Ramallah Underground feat. Lethal Skillz - From the Caveمن الكهفMin il Kaheff

Ramallah Underground feat. Lethal Skillz - From the Cave

Words in the Sample:

They wanna starve the population, cuz when the people are hungry, they no longer think of resisting

Stormtrap:

I'm playing with death
I wanna know what is death toll here
I don't hear anything
Shut off the phone
Ask because nobody's been asking
Be they politician or diplomat
They're sittin on their chairs and discussing
Puttin their heads back relaxin as the homes in Lebanon and Gaza are being destroyed
It's time for us to flip off (ie give them the finger) the whole world cuz they're gonna keep talking and never do anything
So what do we wanna relax and wait, I wish
But it's for nothin
They forgot about us a long time ago
You try to hold yourself back when you see before you those who stood you up and those who carried you (???)
I'm not surprised if diabolical thoughts are goin round in your head
You start to call out to the world but the world's asleep
And even if it woke up it wouldn't hear what you're sayin

Here, it's like you can't win (literally, "one day's yours, a hundred are against you" this refers to the expression in Arabic يوم ليك يوم عليك which roughly translates as "win some, lose some")
There's barriers all around you, your wrists in handcuffs
Tell me what did you do?
I don't wanna hit the wall, I wish
But I am, just like this
My life is a bicycle tire
And now the chain is slipping
The time has come to hit the gas
Start pullin, start spreadin words in every direction
Because my words are my weapon

Boikutt:

One by one, two by two, three by three
They're wiping us out
Let's get down to the shelters before they see us
They bombard us wherever we go, but they could never push us out
We stand strong to the last moment when they're missiles hit us

And the Arab leaders have abandoned us, they left us and ran to our enemy
Cuz they couldn't help us
They promised us with the future, but look where they've brought us?
2007 and the world is marching on and they've blown us up
They starved us, they wanna make us forget
For years we kept building and they suddenly came and destroyed us like that
Threatened us, tried to scare us, poisoned us with democracy
They didn't even let us live a normal life
They put us on a fuse and detonated us
Demolished us and wiped up our blood
All that and they still haven't rid us of our woes

Chorus:

I try to ignore it, but politics keeps pulling at me
I tell it "go away, I don't wanna"
It tells me "I'm a part of your life, you cannot resist me"

Ramallah Underground - من الكهف

بدهم يجوعوا الأهالي لأنو الناس لما يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا بالمقاومة

نازل العب بالموت , بدي اعرف ايش عدد الموت هون
مش سامع ولا صوت, اطفي التلفون اسأل لأنو ولا حد سائل
سواءاً سياسي أو دوبلوماسي , قاعدين ع هالكراسي وبتحدثوا
بروحوا بحوطوا روسهم و بتمددو , والبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا
اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم لأنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل
فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى , بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا
ساعة بتمسك حالك لما تشوف قدامك , اللي قامك واللي شالك
مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك
نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت , وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كلامك
ها ما حتسمع كلامك!!!!!
هون يوم معاك مية عليك , حواجز حواليك , كلبشات ع ايديك
قولي شو سويت , مابدي فوت بالحيط ياريت
بس انا فايت هيك هيك , حياتي عجل بسكليت
وهلأ فلت الجنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين
ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي , لكل النواحي , لأنو كلماتي سلاحي.

بدهم يجوعوا الأهالي لأنو الناس لما يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا بالمقاومة

11 22 33
عم يمحونا,هات لننزل عال ملاجئ قبل ما يشوفونا
بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا
صامدون لأخر لحظة لصواريخكم ايصابونا
و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا
لأنو ما قدروا يعدونا , وعدونا بالمستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا
2007 عالم بمشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا , جوعونا,بدهم ينسونا
قعدنا سنين نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا , هددونا و خوفونا
بالديمقراطية سممونا,حتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا
حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا
كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا.

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني
بقولها افلتي ما بدي
بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك
مش حتقدر تمشي ضدي.

