'Tis a Gift to be Simple -- Shaker folk song

[@RhondaCope-rk3ez]

I truly appreciate that others place an effort to get music out for all to hear. My mother Is now severe dementia, Alzheimer's And she's lost in her own world. when I play this lovely song, her eyes light up, Her body perks up and she smiles. It's a good for both our hearts Life so fragile music is good for our souls thankful to be simple . Tis a gift to be simple. Thank you

[@micheleemcdaniel389]

My Mother had the same reaction when we played Tom Jones.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

You are welcome, thank you for sharing this story with us! Blessings on you and your mother.

[@johnhiggins1127]

Well said ❤

[@channelfogg6629]

I'm no Christian but this has the true spirit.

[@perrykeener7805]

Beautifully done. Sounds wonderful. So glad you shared.

[@monumentofwonders]

My brother and I sang this song at our mother's memorial service. Lovely.

[@darylmombourquette3683]

SPECTACULAR. When I was in a Roman Catholic choir we did "Lord of the Dance" same song with different words relating to the life of Christ. Your version of the original Shaker song could not be more perfect. Your voice and the musicianship is so joyful. ❤

[@beckycampana140]

Same. Someone played it on the piano and I immediately recognized it as a "church" song from my choir days 😊❤

[@LaZyPoTaTo.]

I remember singing this song in primary

[@redrambler2000]

Same

[@lukasvisagie9513]

Music is an amazing gift. When my wonderful, late, loving wife was on her deathbed, totally helpless, unable to do anything, I was able to play music for her and show it on KZbin, which hopefully she was able to enjoy. Now, in my lonely life, music gives pleasure and keeps me going!

[@angelicaluce3230]

GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU LUKAS!

[@lukasvisagie9513]

@@angelicaluce3230 Thank you, He does!

[@rtpoe]

The song is such that the simpler the arrangement, the simpler the presentation, the better it is.....

[@kristenkaz3080]

Played at my husband’s funeral. Brought down the entire church in tears. But oh so beautiful. ❤

[@suzettemaglinte4034]

womp womp

[@nancyjames7013]

I learned this song when I was around 9 years old (more than 40 years ago) and I found myself still singing it today. So, today I am grateful for the outstanding arts education I received in my little town's public school system.

[@loving-everyone-equally]

This is so heart opening. I found it because of listening to Copland's Appalachian Springs and looking for the fold song he used.

[@scottmunson2917]

Listening to this at Shaker Village, Kentucky. Thanks so much for posting this lovely version of this wonderful song. So much touched my heart.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

You are so welcome, Scott. Please join us again. Blessings on your week!

[@scottmunson2917]

@@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133 Right back at you!

[@traditionsHome]

Love the instruments, love the voice, love, love, love the song.

[@stephenmory5592]

Tis a gift to be simple and free. ‘‘Tis a gift to dance in ecstasy as the Shakers used to be. Dance, dance wherever you may be. I am the Lord of the Dance said he. This is perichoresis, the eternal dance of divine joy.

[@alistercaddy1208]

Hell yeah, dude!

[@Michajeru]

This is a really beautiful song. I love this performance more than ones that I have seen on KZbin performed by opera singers or choirs.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you so much for this feedback. Andy and Kester are such holy people and this song really expresses their spirituality and simplicity of life.

[@feloniousbutterfly]

As an agnostic, every version of this song is sacred and divine.

[@drew-andresvogt652]

beautifully said.

[@barbiekat6352]

As a spiritual person this song is sacred and divine as well…🫶🏻

[@roberto8650]

As an antitheist, this song is cuter'n hell.

[@FromAgonyToLight]

As a Latter-day Saint, I couldn’t agree more.

[@barbiekat6352]

🥰Such unity!

[@eugenegalvin7160]

i do keep coming back to this

[@danielmcmeen3167]

So pure and sweet.....

[@SMichaelDeHart]

Love this hymn!! Especially when hearing the West Virginia Mountaineer Marching Band playing at Mountaineer Field in the fall!!

[@voiceofreason9238]

Simple Gifts. Truer words were ne'er spoken. :)

[@SMichaelDeHart]

@@voiceofreason9238 amen!!

[@emirbeganovic6433]

I’m actually doing this song for my 5th grade concert!

[@drew-andresvogt652]

Beautiful; nice to appreciate that the the "so called Shakers" believed in connecting to Spirit and were moved by the energy (causing physical shaking).

[@PythiaHiereia]

I know it's been a while since I've looked up this song because somehow this I missed this performance for two years! Fortunately for me, I've caught it in time for holidays with the family.

