Simple Gifts - GMCLA.ORG

[SerNdipit2]

Beautiful - words and dance

[3948jeff]

This moving performance brought tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart.

Thank you Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles.

Jeff

[coffeescup]

Beautiful version.

[Fjacmans]

This is just the sweetest text to whisper in your lovers ear while holding him tight while watching the sun set together...how lovely!

[GaryFTaylor]

Nobody ever does the full song--they do the first verse and chorus, a little snippet of the original Shaker work song. The other verses are equally beautiful. It is a pity they are so seldom heard.

[1049berkeley]

Love the choreography

[Zabik]

What a moving video clip. Very powerful.

[taktak495]

WE R SINGING THIS IN CHORUS BUT FASTER!!!!

[taktak495]

finally not a gay hater!!!!

[streich13]

This is heart stopping in its simple beauty, and the guys are so graceful. Many thanks for sharing.

[EvaMaNa90]

This is beautiful

trust me, if i ever make it to LA i will try and go see them...

im from germany by the way. i wish we had a choir of that class here.

[ejman88]

WE ARE SINGING THIS IN CHORUS! haha i love this song

[wbworkout]

One of the most beautiful songs in America, the other verses are less well know but equally as beautiful

[Columbiabear]

This is truely glorious, simple gifts and perfect harmony, what a lesson!

[54blinkblue]

omg my choir is singing this song (we're not nearly as good and we're all girls)

[bEsTfRieNdzZ94]

awesome!!!

[coffeescup]

lovely guys

[wowiewowwow99]

we are singing that in my school chior. :)

[declans100]

2 minutes of pure heaven - thank you, fellows. My husband and I have reservations about the dance - but I urged him and me to stop carping and enjoy the clip. X

[Holebis]

This is very beautiful !!!

thanks to you all This will go in my gayfaith-playlists, and favourites .

Gaygreetings from holebis ♥♂♂,♀♀♥

[yasky1963]

wow i remember this song its been stuck in my head since elementry school..

[difanchen1989]

Altough i am chinese but i still love Coplan's Americanism music

[ScooterRick]

This video brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. We used a similar arrangement for our chorus. Great job, guys!

[Demilovatorocks24]

my music teacher told me 2 watch it 4 extra credit because we're doing this song for NYSSMA on may 2

[PirateFan99]

Practically perfect! Wonderful job.

[72ve17]

very simple song but the group sing it magnificiently - bravo

[lichtbroeder]

I spent 2 summers, years ago, living with the Shakers in Sabbathday Lake, Maine, at their last, active community. A truly gentle and giving people with an incredible history and beautiful music.

[12GoodJuju]

This is wonderful! A great performance! Wonderful choirography! Please post more!

[jcolino3]

Written by Elder Joseph Brackett of the United Society of Believers in CHRIST's Second Appearing in 1848. A beautiful song of turning in repentance away from the things that God hates to the adoring love of the things that God loves.

That's the importance of the single word "the" in the verses "tis the gift to be simple, tis the gift to be free". Simple and free from the binds of this world and the slavery of sin. Amen!

That said, this is an interesting group singing it.

[Prowler323]

Hmmm, God... hate...

You tie those two words together so easily.

What a sad, pitiable world you must inhabit. Here's hoping God's light can shine through to you and you can experience a true Easter this year.

[Prowler323]

Of course, the *real* amusing thing here is that, given the Shakers' stance on sexual issues, they'd have disapproved of the sexual ties that bind *you* to the world as well. All sex was wrong to the Shakers -- one reason they no longer exist.

so careful with that finger-pointing, eh?

[jcolino3]

Don't shoot the messenger. I was just quoting Scripture (the basis of the song). It was God's love that leveled Sodom, but it's also God's love that settled it at the cross.

[Dedicednu]

Ah! I love this song! I don't suppose the dances were originally Shaker, though?

[jimroman]

Thanks! The choreography is original, created by Mark Chung (third from the right in the final line-up).

[DominickJ]

How wonderful would it be if ALL the GAY mens Chourses from all over these United States could gather in one auditorium and put on a concert!!! We just had the pleasure of seeing and listening to the SanFranciscos Gay Mens chourus. MAGNIFICO!!!!  ALL of them!

[jf096231]

We have an international convention every 4 years, where as many as possible come together from all over the world to sing, laugh, play and learn with one another.

The last GALA convention was in Miami in 2008.

