Just a drive-by. Hi to anyone who remembers me from ten years ago or whatever.

The tune for "Simple Gifts" in the database seems to be the modified tune for "Lord of the Dance". At least, it's called LORDANCE. The following tune is billed at the Wikipedia article as the original Shaker tune. Whoever added it to WP probably got it from Roger L. Hall, as seen here. If you squint, you may be able to convince yourself that the broadside offered for sale at that site shows the same tune.

If this really is the original tune, maybe it should be used for all the versions of "Simple Gifts" in the database, with the LORDANCE tune only for "Lord of the Dance" (which I guess had to be removed).

What do people think?

X:1
T:Simple Gifts
C: Joseph Brackett, Jr. (1797-1882)
O:Alfred, Maine, U.S.A.
S:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Gifts
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:C
g, g, | c c/2d/2 e/2c/2 e/2f/2 | g g/2g/2 e d/2c/2 | d d d d | d/2e/2 d/2B/2 G G | c/2B/2 c/2d/2 e d/2d/2 | e f g>g | d d/2e/2 d c/2c/2 | d c/2B/2 d2 | g2 e>d | e/2f/2 e/2d/2 c>d | e e/2f/2 g e | d d/2e/2 d>G | c2 c>d | e e/2f/2 g g/2g/2 | d d e e/2d/2 | c c c2 ||

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