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'Martha and Mary' reflects on on the contrasting yet complementary natures of the two sisters, who with their brother Lazarus, were good friends of Jesus. Based on Luke 10: 38-42 where Jesus and the disciples visit the sisters' household only a day or so before Palm Sunday.
We read that: "Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
I suggest that Martha and Mary can be seen as two sides of each one of us and that both are necessary.
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lyrics
MARTHA AND MARY
MARTHA: Mary laughs while I am weeping,
Mary sings while I am sweeping.
Always Mary has friends around
who leave their mud behind.
Mary smiles when I would worry
Mary walks where I would hurry
While I'm fussing to make ends meet
Mary can't see why.
MARY: Martha you seem strange to me
You always work so hard;
Life is God's and life is good
But life you never see.
Martha you are good to me
Yes Martha, but I can't, you see,
Be like you, I can only be like me.
MARTHA: Martha keeps a bed of flowers
While I clean and cook for hours;
Evenings Mary walks on the hills -
She likes that time of day.
Mary likes to talk to strangers
Mary does not think of dangers;
Mary loves everything that moves
and sees no cause for fear.
Mary keeps a bed of flowers
While I clean and cook for hours;
While I'm working my hands to bone
Mary can't see why.
MARY: Martha, while you worry so,
Watch my flowers grow;
All they need is some sweet rain
and God is like the rain.
Martha, there you go again -
Your worries do not help at all.
Martha, the rain knows when to fall.
MARTHA: Mary sees something I don't.
Mary knows something I won't.
While I'm scolding her Mary smiles
And gently combs my hair.
released July 2, 2021
RESOURCES AVAILABLE for 'MARTHA AND MARY'
with links to Peter's online shop:
1. SHEET MUSIC (pdf file) for this song only. Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/694507
2. CUSTOM CD-ROM: PDF MUSIC. Melodies, chords, piano-accompaniments and lyrics for all eleven songs in the original 'Where Is Your Song, my Lord?' music book, which is now out of print: Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/554041
3. CUSTOM-CD. AUDIO: 'Martha and Mary' is one of 11 tracks on the 'Where Is Your Song, my Lord? custom-CD, which contains all tracks heard on the original cassette tape: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/356152
4. DOUBLE-CD. AUDIO: 'Martha and Mary' is one of 36 tracks on my double-CD 'Make Me a Song', which includes eight of the eleven songs from the original Where Is Your Song, my Lord? cassette tape. Link: peterkearneysongs.com.au/product/356147
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THE RECORDING
Recorded, engineered and mixed by Penny Davies and Roger Ilott at Restless Recordings, Balmain
May-June 1985
SINGERS:
CLAIRE PARKHILL - Mary
JAN ARIE - Martha
MUSICIANS:
LINDA BERRY: flute
ROGER ILOTT: acoustic guitar, bass
PETER KEARNEY: glockenspiel
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ARTWORK
Track Image: “Christ in the House of Martha and Mary” by Johannes Vermeer
Peter Kearney is an Australian songwriter and singer. His early folk-hymns 'Fill My House' & 'The Beatitudes' are
internationally known. He has written many other songs of justice and peace, songs for children, and a musical-narrative on St. Francis of Assisi. His published recordings include 153 original songs.
LINKS BELOW are for Peter's:
- Website
- Online store
- Facebook Artist Page....more
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