Lyrics transcription from here

Tamer Hosny - Loveتامر حسني - حبHob

Tamer Hosny - Love Where was love before I loved you Tomorrow, no I don't want tomorrow unless with you If I will live calling one word may it be your name If I will live dreaming of tomorrow may it be from you You are my favorite topic My life began anew when I first saw you

If you leave me I will not live again after you
I have never experienced affection except when I was beside you
Oh you who is inside my heart I've inscribed your image
All my hope in my life is to remain in your embrace

تامر حسني - حب

حب كان فين الحب قبل ما أهواك
بكرة مش عايز بكرة الا و أنا وياك
حب كان فين الحب قبل ما أهواك
بكرة مش عايز بكرة الا و أنا وياك
لو حعيش أنده بكلمة تبقى أسمك
لو حعيش أحلم ببكرة يبقى منك
يلى أحلى سيرة لما بتيجى سيرتك
يلى عمرى أبتدى من يوم ما شوفتك
لو حعيش أنده بكلمة تبقى أسمك
لو حعيش أحلم ببكرة يبقى منك
يلى أحلى سيرة لما بتيجى سيرتك
يلى عمرى أبتدى من يوم ما شوفتك

حب كان فين الحب قبل ما أهواك
بكرة مش عايز بكرة الا و أنا وياك
حب كان فين الحب قبل ما أهواك
بكرة مش عايز بكرة الا و أنا وياك
لو تسبنى مش حعيش أنا تانى بعدك
عمرى ماشوفت الحنان غير و انا جنبك
يلى جوه جوه قلبى حفرت صورتك
كل أملى فى الحياة أفضل فى حضنك
لو حعيش أنده بكلمة تبقى أسمك
لو حعيش أحلم ببكرة يبقى منك
يلى أحلى سيرة لما بتيجى سيرتك
يلى عمرى أبتدى من يوم ما شوفتك

Lyrics transcription from La7oon.com

Mira Awad - Our Relationshipميرا عوض - علاقتناOlaqatuna

Mira Awad (Arabic ميرا عوض Hebrew מירה עווד) is an Arab-Israeli. Her father is a Palestinian from the Galilee and her mother is Bulgarian. In recent years, she has become famous and controversial as the first person of Arab descent to represent Israel in Eurovision, singing in Arabic. This, of course, was controversial for both Israelis and Arabs, since some Israelis see non-Jews as non-Israeli, while many Palestinians felt that Mira was being used as a token to falsely portray Israel as a pluralistic society. Still, other Arabs and Palestinians outside of Israel were outraged because Mira is an Arab with Israeli citizenship, pointing to tensions between Arabs and Palestinians descended from families that remained in Israel.

This song, sung in Modern Standard Arabic, is one of the most lyrically strange songs available on the site. Reader SimplyME has provided us with more info. Mira reportedly writes her own songs.

Mira Awad - Our Relationship Our relationship has bonds of blood It has bleeding blonds A philosophical bleeding A bleeding that has beauty

Our relationship has closeness, and distance
It is full of contradictions
Contradictions that make me find beauty in the bleeding

Our relationship has a connection of birth
It has a connection of miscarriage (or abortion??? the word used here إجهاض is normally the translation for "abortion", which in Arabic is a "forced miscarriage. I guess miscarriage makes sense here in a metaphorical sense, but this is the first time I have ever seen this word used metaphorically. This is extremely provocative language for an Arabic song)
A miscarriage of ideas
A miscarriage with spirituality

Our relationship is full of death, full of life
It's full of madness
Madness that makes me find spirituality in the miscarriage

ميرا عوض (מירה עווד) - علاقتنا

علاقتنا فيها ربط الدم
فيها روابط نزيف
نزيف فلسفي
نزيف ذي جماليات
علاقتنا فيها قرب فيها بعد
فيها تناقضات
تناقضات تجعلني أجد في النزيف جماليات

علاقتنا فيها صلة ولاد
فيها صلة إجهاض
إجهاض فكري
إجهاض ذي روحانيات
علاقتنا فيها موت فيها حياة
فيها جنونيات
جنونيات تجعلني أجد في الإجهاض روحانيات

Amr Diab - With Herعمرو دياب - وياهWayah

Amr Diab - With Her This is what I've always wanted For chance to bring her together with me Why would I waste the chance of a lifetime? No way

She's looking into my eyes
This is more than I've ever dreamed of
This is the day that I've been waiting for
So I could say...