[@RogerColes-ki7xh]

learned this is school in the sixties love this song live this song too

[@chucklemunkee]

This is absolutely lovely, what an incredible version and tribute, I could listen to this all day, thank you.

[@CrystalHempstock]

This brings back childhood memories! Wow. ♡♡♡

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you for the feedback, Crystal!

[@psw1623]

Simple and pretty. Thanks for sharing!

[@derby1341]

We use to sing this in middle school chours❤

[@juliabass8987]

Just beautiful!! Love from Mississippi❤

[@paulharvey2396]

thank you thank you God bless you amen

[@oblivion5683]

So many versions of this song that are slow and somber, it's a dance song!! It should feel as though you're in the room with the music, it should make your body move!! this performance is fantastic.

[@TheCyberianWonder]

Thank you for playing this amazing song

[@aliensarehuman]

….awesome hugs!

[@terriconti]

Thank you! Perfect! 💕❤💕

[@davidcoyle1084]

Ironically, I was just playing this song on strumstick, but I had part of the melody wrong. So I came to KZbin looking for a simple version (no pun intended) to learn from. And lo and behold found one being played on a Seagull Merlin AND an Autoharp. I have a strumstick and several dulcimers. And several Autoharps. A Merlin...maybe some day. Nice version, thanks for the help.

[@tobyluke1]

This is the most beautiful thing I’ve heard

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you so much! Blessings to you.

[@spagheddiism]

Very lovely.

[@cumberlandquiltchic1]

Simply, beautiful! Thank you....

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you too! I hope you can join us regularly, Sandra.

[@MikeMenefee]

This is lovely and brilliant.

[@Justin-wz9pr]

This song. This song right here is the meaning of life.

[@rwedmonds4340]

The message of life,

[@javaman7199]

Love this and Lord of the Dance (same tune).

[@alistercaddy1208]

I like this song very much.

[@francieraymond]

Just delightful! thank you!

[@StevenThomas-ld7oe]

Hello

[@jakobpastoetter2483]

Thank you very much! Talks directly to my heart!

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

You are so welcome! Blessings to you!

[@mikemetague7973]

Lovely! The vocalist/harpsichordist's singing reminds me of The Bothy Band's Triona NiDhomhnaill, ca. 1976.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you for the feedback! We appreciate it.

[@willrice1850]

Lovely!

[@aro5490]

lovely thanks for sharing

[@abbiebyrom2282]

TY for sharing this lovely Shaker tune! Such a pure & simple song, very well delivered. 👏🏼

[@leomarkaable1]

Beautifully done. Simply put.

[@newlife.vanessacalfan]

such a great rendition, thank you for the share!

[@StevenThomas-ld7oe]

Hello

[@cpm232]

God in His love will not put you where He in His love cannot keep you.

[@virginiatrott9888]

Beautiful!

[@meself349]

Beautiful

[@Mulberry2000]

Lovely.

[@sensiblecrime7699]

Your voice is beautiful. Thank you so much!

[@amyfox3877]

Beautiful and direct. Well done.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you, Amy! We hope you tune in again.

[@tilleylepew5944]

Beautiful tune. I just looked this up to see where it caught Aaron Copeland's attention.

[@tomnoonan3413]

Beautiful! Thank you

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thanks for the feedback, Tom. We will be using this piece in our contemplative service on August 15th. I hope you can join us!

[@zombietori23]

this song randomly gets stuck in my head and I’ve just kind of always known it. I actually thought maybe it didn’t exist. 😅

[@Zombiejimful]

thank you so much for this !

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

You are so welcome, James. Please subscribe to our channel and join us regularly. Blessings on our spiritual path!

[@donaldoarmand212]

lovely

[@ZartmoBThoughtForms]

Awesome

[@Tom_theBaptist]

“To believe in God is to know that all the rules will be fair, and that there will be wonderful surprises.” - Ugo Betti

[@markbaker8607]

thank you

[@MiguellaGorilla]

Actually based. Like I've been studying stoicism and the Shakers seem to have a very similar approach. I remember learning this folk song when I was in Elementary School elementary School. Beautiful song and the Beautiful message that we all would do well to learn

[@rayunseitig6367]

How nice, nice and fine.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

We are happy that you enjoyed this hymn. Grace, peace, and love to you.

[@rayunseitig6367]

@@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133 thanks to you. Gratitude for stuff.

