The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 35, Ed. 1 Monday, January 26, 1976 Page: 4 of 8
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Baha'i philosophy pervades
Seals and Crofts' music
by KATHY POOL
History reflects itself in the
mirror of music. The image
may be murky, yet it may
provide a focus, a glimpse
through the veil of confusion
that distorts the vision of those
caught on the stage of activity.
Certainly rock speaks for this
age. The youth of the sixties
looked expectantly to the
political processes for
changes. Their plaintive cry to
"bring us together" now
echoes mocked in the
Watergate Generation. The
idealism of the sixties was
transmuted into the cynicism
of the seventies. The youth of
this age perceives both ideals
and reality and it destroys
him, for there seems to be no
possibility for his vision of
better world to come true.
Musicians, maddened by the
seemingly insuperable chasm
between the potentialities of
man's existence and the actual
degradation into which it has
sunk, respond to the
disillusionment. "There is no
sense or rationality in this
world," they scream. "Let us
therefore fling ourselves into
the pit of senselessness, let us
embrace the depths of
degradation, let us forget we
ever aspired by submerging
ourselves in a creation of
animalistic abomination."
In distinct contrast to this
pathetic vulgarity, Jimmy
Seals and Dash Crofts voice
an almost tangible promise of
hope. With a style virtually
unique among rock groups,
they somehow play upon a
hidden note of longing within
the modern mind.
In "We May Never Pass this
As always, the Thresher
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Way Again," Seals and Crofts
speak unreservedly of new
possbilities.
"Life — so they say
Is but a game and they let it
slip away
Love — like the Autumn Sun
Should be dying but its only
just begun.
Dreams — so they say
Are for fools and they let
them drift away
Peace — like the silent dove
Should be flyin' but it's only
just begun.
Like the twilight in the road
up ahead
They don't see just where
we're going
And all the secrets in the
universe
Whisper in our ears and all
the years will come and go
And take us up, always
up...;;
While many groups direct
their gaze to the corrupt and
degenerate, Seals and Crofts'
music unmistakably centers
around the spiritual nature of
mankind and his quest for
God.
They claim their optimism is
valid, and point to the Baha'i
Faith as the origin of their
faith. Baha'is believe in the
equality of men and women, in
the equality of all races, and in
the unity of all mankind.
"Ye are all fruits of one tree,
the leaves of one branch, the
flowers of one garden," their
Scriptures proclaim. The
spiritual teachings of a-11
revelations are essentially the
same, only social teachings
vary in accordance with the
times, say the Baha'is.
This concept of the unity of
religions is the subject of Seals
and Crofts' song "Year of
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Sunday" which relates the
Baha'i conception of progres-
sive revelation. God has sent
Revelations of His Word, or
Manifestations of Himself,
throughout the ages which
progressively reveal religious
truth in accordance with the
capacity of the times to receive
it, according to the Baha'is,
and Baha u'llah, which means
"the Glory of God," is the
Manifestation for this age.
Seals and Crofts' faith is
evident in every aspect of their
music. Not only is Baha u'llah
referred to directly or
indirectly in their lyrics, but
also the Writings are quoted,
and often songs allude to
Baha'i principles. The music
itself is the embodiment of the
Faith's teachings, for the
music is astoundingly diverse,
yet retains a sense of unity of
thought and spirit throughout.
The group blends the usual
bass, drums, and picked
and/or strummed electric
guitars with the flitting
strains of violins, brief piano
interludes, occasional banjo,
clarinet, flute, or saxophone
additions, and perhaps
congos, castenets, or tam-
boura.
When the atypical rhythms
and unusual vocal harmonies
unite, the lyrics whisper
metaphorically of a higher
Realm, a greater Reality, a
New Age. The enchanted
listener is wafted into an
abode of serenity, a refuge
from a frustrated and
frustrating world.