With her
Life will be sweeter by her side
This is what I've been hoping for
And when I see her, I feel
That she is the most beautiful and special person
She made my heart tell me, "that's it, calm down, we've found her"

Yeaaah, I'm gonna say it again and again
She's right here beside me, not far away
My heart's so happy it's like a holiday
Waiting for her

C'mon, the time has come
I'm not gonna wait another day
I gotta tell her I've had my eyes on her for so long

عمرو دياب - وياه

ده اللي كان نفسي فيه
لو تيجي صدفة تجمعني به
فرصة عمري أضيعها ليه ؟
مش معقول

عيني قدام عنيه
ده أكتر من اللي حلمت به
ده اليوم اللي أنا مستنيه
علشان أقول

وياه
الحياة هتحلي وأنا معاه
هو ده اللي أنا بتمناه
واللي عيني شايفاه إحساس
أنه أحلي وأغلي الناس
خلي قلبي يقولي خلاص
أهدى بقه لقيناه

أيوه هقول وأعيد
مهو بقه جنبي ومش بعيد
فرحة قلبي كأنه عيد
مستنيه

يا الله أهو جه الأوان
مش هستنى اليوم كمان
لازم أقوله انا من زمان
عيني عليه

Fairuz - Oh Lauraفيروز - يا لور حبكYa Laure Hubbuki

This song appeared in the play Meis al Rim (ميس الريم) written by the Rahbani Brothers and starring Fairouz. I have supplied here the video from the play, in which Joseph Nassif (جوزيف نصيف) is singing, in addition to the mp3 or a version recorded by Fairouz.

I've translated the name Laur as Laura because it is the same name from the same root, referring to the Laurel tree which in Arabic can also be called شجر الغار.



Here is the Fairuz version:



You can click here to download it

Fairuz - Oh Laura Oh Laura Your love has tormented my heart And I had given you my love and affection Don't you recall our wonderful nights together And the pledge we made to be true to each other?

The night, the breeze and the wailing nightingale
And the veil of melodies, as my heart loved you
So many dreams of love and purity blossomed
In them, days seemed like slumber

The night, the dreams and the wet shore
Longing, song, and the calm countryside
Those were such fine days, so wonderful and pure
When the melodies sang of loyalty and devotion

فيروز - يا لور حبك

يا لور حبك قد لوّع الفؤاد
وقد وهبتك الحب والوداد
ألا تذكري ليالي الصفا
وعهداً عهدناه على الوفا

الليل والأنسام والبلبل الشاكي
وسترة الأنغام والقلب يهواكِ
كم أزهرت أحلام بالحب والصفا
ظهرت بها الأيام مثل الغفا

الليل والأحلام والشاطئ النادي
والشوق والأنغام والموطن الهادي
يا طيبها أيام أحلى من الصفا
وتنشد الأنغام على الوفا

Makhoul Qassouf - If Only the Moon...مخول قاصوف - ريتو القمرReito al Amar

Recorded in 1982, sung by Sami Hawat (سامي حواط)

Makhoul Qassouf - If Only the Moon... If only the moon would come down as bread Upon our houses and our fields On wrecked homes On tired hearts Weariness has returned All of the poems are sleeping And the months bleed months

There's nothing left on the roads except sand and discarded plastic bags
On the mouth of the plains is a pile of bombs
A pile of stone and rain
Columns, like the people, bent over leaning

We've become images dried on the walls
And we fear the distance
We've become like this sound, echoing off water
They said it was done and the storm had passed
The morning has grown old
The darkness is still like swords on our necks
And the morning still has not come

It's early, my friend
Look at the black sky and the night crawling along its borders

If only the moon would descend upon the abandoned barricades
And lay mines of light in our hands so that we can blow up the graves
And meet the night head on in the squares
And the stones of the buried streets would awaken to our cries and rise up