[@alexatedw]

This is the lord of dance

[@scorpioleader_1235]

this is how it actually goes: tis a gift to be simple tis a gift to be free tis a simple song of love for you and me and when we find ourselves in a place just righttttttttttt we'll sing together in love and delight.... SING! SING! in perfect harmony, a simple song of love for you and for me... to sing! sing! will be our delight till by singing singing we come round right!!!

[@marthamcdermott5751]

this is way the best performance on youtube -- guess why -- it's simple!! :-)

[@voiceofreason9238]

Listen to the brass version performed by Blast! and see what you think. Arron Copeland has the definitive version of Simple Gifts from which all other variants are taken. It's near the end of his ballet music, Appalachia Spring.

[@EvansuperPowers]

Happy Thanksgiving, folks!!

[@oakincornwall]

It would be nice to credit the performers

[@ernestthio6562]

Hugs to you guys! Lovely rendition! Simplicity at its best! The lady is playing an autoharp but I can't figure out the instrument played by the gentlemen. It looks like a custom fretless instrument ? Can anyone help?

[@stenobot]

It's called a Strum Stick. It does have frets, but can only play major chords.

[@sydwhitaker5776]

It’s a folk instrument called a Merlin :)

[@HisAssholiness]

well done

[@kathrynwebster6307]

That’s a lovely Sparrow Autoharp! Next time, please put a microphone on it so we can hear the beautiful strumming.

[@JenniferRademaker]

We sing this occasionally from the Quaker hymnal after the silence

[@micheleemcdaniel389]

Please play 'I will Bow and be Simple'.

[@ExileTheKnightsOfMaltaNow]

I believe you're supposed to speed this song up as it goes.. considerably.. it gets progressively faster as a challenge to the dancers... was the intended purpose

[@JulieBateman-k6u]

I like this better than the Lord of the Dance version, and i love Lord of the Dance!!!

[@voiceofreason9238]

There is also a version by Yo Yo Ma and Allison Krause. Two pretty good performers. :)

[@huiliwang1451]

nice

[@sauvageaux]

❤

[@gxtmfa]

What instrument is the small fretted ax?

[@georgebenson6036]

What is that instrument called that the guy is playing?

[@김동빈-z9t]

what instruments did you play?

[@RickarooCarew]

tashi delek... thanks y'all 🤠

[@amytaylor8601]

What instruments are you both playing?

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

Thank you for asking! Andy is playing a Seagull Strumstick (sometimes called a mountain dulcimer), and Kester is playing a D’aigle autoharp.

[@StevenThomas-ld7oe]

Hello

[@sauvageaux]

Salt as pepper, say it don't slay it.

[@soysaucefool]

Weezer actually modified this into a classic

[@soysaucefool]

Not that it isn't already great

[@jaimejaimeChannel]

Lovely. Wish I could hear the harpsichord better.

[@kenyackimec1651]

Its an autoharp.

[@jaimejaimeChannel]

@@kenyackimec1651 right.

[@penultimateh766]

Too bad not many people take the lyrics to heart.

[@saintandrewsepiscopalchurc1133]

So true. Than you!

[@jleungleung4599]

The singers have no eyes contact from start to ending of the song.

[@jeromeblue3854]

Tis a gift to be simple minded, it seems.

[@johannnaannna]

Simple carries the meaning of humbleness, not puffed up by vanity or pride, but straightforward with integrity.

[@jeromeblue3854]

@@johannnaannna I see what you mean. I have always had questions about humility. I don’t think we should think badly about ourselves. We are, after all, expressions of God. I am grateful for who I am, and I try to be my best at being me.

[@johannnaannna]

@@jeromeblue3854 'and Moses was accounted for as being the most humble man on earth.'

[@jeromeblue3854]

@@johannnaannna Can one think one think well of oneself, but not better than others, and not be vain, and still have integrity?

[@johannnaannna]

@@jeromeblue3854 Oh yes! We are "King's kids" after all: " Joint heirs with Christ, as the children of God"

[@suzettemaglinte4034]

you skibidi

[@Rob-yv9og]

Great song for the meth and fentanyl epidemic Seattle!

[@JonathanSchattke]

that boy's accompaniment is a harm to the music. and your timing is off. And don't you know all the verses?

[@davidcoyle1084]

How many verses do you expect them to sing?

[@JonathanSchattke]

@@davidcoyle1084 twenty or thirty :D

[@davids8821]

Please post a link to your rendition so we all can enjoy

[@fortniteethan1304]

ewwwww

[@fortniteethan1304]

this sucks

[@davids8821]

You embarrass yourself

[@redrambler2000]

Haha you damn fool. Fortnite sucks.