O Ye Seeming Fair Yet Inwardly Foul! - O My Friend In Word!

[nimz021]

these are the words of Baha ullah, the leader of the Bahai faith

[onewomanandsomesongs]

Logging on to your channel this morning, Pete, for a listen to some of your great stuff.

Your ability to write lyrics just amazes me....here you've captured a historical story song very well in a short type of format, and that's very hard to do!

Great job on the video and music too...I always enjoy listening to your music! I'm gonna favorite this one 'coz it's novel songwriting. :)

BTW, thanks for the comments on "Anchor"....yes, I will finish it one day, hehe. :)

Janet

[CurtisMateer]

Hi there Janet

Yes the lyrics are some of the most powerful ever penned I believe, only I didn't write them. They are from the Baha'i writings. Even the melody uses North Country Blues' melody as a starting point. The history is simply that - history. Despite all this lack of originality from me it is one of my best songs (is it mine? Well, probably not :-)

All's fair in love and folk music however. Glad you can appreciate it. You must be an open person of wide spiritual vision.

Pete

[onewomanandsomesongs]

Thanks for the clarification, Pete.....well, even though they're not your lyrics, yes, it's one of your best, but all your songs are great! :)

As far as being a person of wide spiritual vision, I don't know, hehe....but I'll say that I'm open to many things....don't know if that is good or bad, but I respect all religion in the sense that it can be a force for a greater good.

[Oswlek]

Holy crap, that may have been the coolest "reflection" in the history of song.

The song uplifts nicely on "O My Friend In Word!" and I really like the descending guitar lick that helps bring the song back down.

You certainly delve deep when crafting these things, P.

[CurtisMateer]

Very kind of you to say so. It really is a challenge getting the timing and phrasing right when singing a text without a rhyme scheme. Setting it in the first place is even more difficult; I am still learning the craft of doing this. I am just now about to post another, similar type of song, called Son Of Dust!. Let me know how you think it compares to this one structurally, if you get a chance. Thanks, see you.

[inlandviews]

There is peace in this song.

[khonamanje]

great song Curtis! this goes deep...way deep! Khona

[CurtisMateer]

I like how you are open enough to recognise the light, no matter what mirror it has been reflected from (I'm like a broken one, but the words are far greater than my dusty glass self can properly reveal...they are like rays of the sun reflected in a stainless mirror).

By their fruits shall ye know them. Thanks my Indian African Swedish brother!

[Ermengarde11]

BTW, I'm very sad 2hear about the oppression of the Bahais. I had a doctor once who was a Bahai, a lovely woman. But then there was the Bahai in Canada that had his own daughter murdered 4marrying a commoner. Never charged with anything, Canada wouldn't touch it, although he was charged in India &dare not set foot there. The others involved were tried &sev. found guilty. I can't understand any failth condoning such actions,but women R routinely murdered in India if they R rape victims etc.

[99jayg]

The Canadian man was Muslim.

[Ermengarde11]

You're right, they didn't mention that the murderer was not as I recall. NO offense intended!

[CurtisMateer]

As another YouTuber here has commented already, the killer wasn't a Baha'i.

Also, regardless of what faith they may have identified with, a belief system cannot be judged by the wrong actions of any of it's self proclaimed followers. Anybody who would do such a thing is not following God's laws and all the world's great religions, such as Islam, strongly condone such actions.

[Ermengarde11]

You're so right, I have apparently given the impression that I think all Baha'is are that way! Not at all. I spend hours at a time on YT &other sites with people, telling them not 2judge Christians or anyone else by the few bad apples. The ones they judge folks by are always the hypocrites, &anyway, we're all sinners, &we shame our Lord God when we make those mistakes,as well as ourselves. So we must try to live up 2our principles as much as possible. Many in my country R so far from God.

[Ermengarde11]

Is this a traditional folk tune? I love it! So much feeling too.

You'll be interested perhaps that I have distant relationship to the last Czar or Russia on my mom's side! They were Russian and Romanian who migrated to England although I don't know when.

then there's my dad's side -- direct ancestry from the son of Charlemagne!

So exciting to have our geneaology.

[CurtisMateer]

Based on a trad tune but changed to fit the Word.

Queen Marie of Romania was a Baha'i.

[Ermengarde11]

that is intriguing, I love trivia esp. historical trivia. Very cool. Thanks, Curtis!

[cadwalladee]

Talk about VOICE - you've got the real deal! This version is really well done and quite moving... you obviously practice (no hesitations, faltering like I am prone to...)

[Falke58]

Great song Curtis!

wishes

Michael/Falke58

[CurtisMateer]

Thanks Michael. It's nice to meet you. I'm looking forward to us sharing more stuff with each other in the future. Keep well. Pete