Gift of Love: Music Inspired by Rumi Love Poem

1	Valentine to Rumi / Chopra & Friends Musical Prelude 0:56
2	My Burning Heart 0:59
3	Bittersweet / Madonna 2:12
4	Intoxicated by Love 1:53
5	The Lover's Passion 1:04
6	Do You Love Me / Demi Moore 1:33
7	Come to Me 1:04
8	Desire 2:05
9	The Alchemy of Love 1:19
10	Caught in the Fire of Love / Marian Stallings 1:03
11	The Awakening 2:24
12	I Am Yours / Robert Burke 1:07
13	Behind the Scenes / Blythe Danner 0:43
14	Looking for Your Face / Jared Harris 2:11
15	The Meaning of Love / Goldie Hawn 1:41
16	Aroused Passion 0:50
17	Dying to Love / Robert A.F. Thurman 2:10
18	The Privileged Lovers 1:08
19	Precious Love 2:06
20	Surrender 0:58
21	Defeated by Love / Sussan Deyhim 0:40
22	Lost in the Wilderness 2:00
23	The Mythical Lover / Royden Foster 1:21
24	I Am and I Am Not 0:56
25	The Agony of Lovers / Laura Day 0:44
26	The Agony and Ecstasy of Divine Discontent / Sonja Sohn 3:25
27	The Mirror / Debra Winger 0:36
28	Look at Your Eyes / Chopra & Friends 0:19
29	Looking for Love / Rosa Parks 0:20
30	Some Kiss / Coleman Barks 0:56
31	The Freshness / Coleman Barks 0:57
32	My Beloved / Chris Barron 0:28
33	The Hunt 0:32
34	Desire / Chopra & Friends Instrumental 3:48
35	A Lover's Madness / Chopra & Friends Instrumental 3:21
36	The Lover's Passion / Chopra & Friends Instrumental 3:47

Barnes & Noble

Rumi is the poet of poets, the most revered figure in Persian Islamic literature. Although born 800 years ago, his poetry has endured and has often been performed to music, as it is here. Deepak Chopra heads the impressive list of poetry readers on this remarkable album, a collection of 36 poems of love (for God) set to music, produced by Adam Plack (a.k.a. Nomad), who plays keyboards, leading a hefty ensemble of live performers. The readers: Madonna, Martin Sheen, Demi Moore, Blythe Danner, Goldie Hawn, Debra Winger, and many others, including Coleman Barks, the most esteemed of Rumi translators. The music is smooth and slightly mysterious, often propelled by lyrical rhythm bass and sensual grooves, dusted with a sultry vocalise. These days, one can't mention Rumi without conjuring the gravel-voiced poet/performer Robert Bly, who can recite Rumi, slap out a rhythm, guffaw, and spit nails at the same time. (Alas, he's not on this album.) For the most part, the readers assume a reverential tone, so it was refreshing to hear Coleman Bark's colorful Southern accent, Debra Winger's grit, and the innate humanity of elderly civil rights heroine Rosa Parks. The unidentified Persian singer sampled on the last "instrumental" really cuts to the quicken heart. The album is lovingly produced with spectacular (and informative) liner notes. Curl up with A Gift of Love for the evening, or let Rumi's words tap you on the shoulder from the musical background. Carol Wright

All Music Guide

Both celebrities and religious figures contribute to this compilation of music inspired by Rumi poetry. Recording selections are Deepak Chopra ("My Burning Heart," "Intoxicated by Love," "Alchemy of Love," "Aroused Passion"), Jared Harris ("Looking for Your Face"), Madonna ("Bittersweet"), Demi Moore ("Do You Love Me"), Goldie Hawn ("The Meaning of Love"), and Martin Sheen ("Caught in the Fire of Love"). ~ Jenna Woolford, All Music Guide