From the recording A Most Extraordinary Man--5:06
In the late 1990’s we had the privilege and blessing of knowing a man who was truly enlightened. His musically inclined students were asked to write songs to perform at Guru Poornima, the full moon celebration in July honoring one’s guru. I was struggling with what to write in order to honor such an “extraordinary man”, when that phrase (and melody) just hit me as the title and opening line. The rest of the song flowed effortlessly, and aside from a few minor lyric revisions, it was complete inside of 4 hours. Of course, our world has been visited by many extraordinary men and women. My intent was to leave the song open enough that anyone of any faith, religion, or philosophical tradition could see his or her “extraordinary man” in the song. Guruji would have insisted on it!
Lyrics
A most extraordinary man, a most extraordinary man
He walked across the land, and touched us without hand
The inner flame was fanned
From a place so far away, a higher space, a different day
To find the inner truth, he sacrificed his youth
Until at last he knew
Chorus:
He was a father, and a mother, a sister, and a brother
All things good to all who understood, or tried to understand
This most extraordinary man, a most extraordinary man
He wasn’t rich or tall; by some he measured small
But that was hardly all
In many ways like me and you, the ones his gaze could see right through
And so we had begun, the road that leads to one
That he had long since run (Chorus)
This most extraordinary man
A most extraordinary man
A most extraordinary man
Delene St. Clair: Lead Vocal, Acoustic/High-Strung Guitars
Barry Cahill: Keyboards, Soprano Sax, Fujara, Background Vocal
Dave Blackburn: Drums, Percussion, Acoustic Guitar
James East: Bass