shaker home at New Gloucester.
Whatever the process by which “Simple Gifts” became part of public performances outside the Shaker community, the fact that it did bears testimony to both the pleasantly memorable tune and the resonance of the message – keep your life focused, by not allowing extraneous and unnecessary forces distract you.
Great Moral Curiosity! Shaker Concert!, Ca. 1848. Poughkeepsie, NY:
“The American” Power Press. (detail) Retrieved on January 21, 2021, from
Ohio Memory.
Feb 10, 2021
‘Tis a gift to be simple, but things aren’t as simple as they seem
The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,” was not widely known
before American composer Aaron Copeland used the tune to score
choreographer Martha Graham’s 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring. The song,
however, was certainly popular among the Shakers – having been recorded
in at least 15 surviving manuscript hymnals according to Daniel
Patterson’s book, The Shaker Spiritual. The song, […]
The Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,”
was not widely known before American composer Aaron Copeland used the
tune to score choreographer Martha Graham’s 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring. The song, however,
was certainly popular among the Shakers – having been recorded in at
least 15 surviving manuscript hymnals according to Daniel Patterson’s
book, The Shaker Spiritual. The
song, described by Patterson as a quick dance with a tempo of 106 beats
per minute, appears to have been written by Elder Joseph Brackett while he lived at the community at Alfred as a member of the Maine Shaker Ministry.
Recently it has been discovered that the song had, nearly a century earlier, enjoyed some popularity outside the Shaker community. In a November 5, 1851 article published in The New York Daily Times, a person in attendance at a rehearsal of a company of Shakers preparing for a performance in Boston recorded the words to asong beginning, “Tis a gift to be simple; ‘Tis a gift to be free, …” The entire article appeared as follows:
“AGUE POETRY!—A party of nine
Shakers, of both sexes, is preparing to “come out” at Boston in a series
of public entertainments, for the avowed purpose of drawing attention
to the peculiarities of their sect, and thus making proselytes. They purposegiving
representations of Shaker ceremonies and to sing the songs and hymns of
their order. A friend who attended one of their rehearsals not long
since speaks of their music as entirely original. The Company desire securing the services of a small orchestra, and additional attractions in the shape of vocal performers, selected from the world outside “the Church.” The Shaker songs and hymns generally refer to their form of worship, and their ceremonies are intended to be types of the tenets of their faith. Anyone
who has witnessed the turning and shaking process, as carried on by
this singular sect, will appreciate the following, which is one of the
songs about to be sung by the Boston Company, in a sort of light,
tripping, jig metre:
‘Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free;
‘Tis a gift to come down where we all ought to be;
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
Twill be in the valley of Love and Delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shall not be ashamed;
To turn and to turn shall be our delight,
Till we turn and in turning we come around right.”
Considering the observer of the rehearsal
likely wrote down the words after hearing the song only once, the
variation in the exact wording of how the song has come down to the
present day can be politely ignored.
The “friend” who attended the rehearsal
and/or the author of the article did not understand that there was
little chance that these performers were, in fact, at that time, members of the Shaker Church. Rather, it is more likely that the “company” was one of several troupes of
Shaker apostates who, after leaving the sect, chose to monetize their
experience as Shakers by lecturing about Shaker life and belief and
performing their songs and dances.
There were at least four groups of seceders who departed Shaker communities during the 1840s and are known to have taken to the stage. Leaving Canterbury, New Hampshire, in 1844, WilliamTripture eventually gathered a group of nine ex-Shakers to perform around New England, New York, and beyond. While Tripture and company were performing in the Midwest, another group of Canterbury apostates had taken to the stage in New England and New York. Lydia A. Chase, once a member of Tripture’s company, was featured as “the miraculous Shaker Tetotum,” able to spin around 1,500 to 2,000 times. From the Maine communities, members of the Hammons family, once Shakers at Alfred, and members of the Palmer family, Shakers at New Gloucester, had also forsaken their Shaker homes for the limelight.
There is no neat explanation as to why any of these companies would have known the words and tune to “Simple Gifts.” They had all left their Shaker homes prior to the generally accepted date of 1848 for Elder Joseph Brackett’s creation of the song. One possible hypothesis is that by the time William
and Love Ann Palmer left the New Gloucester Shakers in 1847, Elder
Joseph had already sung his song to members of the community. Although “Simple Gifts” is attributed to the Alfred community, Elder Joseph spent most of his Shaker life as a member of either the Gorham Shakers (his youth) or at New Gloucester. He was the Elder at New Gloucester when, in 1848, he wasneeded to serve in the Ministry. For nearly the next decade he resided primarily at Alfred. He returned to New Gloucester where he died in 1882. Perhaps it was only in 1848 that the song was actually written down.
There is an extant poster for a performancegiven by the Palmer troupe in E. Meyers Hall in Fairfield County, south-central Ohio, on Friday October 20, 1848. The
program promises a lecture by onetime Shaker, Mr. William Palmer, on
the history of the Shakers and Mother Ann Lee, an illustrated
presentation about the Shaker Bible, and, of course, a selection of
Shaker songs and dances – culminating in Miss. L. A. Palmer’samazing whirling. Most interesting for the subject at hand is the presentation of songs that appears to come from the 1840s during the Shakers’ Era of Manifestations. Such songs reflect
the Shakers’ interactions with angels and other visitors from the
spirit world. Titles include, “The Song Which Was Learned of a Band of
Angels,” “Sowing the Spiritual Seed and Blowing the Spiritual Trumpet,” and “Indian Song, Believed By the Shakers to Have Been Given By Inspiration.” An entry only described as “A Song Given By Inspiration,” gives one pause to wonder if this may have been the yet untitled “Simple Gifts” that the Palmers may have heard at their onetime Shaker home at New Gloucester.
Whatever the process by which “Simple Gifts” became part of public performances outside the Shaker community, the fact that it did bears testimony to both the pleasantly memorable tune and the resonance of the message – keep your life focused, by not allowing extraneous and unnecessary forces distract