مخول قاصوف - ريتو القمر

ريته القمر
ينزل خبز تنور
ع بيوتنا
ع حقولنا و يدور
ع بيوت خرباني
و قلوب تعباني

رجع الضجر
كل القصايد غافيه
و شهرْ ينزُف شهرْ

ما ضَّلْ عا الطرقاتْ
غير الرمل و كياسْ مشلُوحة
ع تمّ السهل
كومة قنابل
كومة حجارْ و شتي
عواميدْ مثل الناسْ
. . . عمْ تتكي تكي

صرنا صورْ
يبست على الحيطان
و نخاف المدى
صرنا متل هالصوت لميّ يرجّع صدى
قالوا خلص و العاصفة راحت
صار الصبح ختيار
بعدها العتمة سيوف
فوق رقابنا
بعده الصبح ما صار

بكير يا رفيقي
ليك السما سودا
و الليل عم يزحف على حدودها

ريته القمر
ينزل على متاريس مهجوره
يلغم ايدينا نور
نفجر فيها القبور
نهجم ع وجه الليلْ بالساحات
نخلّي حجارْ الشارع المقهور
تُوعى على صرخاتنا و تثور

Lyrics transcription from here

Mohamed Abdel Wahhab - Don't Kiss Me on the Eyeمحمد عبد الوهاب - بلاش تبوسني في عنياBalash Tebousni fi Anaya

This song requires a piece of cultural knowledge. When kissing someone goodbye, if it is going to be a long separation or even permanent farewell you might kiss them on their eye. Thus, Mohamed Abdel Wahhab says "don't kiss me on the eye" because he does not want it to be a final farewell.

There is a common misunderstanding of this lyric to be بلاش تبصني في عنيا by some because this phrase, which means "don't look me in the eye", sounds a lot like بلاش تبوسني في عنيا and is a much more common phrase.

I could not find the full lyrics online and don't dare try to decipher them since they are very long and the recording is old. If anyone can find the full lyrics it would be appreciated.

Mohamed Abdel Wahab - Don't Kiss Me on the Eye Don't kiss me on the eye Kissing the eye means splitting up But maybe one day you'll come back to me And my heart's dream will come true Let's say goodbye without kissing So that I can have some hope Don't kiss me on the eye

محمد عبد الوهاب - بلاش تبوسني في عنيا

بلاش تبوسني في عينيا
دي البوسه في العين تفرق
يمكن في يوم ترجع اليا
والقلب حلمه يتحقق
خلي الوداع من غير قبل
علشان يكون عندي أمل
وبلاش تبوسني في عينيا

Abdel Rizzaq al-Jabbouri - Truck Driverعبد الرزاق الجبوري - المرهدنEl Murahdan (Ya Shofeer al Qamara)

This song and video clip are particularly interesting because they really go to the heart of what independent or at least non-corporate music in the Arab World means, and reflects cultural and musical reality of what really is the majority of the world's Arab population.

This is a song and video produced by a local production company, likely recorded in the absence of much digital technology aside from the synthesizer known as the Org in Syria. The song, is based on a debke or folk song that exists in myriad forms and has many variable verses and lines that change from person to person and indeed village to village.

The setting is the general area of Deir Ezzor in Eastern Syria on the banks of the Euphrates River, which has a population comprised mainly of a Bedouins and Kurds some more urbanized than others, and this cultural context gives the music of this region its particular sound.

The video was in all likelihood produced and distributed as an MPEG on video CDs and comes to us posted by a youtube user seeking to ridicule the singer and his sensibilities, which he deems "shawi", a derogatory term somewhat analogous to the term "redneck" in English. The poster has inserted these little text comments into the video and I highly doubt they are part of the original since they are mocking. You'll find it posted here, but I have reposted it since the disabled embedding. There's also an alternative version, posted by the same guy here. It has essentially the same scenes but different shots, and also features a shot of Abdel Rizzaq singing on the bridge over the Euphrates.

For many Syrians, especially ones that own computers and post on youtube, this brand of music is seen as backward, silly, and almost embarrassing because it uses a rural dialect featuring rural themes and lacks all the refinement of more professionally produced music that seeks to emulate Western techniques and aesthetics.

