I Danced in the Morning
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by Sydney Carter, 1963,
to the American shaker melody, Simple Gifts

Verse 1:
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun.
And 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.

Verse 2:
I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
but they would not dance and they would not follow Me
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came with Me and the dance went on.

CHORUS

Verse 3:
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;
the holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high
And left Me there on a cross to die.

CHORUS

Verse 4:
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.

CHORUS

Verse 5:
They Cut Me down and I leap up high;
I am the life that will never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in Me:
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He.

CHORUS

Words and Music adaptation by Sydney Carter Words & Music © 1963 Stainer & Bell Ltd. (Admin. Hope Publishing Company). All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used with permission. For permission to use this song, please contact Hope Publishing at 800-323-1049 or visit www.hopepublishing.com


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