I've known about this performance for decades, and have the album, but this slide show adds so much to it. So many people, so many places; all enjoying being together and dancing.
My wife dedicated her life to children and reading. Living in California, several times she was able to Children’s Literature of New England conferences. At one of those she met John Langstaff and thrilled to sing this song with him We went to the Christmas Revels every year, in Oakland, Portland, and Tacoma. The performance of this song (and dance) completes the first act, with the crowd dancing out to intermission. Each time she would compare the singer to John. None could compare. The song is performed to the tune of Simple Gifts, a Shaker melody.
Play this for your children every morning and watch them twirl and jump around the room and they will be the children who try to turn the world from war to dance! The lord of the dance is to me our god given eternal flame, unbounded for a time to live among us and lighten our hearts and fill us with love and kindness! You cannot be unhappy while dancing! The Duke of Wellington said "Always dance while you may!" and was never too busy to do so!
As a Christian I love it too! Whatever the trouble in our times, find a way to smile, enjoy music and as Lyle Lovett says "Dance just where you are", or James Brown: "Get up offa that thing and dance 'till you feel better".
All human beings are born with the love of dancing - no matter the colour, the beliefs, the climate, the gender, the wealth, the education - & we've been dancing for millennia - may the dance go on, until the world ends...& beyond? Why not?
Christmas Revels was John Langstaff's creation. I attended for many years during the time he was running it, and it always include Morris dance. There were a few years during that era when the Morris team I was a member of performed in Revels. Furthermore, Sydney Carter who wrote "Lord of the Dance" was an English folk musician who would certainly have been well aware of the English tradition of Morris dancing. The song "Lord of the Dance" has a very Morris-ish beat to it. Although the video is wonderfully multicultural, it would be greatly improved if it included images of traditional English Morris teams.
Sorry I didn't include a Morris dance in the video. In fact, about the only thing I know about Morris dancing is the occasional mention by Terry Pratchett in his Discworld novels. Sydney Carter didn't write the music for "Lord of the Dance," by the way, just the lyrics. The music is a traditional Shaker song called "Simple Gifts." Any resemblance to a Morris dance is purely coincidental.
Whenever I hear this song by this singer, I feel full of the absolute conviction that joy is more normal than we believe it is, and as Alan Watts said, dancing and singing are God, waving! We are all God waving! Also, this arrangement is so joyous, with the brass and the bouncing kettle drums (kettle, yeah?) And a great version of the New Testament, I agree! Especially, I love the comments Langstaff attracts to his music and presentation! He is dominant but very kind; benevolent king?
I have always loved this song (in all its permutations) & I LOVE this video! I also agree absolutely with what you said about it, especially the 3rd paragraph. I thank you for this!
Yes I can! Brought up in the unitarian church designed and attended by Frank Lloyd Wright; the nursery school teacher took us out into the grounds and had us look for god in the plants and rocks and as Voltaire remarked, when asked to reconcile himself to God,"We have never quarreled!" I feel certain that the only hell is other people (sorry; Sartre!) No one in such a state of grace could displease God! Not my god, anyway! The tourist in shorts dancing in Hawaii is already in heaven!
amusingly christians in history were very much against dancing. in 1684 Dancing was a sign of spiritual decay to New England’s Puritan ministers who in 1684 published a pamphlet entitled An Arrow against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing, drawn out of the Quiver of the Scriptures _(Joseph Gaer and Ben Siegel, The Puritan Heritage: America’s Roots in the Bible (New York: Mentor Books, 1964), p. 92)._
John Langstaff, others may sing it, but his version is THE ONE!
rwober thank you! I'm glad u said that...after all he's my grandfather 😂😊🌟
I agree. Moves me back to Cambridge, MA in the 1970s. Thank you.
I've known about this performance for decades, and have the album, but this slide show adds so much to it. So many people, so many places; all enjoying being together and dancing.
My wife dedicated her life to children and reading. Living in California, several times she was able to Children’s Literature of New England conferences. At one of those she met John Langstaff and thrilled to sing this song with him
We went to the Christmas Revels every year, in Oakland, Portland, and Tacoma. The performance of this song (and dance) completes the first act, with the crowd dancing out to intermission. Each time she would compare the singer to John. None could compare.
