▁out ▁of ▁Prov inc et own , ▁Mass . ▁c . ▁ 1 8 6 5 – 6 6 . ▁At ▁one ▁point , ▁the ▁crew ▁is ▁getting ▁up ▁the ▁anchor ▁in ▁a ▁storm , ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁a ▁p ump - style ▁wind lass . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁chant ies ▁the ▁men ▁sing ▁while ▁performing ▁this ▁task ▁is ▁mentioned ▁by ▁title , ▁" P addy ▁on ▁the ▁Railway ". ▁ ▁Sh aker ▁music ▁ ▁The ▁Sh akers ▁is ▁a ▁religious ▁sect ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 th - century ▁England ▁upon ▁the ▁teach ings ▁of ▁Ann ▁Lee . ▁Sh akers ▁today ▁are ▁most ▁known ▁for ▁their ▁cultural ▁contributions ▁( es pecially ▁style ▁of ▁music ▁and ▁furn iture ). ▁The ▁Sh akers ▁composed ▁thousands ▁of ▁songs , ▁and ▁also ▁created ▁many ▁d ances ; ▁both ▁were ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Sh aker ▁worship ▁services . ▁In ▁Sh aker ▁society , ▁a ▁spiritual ▁" g ift " ▁could ▁also ▁be ▁a ▁musical ▁revel ation , ▁and ▁they ▁considered ▁it ▁important ▁to ▁record ▁musical ▁inspir ations ▁as ▁they ▁occurred . ▁" Simple ▁G ifts " ▁was ▁composed ▁by ▁E lder ▁Joseph ▁Bra ck ett ▁and ▁origin ated ▁in ▁the ▁Alfred ▁Sh aker ▁community ▁in ▁Maine ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁A aron ▁Cop land ' s ▁icon ic ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁bal let ▁score ▁App al ach ian ▁Spring , ▁uses ▁the ▁now ▁famous ▁Sh aker ▁t une ▁" Simple ▁G ifts " ▁as ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁its ▁finale .