Tis the Gift to Be Simple
Tis the gift to be simple tis the gift to be free
A Shaker song celebrating simplicity, freedom, and proper relationship to God as the highest gifts. The image of turning and turning until we come round right is both a reference to Shaker dance and a metaphor for spiritual conversion.
History & Background
Written by Elder Joseph Brackett (1797-1882) of the Shaker community in 1848. The tune SIMPLE GIFTS is the original Shaker melody. Aaron Copland adapted it in Appalachian Spring (1944), bringing it to wide recognition.
Hymnal Appearances
- Gather 4th Edition — 828
Bulletin Note
Tis the Gift to Be Simple — Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848
Preaching Connection
The gift of simplicity and freedom — appropriate for sermons on detachment from worldly complexity.
Themes
Simplicity Shaker Freedom Conversion