Lord of the Dance (hymn)
English religious song / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Lord of the Dance" is a hymn written by English songwriter Sydney Carter in 1963.[1] The melody is from the American Shaker song "Simple Gifts". The hymn is widely performed in English-speaking congregations and assemblies.[1]
The song follows the idea of the traditional English carol "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day", which tells the gospel story in the first-person voice of Jesus of Nazareth with the device of portraying Jesus' life and mission as a dance.
The American composer Aaron Copland had earlier incorporated this Shaker tune into the music for his ballet Appalachian Spring.