Simple Gifts resembles to a slight extent several repetitions of the opening measures of William Byrd's renaissance composition and was claimed by Brackett to be an imitation of what folk music sounds like.
The song resembles to a slight extent several repetitions of the opening measures of William Byrd's renaissance composition, "The Barley Break", which Byrd intended to imitate country children playing a folk game. Similarly, Brackett is claimed to have come up with the song as an imitation of what folk music sounds like. 