The song is performed to the tune of Simple Gifts, a Shaker melody.
One of my all-time favourites. The international dancing pictures are so carefully chosen. Beautiful work, John Langstaff.
An atheist, a secularist and a humanist, I still love this song.
Play this for your children every morning and watch them twirl and jump around the room and they will be the children who try to turn the world from war to dance! The lord of the dance is to me our god given eternal flame, unbounded for a time to live among us and lighten our hearts and fill us with love and kindness! You cannot be unhappy while dancing! The Duke of Wellington said "Always dance while you may!" and was never too busy to do so!
Whenever I hear this song it ushers in Christmas and I lose it. All the angst of the year floods out
As a Christian I love it too! Whatever the trouble in our times, find a way to smile, enjoy music and as Lyle Lovett says "Dance just where you are", or James Brown: "Get up offa that thing and dance 'till you feel better".
All human beings are born with the love of dancing - no matter the colour, the beliefs, the climate, the gender, the wealth, the education - & we've been dancing for millennia - may the dance go on, until the world ends...& beyond? Why not?
Thank you so much for this beautiful video !
magical and beauty...words to live by
Yes, that's the definitive "Lord Of The Dance" by John Langstaff & his Christmas Revels!
I am in love with this song as it is sung my John Longstaff
Christmas Revels was John Langstaff's creation. I attended for many years during the time he was running it, and it always include Morris dance. There were a few years during that era when the Morris team I was a member of performed in Revels. Furthermore, Sydney Carter who wrote "Lord of the Dance" was an English folk musician who would certainly have been well aware of the English tradition of Morris dancing. The song "Lord of the Dance" has a very Morris-ish beat to it.
Although the video is wonderfully multicultural, it would be greatly improved if it included images of traditional English Morris teams.
Sorry I didn't include a Morris dance in the video. In fact, about the only thing I know about Morris dancing is the occasional mention by Terry Pratchett in his Discworld novels. Sydney Carter didn't write the music for "Lord of the Dance," by the way, just the lyrics. The music is a traditional Shaker song called "Simple Gifts." Any resemblance to a Morris dance is purely coincidental.
Whenever I hear this song by this singer, I feel full of the absolute conviction that joy is more normal than we believe it is, and as Alan Watts said, dancing and singing are God, waving! We are all God waving! Also, this arrangement is so joyous, with the brass and the bouncing kettle drums (kettle, yeah?) And a great version of the New Testament, I agree! Especially, I love the comments Langstaff attracts to his music and presentation! He is dominant but very kind; benevolent king?
He was a teacher above all things. The teacher you've always wanted!
I have always loved this song (in all its permutations) & I LOVE this video! I also agree absolutely with what you said about it, especially the 3rd paragraph. I thank you for this!
Brings me back to singing in the choir in my childhood. :-). Live this song.
I read the NT only once. But when I hear this song, I feel like I never needed to.
Videos lovely too!
dance then where ever you may be
I love God and he loves me
he loves you too no matter what you do
so talk to him and he will talk to you
I luv this song!
I'm a dedicated Catholic- but even if i wasnt i would love this song!
Yes I can! Brought up in the unitarian church designed and attended by Frank Lloyd Wright; the nursery school teacher took us out into the grounds and had us look for god in the plants and rocks and as Voltaire remarked, when asked to reconcile himself to God,"We have never quarreled!" I feel certain that the only hell is other people (sorry; Sartre!) No one in such a state of grace could displease God! Not my god, anyway! The tourist in shorts dancing in Hawaii is already in heaven!
Carol Vogelman so lovely 💫
Religious or not, this is a joy
"I'll live in you, if you'll live in me."
amusingly christians in history were very much against dancing. in 1684 Dancing was a sign of spiritual decay to New England’s Puritan ministers who in 1684 published a pamphlet entitled An Arrow against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing, drawn out of the Quiver of the Scriptures _(Joseph Gaer and Ben Siegel, The Puritan Heritage: America’s Roots in the Bible (New York: Mentor Books, 1964), p. 92)._
hence why I am an agnostic
A nun told me once that singing is like praying twice.... so if i dance and sing at the same time?
Still?
@glennmac88 Just what I was thinking.