I Will Bow and Be Simple

DESCRIPTION: "I will bow and be simple, I will bow and be free, I will bow and be humble, Yea, bow like the willow tree." "I will bow, this is the token, I will wear the easy yoke, I will bow and will be broke, Yea, I'll fall upon that rock."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1847 (Mary Hazzard collection, according to Andrews)
KEYWORDS: religious nonballad
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
ADDITIONAL: Edward Deming Andrews, _The Gift to be Simple: Songs, Dances and Rituals of the American Shakers_, 1940 (references are to the 1962 Dover reprint), p. 113, "I Will Bow and Be Simple" (1 text, 1 tune)
NOTES [89 words]: I have absolutely no evidence that this song is traditional; it is one of many Shaker songs on the theme of simplicity. But it has a beautiful melody that has caused it to be sung in the folk revival, so I have included it here.
The reference to the "easy yoke" is surely to Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all who are tired and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke [ζυγον, zygon] upon you, and you will find rest for your souls [ψυχαις, psychais, i.e. psyches]. [30]. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - RBW
Last updated in version 5.0
File: AndSh113

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