Attending a GALA convention is a truly remarkable experience.

[otterpop2728]

beautiful melody and harmony :]

we had to sing this song in our concert today :]

[KelseyWelsey2110]

love this song its awsome:)

[easthousepinballwiza]

brilliant.

[vmj147]

Fantastic blend of voices and magnicicent interpretation

[Jarmessay]

Our choir at school has to sing this next tuesday.

We sing it a tad differently though.

THis version kicks our version's butt! XD

Well done! Beautiful.

[lzyxmc]

good music

[kaboodles041]

I'm crying! Beautifully done! This is my favorite melody of all time.

[ukeladyrn]

simply exquisite

[HyosukeMagumo]

Awesome. :0 xD

[abbeyc06]

wow niiiiiice dance moves!

[eastwick1026]

excellent!!!

[BroBuRger3014]

i love this song!! its super. :]

[globehunter2]

To be Gay is to be free whom you want to be`

to be free to explore your God given sexuality

For sexuality is not every single part of me`

see me for all of my gifts I bring to humanity

[ScooterRick]

Beautiful

[brokenmallet]

We're playing this on handbells for our senior class' baccalaureate mass.

This is pretty cool- the whole point is that it's just simple and that simple can be everything.

[Zukoluver5]

We have to sing this for our next choir concert. This sounds so good compaired to us. We're girls and we sound squeaky at the high notes!

[starrylullabyx]

this is wonderful! I love this song:) And so beautifully made here!

[buddmar]

Magnificent! Bravo! I love this rendition of the beloved old (Shaker) folk song. I would adore seeing these guys perform in person. Keep up the good work!

[Joecool7788]

is that part of the chorus dancing or hired dancers?

[jimroman]

All dancers appearing in this clip, and all YouTube clips of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, are chorus members, not hired dancers. When learning a new song that involves choreography, GMCLA holds auditions from within our own ranks, and competition is strong. Choreographers must be singers first, though they often appear as dancers too. The choreographer for Simple Gifts is a dancer in this clip too.

[Divineice0]

lol, when true simplicity is gay.

Nope... it's "when true simplicity is gained"

Stop being such a closet homo.

[liviami]

Love it! Love it! The singing is great and the dancing adds a nice touch.

[cvgdan]

I loved this! This chorus rocks! Great job guys!

[AweSaum]

Is it just me, or do they sing "when true simplicity is gay?"

[jimroman]

It's just you. That lyric is:

"When true simplicity is gained,

To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed."

[idontcarewatuthink]

hahahaha i heard it the same way. pretty ironic, huh.

[pwner560]

before i post my real comment, don't post anything immature about the word "gay" in the title!!!! okay my real comment: Love this song, glad my old school band could play it :)

[existentialdreams]

Does one have to prove his "gayness" before joining the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles? If so--dare I ask how???

[jimroman]

Thanks for asking! While almost all GMCLA performers identify themselves as gay men, membership does not imply orientation; GMCLA auditions are open to all singers.

[loonylovegood24]

great! my orchestra is playing this

[LuckyPagoda]

The funny part about this song is that yes, it is a Shaker's hymn, but it's gained popularity as the basic choral equivalent to "Stairway to Heaven" in terms of recognition.

[sigmaclass]

Aren't most male choruses gay choirs? Only kidding, but that was beautiful. Very nicely done!!

[annadams95340]

Definitely the Shakers and one of my all time favorites (along with Lord of the Dance which uses the same melody).

Lovely.

[christinaworks]

nicely done

[gabsylv]

About the only time you'll ever see so many gay men "in harmony" is a choral concert. --a gay man

[CaptDouchebag]

That song is gay!!!  Very nice work! Great song selection !

[iH8MiLeY]

this is a nice, soft song, i like it

[BassClar]

What a neat video! These guys are awesome!

[darylfn]

Quakers have consistently been supportive of GBLT rights. They wouldn't have to a problem with it, although I believe this is an old Shaker hymn.

[jangel47]

It is a Shaker song and not Quaker. I guess the Shakers would have approved of gays as long as they were celibate, a key Shaker belief.

[Traminer]

Not sure what the Quakers will think of this... but LOVE it!

[Witch1993]

Actually, the SHAKERS thought of this song.

[doughboy1987]

What a treat to experience such talent! The GLBT community has a lot to be proud of. And the GMCLA is definitely one of them!