Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them

Subject: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them??
From: GUEST,Celeste
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 06:32 PM

Who wrote Lord of the Dance and does anyone know where to find them?? Also who wrote the actual music??

Subject: Lyr Add: LORD OF THE DANCE (Sydney Carter)
From: Bernard
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 06:41 PM

Sydney Carter wrote the words, the tune is a traditional Shaker melody.

LORD OF THE DANCE
(Sydney Carter)

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
And I danced in the Moon and the stars and the Sun
I came down from Heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Chorus:
Dance, then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He.

I danced for the Scribe and the Pharisee
But they wouldn't dance, and they wouldn't follow me.
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John,
They came with me and the Dance went on.

I danced on the Sabbath, and I cured the lame,
The holy people, they said it was a shame,
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high,
And left me there on a cross to die.

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, and they thought I'd gone,
But I am the Dance, and I still go on.

They cut me down and I leapt up high,
I am the light that'll never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He

I believe Sydney Carter is not too happy with Michael Flatley for using the title 'Lord of the Dance'...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Burke
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 07:38 PM

This comes up frequently. Try this thread.

Blue Clicky

Or just put Lord of the Dance in the filter box & set the age for a year or so.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Barry T
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 08:57 PM

Here is the link I always point people to for the background of the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 09:09 PM

We used to have a number of Sydney Carter songs in our Digital Tradition database, but Carter's publisher asked that they be removed - maybe it has something to do with Flatley having made all that money on "Lord of the Dance."

The tune is usually known as Simple Gifts (click), a Shaker melody from the 19th century. Aaron Copland used the tune in his beautiful piece, "Appalachian Spring."

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 09:17 PM

Joe, I know this has been suggested before - but it would make sense to leave the titles of songs that have been removed on copyright grounds in the DT and put a brief note pointing this out alongside (or underneath) them. At least it might stop people from thinking we hadn't got them and re-posting them to the Forum.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Callie
Date: 05 Jan 01 - 09:18 PM

I heard quite a funny parody of the song at a festival that wne something like:

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, says me
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be
For my name is Michael Flatley

Written by Duncan Chalmers.

The last verse has something about Sidney Carter getting the last say.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Snuffy
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 07:42 AM

And the Kipper Family's Bored of the Dance is still in the Digital Tradition database.

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Jan 01 - 03:53 PM

In the case of the Lord of the Dance I think it's be a good idea to have a link to http://www.stainer.co.uk/lotd.html, <the link Barry had there) actually in the DT.

It'd mean that people would be able to get the song through the DT, which is good for the DT, and also it would be an act of good will to Sydney Carter. I'm sure it wasn't his idea to pull the other songs out of the DT as well as "Lord of The Dance", where, thanks to Flattley, there were special reasons. He really is an lovely man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 04:36 AM

Hi, Susanne - take a look in the database for Lord of the Dance or 1913 Massacre and you'll see your suggestion has been implemented. McGrath - your idea sounds good - why not send it in a personal message to Dick Greenhaus?

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 08:35 PM

The Shaker tune "Simple Gifts" was made by Shaker Brother John Brackett in Alfred Maine in 1835

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lord of the Dance and who wrote them
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 07 Jan 01 - 10:30 PM

Julia Thanks for that date.. Ive always wondered about that one.. Yours Guy Wolff