(Do Not Spread Your Locks) is one of the most poignant folk songs (türkü) by the legendary Turkish folk musician and composer Neşet Ertaş . Written and composed by Ertaş, the song belongs to the Kırşehir region and has become a masterpiece of Anatolian folk music. Theme and Meaning
The lyrics convey deep emotional turmoil, longing, and devotion to a beloved. Ertaş uses classic folk metaphors to illustrate the intensity of this love: NeЕџet ErtaЕџВ AГ§ma ZГјlГјflerin
The narrator describes themselves as the "slave" ( kul ) of the beloved and compares the beloved’s beauty or potential cruelty to Azrail (the Angel of Death), suggesting that the intensity of this love is a matter of life and death. Cultural Impact and Notable Covers (Do Not Spread Your Locks) is one of
The narrator compares themselves to a nightingale ( bülbül ) crying out to a rose ( gül ), a traditional symbol of the suffering lover and the indifferent beloved. Ertaş uses classic folk metaphors to illustrate the
While inextricably linked to Neşet Ertaş's soulful "bozlak" style, the song has been interpreted by many artists across different genres: