From Vol 4: Anubhava’s ‘The Greatest Gift’

Gopal writes about the third song in the album titled Fly, Fly High, in his collection Songs of Gratefulness Inspired by Osho

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Vocals: Basera (UTA Band, Germany), Raji (UTA Band, Germany), Narayani (Belgium), Aneesha (USA), Shubbha (Germany), Subodha (Italy), Komala (Brazil), Sananda (Taiwan), Prayan (Italy)
Guitar: Atirup and Basera
Flute: Nandin (www.nandinmusic.com)
Cello: Shakya
Recording and mixing the UTA Band track: Basera (feiyr.com)
Editing, mixing and mastering the final track that includes all the added singers: Bhakta (spotify.com / music.apple.com)

As far as I know The Greatest Gift had never been recorded for wider listening. I first heard it on a very old cassette recorded live in Buddha Hall during one of the Music Groups. The sound on the tape was very distorted, yet the beauty of the song came through. I immediately felt the impulse to record it again, so that we could preserve it for posterity.

Music Group! It was such a special time for so many of us. Every single day ended with us gathering in Buddha Hall (unless you were invited to darshan) and singing together old and new songs, dancing around the band led by Anubhava.

On that old tape Anubhava ends the Music Group with hundreds of us singing The Greatest Gift. And at the very end of the evening, in a soft, touching voice, he says, “Now go with your forehead to the ground and be in silence.” The Music Group ended with that heartfelt gesture and that silence. For me, this is a song of gratefulness – from the depths of our hearts.

When I was in Cologne I asked Basera if he would record The Greatest Gift for my project. He listened to the old recording and also liked it. He suggested that he sing it together with Raji and record it live during one of the Sunday morning satsangs they hold weekly at the UTA Institute. I was there on that morning.

Nandin’s flute is so beautiful and we also hear the lovely sound of the cello, played by Shakya. The meditation hall was full and this “new song” seemed to deepen the silence and celebration.

I was then inspired to add more singers to this lovely recording. I sent the track to many singers in various parts of the world. Then each one of them would listen to the track through their headphones and sing along with it, as their own voice was recorded separately. Those individual recordings were then sent to me and added to the basic track. The song became a kind of “cyber choir”. It includes nine voices! Bhakta enjoyed the challenge of putting it all together – editing, mixing and mastering the final song. No wonder this track took the longest to complete.

Lyrics

To be reborn, inside your light
Is the greatest gift, the greatest gift
The greatest gift
That you could give to me
And I thank you, I thank you, I thank you…

Vol 4: Fly, Fly High

Song List (Songwriters) – 56 minutes

Mere Humdum (Hindi Osho song) (Amrit Priya)
The Stillness of My Heart (Bindu)
The Greatest Gift (Anubhava / Peter Makena)
Fly, Fly High (slower version) (Anubhava / Peter Makena)
With a Fire in Our Hearts (faster version) (Milarepa)
Sunrise, Sunset (Kavisha )
Ah, This! (Deva Abhinandan / Abhi Ktori )
This Moment is Everything (Deva Abhinandan / Abhi Ktori)
I Didn’t Know (slower version) (Bindu)