However, for the open-minded listener this clip may very well be better than the commercial pop marketed by record labels precisely because it lacks that superficial, processed, bubble gum flavor. The video, if lacking production quality, is also a breath of fresh air because it shows the real, undoctored setting of the song, the bleak dusty roads of these small East Syrian towns. Of course, the video features a clip from a performance, likely at a wedding, with men and women dancing, at times together while other times men dancing with men and women dancing with women. Finally, the director has also put to use these local limited resources by parading a huge flock of sheep through the background of the final scene. Imagine how much it would cost to put a flock of sheep in a modern American music video (provided that you wanted to) and you can see how this song utilizes local characteristics and assets before judging its value.

The artist, Abdel Rizzaq al-Jabbouri has since recorded a more hi-fi version with a cleaned up, in my opinion bland, accompaniment for Gulf television. You can see it here on youtube, however, I prefer the original recording.

I haven't been able to provide the lyrics to all the available verses of this song, which may be infinite, but here we have all but one of the verses to the song in the video. Of course, the information for the translations is not all my own. I have consulted an Arabic discussion forum in which members explain and debate the meanings of obscure, extremely local words and phrases found in Arabic folk music. You can find the original postings here.



Abdel Rizzaq al-Jabbouri - Truck Driver

عبد الرزق الجبوري - المرهدن, يا شوفير الغمارة

We're going to do this song line by line because it needs a lot of explanation:

Did you find the pretty girl for me Mr. Truck Driver? (see note)

ما شفت لي المرهدن (المزيون) يا شوفير الغمارة

She's going east of al-Mouhassan taking al-Ashara road (see note)

يمشي شرق الموحسن وقاضب درب العشارى

In the song he uses the word مرهدن (muhrahdan)or other words indicating that a girl is beautiful. For those interested, مرهدن is a very particular word. According to a poster on youtube.com it refers to a girl wearing a certain kind of dress native to East Syria and Iraq. I couldn't find a picture online, but it would be typical village dress of such places as Deir Ezzor. Anyway, المرهدن walks with رهدنة, which is a slow, feminine walk that is very attractive somehow refers to the movement of her dress from what I can infer. This song, which exists in many forms is often called المرهدنة

However, I am calling this song by it's other title when translating to English because it makes more sense, which is يا شوفير الغمارة (ya shofir al-qamara), a term that means truck driver or perhaps a better translation is trucker. The kind of truck in question الغمارة (sometimes pronounced القمارة) is like a pick-up truck or the front half of the tractor trailer. See the video for pictures of trucks.

In the second line there الموحسن (al-Mouhassan) and العشارى (al-Ashara) are locales found in the region of East Syria roughly between Deir Ezzor and al-Aboukmal. Much of the video seems to be filmed at the locale mentioned in the song, as you can see at the beginning the sign marking al-Mouhassan and the arches over the highway where they come to a T.

God damn money and this luck of mine

يلعن أبو المصاري لبو الحظ اللي رماني

All of them blamed me when they knew I wasn't from here (see note)

كلهم عالوا عليا من عرفوني اجنيباني

The first line is pretty straight forward. The second line contains this word اجنيباني (jnebani) which is similar to the idea of a foreigner but on a much smaller scale. If someone is اجنيباني it really means there are just from a different village or city, which on the village scale might seem like the guy is foreign, foreign enough to refuse marriage anyway.

They want a high dowry so I'll find me a loan (see note)

يريدون سياقه غالي تا شوف لي دبارة

Half from the Abraz boys and the rest from the Baqara (see note)

نص من عيال الأبرز والباقي من البقارة

Apparently سياق(siyaq, or could be siyagh) refers to the "bride-price" or المهر here. This is the amount to be paid to the bride and her family to secure an engagement. So when he says he needs to get a دبارة (dabbara) it means he needs to arrange the necessary funds to uphold his end of the marriage contract.

In the next line, I suppose he is saying where he could get the funds from. The term عيال الأبرز (ayyal al-abraz) is the nickname of the tribe al-3aqidat (العقيدات) and البقارة (al-baqqara) is the name of another tribe in the area.

There is another verse, but I can't make it out and could not find it recorded anywhere online.