It is this evocative,
transcendental quality of
Seals and Crofts' music which
distinguishes their music from
others. Like a blend of rare
fragrances, the music contains
many varied essences. One
may distinguish country, blue
grass, oriental, rock and roll,
jazz, folk, and classical
influences of the melodies and
rhythms, but one never seems
to dominate others completely,
rather the elements fuse into a
unified harmony, an intricate
mosaic of sound. It is possible
to trace the path of the designs,
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Seals and Crofts
but the pattern that emerges is
a new creation.
"Every day brings us closer
And every night my Soul
sees
A troubled mankind
Suffering blindly
Guess I'll walk the
Euphrates River
The Spiritual River «
The 'River of Life'
So let the traces linger on
Many years have come and
gone
Oh how lonely man has been
Without a trace of the
'Traceless Friend.' "
• —fr°m "The Euphrates"
. •' •• •" • '>-r':■■■■... ■■■.
In the almost mystical "East
of Ginger Trees," they suggest
the transcendence of the
physical and the attainment of
a deeper reality.
"Go on toward the 'Crimson
Shore'
Beyond this life of meta-
phors..."
Likewise, the themes of
peace and truth intertwine
with those of unity and love in
the fabric.-of their lyrics.
Baha'is believe in the eventual
establishment of a workable
world peace. In order to obtain
that peace, Baha'is say that an
inviolable covenant of all
nations must first be
established, with provisions
that "the size of the
armaments of every govern-
ment...be strictly limited. The
fundamental principle that
underlies this solemn pact
should be so fixed that if any
government later violates anv
one of its provisions, all the
governments on earth should
arise to reduce it to utter
submission..."
That Seals and Crofts'
music is so permeated with
Baha'i ideas is not as
surprising as it may appear.
Each Baha'i is personally
responsible for his own
spiritual growth; there is no
clergy in the Faith. Baha'is
emphasize each individual's
responsibility to search for
truth, for:
"In order to find Truth we
must give up our pre-
judices...an open receptive
mind is essential. If our chalice
is so full of self, there is no
room in it for the Water of Life.
"No one truth can contradict
another truth. Light is good in
whatever lamp it is burning!
Be free from prejudice; so will
you love the Sun of Truth from
whatsoever point in the
horizon it may arise. You will
realize that if the divine light
of truth shone in Jesus Christ,
it also shone in Moses and
Buddha. This is what is meant
by the search after truth "(from
the Baha'i Scripture writing).
Baha'is do not proselytize,
but teach the Faith if someone
desires to learn about it. In a
recent article in People
magazine, Jimmy Seals
pointed out that "We don't
intentionally write Baha'i
songs all the time. Being a
Baha'i is like being in love
with a girl. You think about it
all the time, and the message
sometimes inadvertantly
comes outin our music."
At the end of concerts,
Jimmy and Dash tell the
audience that there is a Spirit
behind their music, and that
Spirit is the Baha'i Faith, and
they are invited to remain and
learn more about it if they
wish.
Seals and Crofts offer their
perspective on their music.
"We know that this writing
does not emanate from us. Call
it what you will, but I guess we
get tuned into a higher force
and higher awareness," said
Jimmy. "We found the truth
and our vehicle for expressing
it is our music," added Dash.
"Further along we'll
understand
We're all just part of the plan
The Sun of Reality has
dawned above eternity
Farther along we'll find our
way
Through all the darkness
today
The Sun of Reality has
dawned above eternity
Now even the desert will
bloom.
from "Desert People"
The Baha'i Association here
at Rice is sponsoring the film
"It's Just the Beginning," and
a lecture-discussion on the
Baha'i Faith will on Tuesday
evening at 7:30 in Sewall Hall
309, that will last approxi-
mately one hour. All students
are invited to attend.
the rice thresher, monday, january 26, 1976 — page 4
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Brewton, Gary. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 35, Ed. 1 Monday, January 26, 1976, newspaper, January 26, 1976; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245275/m1/4/: accessed June 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.