In about 1848, Shaker elder Joseph Brackett made a version of this hymn and is credited by many as the composer of its melody. The work first appeared in the book The Gift to be Simple: Shaker Rituals and Songs. But the origin of the tune remains clouded and Brackett may not have been its author, or its sole author. He apparently did write the words, however. The melody was made famous by Aaron Copland, who used it in the closing portion of his ballet and popular ballet suite Appalachian Spring. The Simple Gifts melody weaves both epic and playful threads into its colorful fabric. For those familiar with Appalachian Spring, Copland quotes the theme quite straightforwardly, though in the bigger statements of it near the end he imparts a greater sense of grandeur by altering a few playful-sounding notes in its closing phrases. In the hymn version, the theme is developed, reaching into higher ranges and imparting an ecstatic, almost ethereal sense to the music. The text extols the virtues of simplicity and freedom, sounding more appropriate for a patriotic song than for a religious hymn.

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