After accessing a music file on our website, “Mi Caballo Blanco,” Mehdi Mehtari has written the following note:
Hi,
I was visiting your page about the song “Mi Caballo Blanco” that I noticed you have not mentioned the Persian version of the song written and performed by Fereydoun Farrokhzad.
Another version is performed by Saeed Mohammadi
Here are the Persian lyrics:
اسب سفید من مهربان و رام است
اسب سپید من چون کودکی آرام است
ای دریغ از هر چه دادم برای دوست
اسب خوبم، اسب خوبم، رفیقم اوست
یال سپید اسبم روشنایی راه است
چشم سیاه اسبم چون حفره های ماه است
هر جا که خسته هستم یا غرق حسرتم
پابند مهربانی اش حتی در غربتم
آن کس که دست من را در دستش می فشرد
مرا به دست غم داد به فراموشی سپرد
ای دریغ از هرچه دادم برای دوست
اسب خوبم، اسب خوبم، رفیقم اوست
The English translation:
My white horse is as kind and well-behaved as a child
I regret for whatever I spent for my disloyal friends
My good horse, he is my faithful friend
His mane lights up the way and his black eyes resemble the holes on the moon
Whenever I’m tired or upset, I remember his kindness and loyalty even in exile
The one who held my hand as a friend , left me in difficulties and problems
I regret for whatever I spent for my disloyal friends
My good horse, he is my faithful friend
Best Wishes,
Mehdi M.
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Dear Mehdi,
Thank you for your message.
In receiving this note, it is nice to again realize that I am part of a global community of scholars who love to share information. I found a lip-synched version of the Farrokhzad song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rceY9AvJ1pM and a biography about Fereydoun Farrokhzad, Ph.D., an Iranian anti-cleric activist who was studied in Germany and was murdered there. Read more about his life on wikipedia:
Fereydoun_Farrokhzad
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Update: In a subsequent e-mail, Mehdi revealed that in the introduction to another music video by someone else who performs the song, it is mentioned that Fereydoun added new lyrics to an existing Argentinian tune (just as I suspected as I’ve sung “Mi Caballo Blanco” for almost 40 years). That solves yet another “mystery.” Interesting.
