On Sunday afternoon I was holding her one year old cousin who was getting a bit sleepy post-lunch, and sang a few different lullabies to her as she snuggled on my shoulder, one of them being Simple Gifts. Simple Gifts is a song which dates back to around 1848, when it was composed by a Shaker: Elder Joseph Brackett. The Shakers, for those not in the know, were a religious sect which originated in England but soon made its way to the States where they founded numerous communities. The Shakers were an offshoot of the Quakers, only with a much more ah, frenetic worship style. Due to this they were often referred to as the "Shaking Quakers" or just "Shakers". Like the Quakers, they were pacifists; unlike the Quakers, they believed that everyone must remain celibate. Which probably explains why there are still Quakers about, but no Shakers... universal celibacy seems unlikely to result in cultural longevity. But they did make nice furniture.
In any case, Brackett wrote the song, apparently intending it to be used as a "quick dance": the various turns in the verse are dance instructions, to bring the participants back "round right". Given their commitment to celibacy, one would think the Shakers would share the Baptist suspicion of social dancing, but apparently not.
Here's a version of it by Alison Krauss:
Here's one of my favourite versions of it, by the Ennis Sisters: