12-string Guitar: Simple Gifts

Simple Gifts" is an 1848 Shaker song by Elder Joseph Brackett.It has endured many inaccurate descriptions.
Though often classified as an anonymous Shaker hymn or as a work song, it is better classified as a dance song. Several Shaker manuscripts indicate that this is a "Dancing Song" or a "Quick Dance." The references to "turning" in the last two lines have been identified as dance instructions.
The song was largely unknown outside of Shaker communities until it became world famous thanks to its use in Aaron Copland's score for Martha's ballet, Appalachian Spring, first performed in 1944. Copland used "Simple Gifts" a second time in 1950 in his first set of Old American Songs for voice and piano, which was later orchestrated. Many people thought that the tune of "Simple Gifts" was a traditional Celtic one but both the music and original lyrics are actually the compositions of Brackett. Adaptations and extensions of Brackett's original lyrics have occurred and actually are in the public domain. Simple Gifts" has been adapted or arranged many times by folksingers and composers. Probably the best known example is by English songwriter Sydney Carter, who adapted the Shaker tune for his song "Lord of the Dance", first published in 1963.
Brackett's song only had one verse and a refrain, but two more verses have been added later and included in this version.

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• Simple
• Gifts
• threelegsoman
• Elder
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• Brackett
• Shaker
• Hymn
• Dance
• Song
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• 12-string
• Acoustic
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• Copland
• Appalachian
• Spring
• Old
• American
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[alicool2010]

i love your voice and how you play

[threelegsoman]

@alicool2010 Thank you very much for your kind comment

[joemadly]

your voice and this song perfectly fit

[threelegsoman]

@joemadly Thank you for your comment

[JLAT1990]

This is so cool. What key are you playing in? I'm hoping to do play this song in a duet with an oboist. I love your voice by the way.

[threelegsoman]

@JLAT1990 The key is G. Thank you for your flattering comment

[jenhippiechic]

thank you my family loves it~

[Gna9killer]

ahhh i hate chords xD

[wbell539]

Thank you very much for this. I particularly appreciate having the lyrics on the screen, and your explanation of the usage of 'turning'. I had been puzzled by that.

[threelegsoman]

@weirdoguy987 Yes, there are as you can see from this video. I have even come across some guitars with 9 strings and 14 strings.