Carol Samaha - Like a Dreamكارول سماحة - مثل الحلمMitl el HilmComme un rêve

Updated media and translation

Carol Samaha - Like a Dream Like a dream We were two unlike anyone The dream was lost And we split in two Waiting for a word

We are not thinking the same
We never agree with each other
Despite that from my heart I love you and you likewise

But your heart alone will not suffice for the whole journey
There's many things we don't agree on
Let's make a decision

كارول سماحة - مثل الحلم

مثل الحلم كنا اتنين ما بنشبه حدا
ضاع الحلم صرنا اتنين كلمة ناطرين

فكرك مش على فكري
دايما مختلفين
مع اني من قلبي بحبك وانت كمان

قلبك وحده ما بيكفي لكل المشوار
باشيا كتيرة ما اتفقنا خلتنا نختار

Kazem el-Saher - Love Schoolكاظم الساهر - مدرسة الحبMadrasat el-Hob

Updated media and translation

The lyrics are from a Nizar Qabbani poen. The original translation was very hastily done, but I've updated it now.

Kazem el-Saher - Love School Loving you taught me how to be sad I've been in need for ages for a woman to make me sad For a women for me to cry in her arms like a sparrow For a woman to gather my pieces like shards of broken crystal Loving you, milady, taught me my worst habits It taught me to open my cup at night a thousand times And try herbal medicine and knock on the doors of fortune-tellers It taught me to leave my house to comb the sidewalks And follow your face with the rains in the headlights of cars The light of your eyes is millions of stars Oh woman, you made the world spin Oh my pain!

Loving you, milady, made me enter the cities of sadness
Cities of sadness that I had not entered before you
I didn't ever know that tears make you human
That someone without sadness is a vestige of a human

Loving you taught me to act like a child
To draw your face with chalk on the walls
Oh woman, you overturned my history
I've been cut up as sacrifice to you
From artery to artery
Loving you taught me how love can change the map of time
It taught me how when you love the world stops turning
Loving you taught me things that were never expected

I've read childrens stories and entered the castles of the kings of the Jinn
And I dreamed that the sultan's daughter (ie, her) would marry me
Her eyes were clearer than the water of the gulfs
Her lips were more crimson than pomegranate blossoms
And I dreamed that I took her like a knight
And I dreamed that I gave her bracelets of pearl and coral
Loving you, milady, taught me about delirium
It taught me how the years can pass without the sultan's daughter coming

كاظم الساهر - مدرسة الحب

علمني حبكِ ان احزن
وانا محتاج منذ عصور لامرأه تجعلني احزن
لامرأه ابكي فوق ذراعيها مثل العصفور

لامرأه تجمع اجزائي كشظايا البلور المكسور
علمني حبكِ سيدتي اسوأ عاداتي
علمني افتح فنجاني في الليله الاف المرات
واجرب طب العطارين واطرق باب العرافات
علمني اخرج من بيتي لامشط ارصفه الطرقات
واطارد وجهك بالامطار وفي اضواء السيارات
والملم من عينيكِ ملايين النجمات
ياامرأه دوخت الدنيا ياوجعي ياوجع النايات

ادخلني حبك سيدتي مدن الاحزان
وانا من قبلك لم ادخل مدن الاحزان
لم اعرف ابدا ان الدمع هو الانسان
ان الانسان بلا حزن ذكرى انسان
علمني حبك ان اتصرف كالصبيان
ان ارسم وجهك بالطبشور على الحيطان

ياامرأه قلبت تاريخي اني مذبوح فيكِ
من الشريان الى الشريان
علمني حبكِ كيف الحب يغير خارطه الازمان
علمني اني حين احب تكف الارض عن الدوران
علمني حبك اشياء ماكانت ابدا في الحسبان

وقرأت اقاصيص الاطفال دخلت قصور ملوك الجان
وحلمت بان تتزوجني بنت السلطان
تلك العيناها اصفى من ماء الخلجان
تلك الشفتاها اشهى من زهر الرمان
وحلمت باني اخطفها مثل الفرسان
وحلمت باني اهديها اطواق اللؤلؤ والمرجان
علمني حبك ياسيدتي ماالهذيان
علمني كيف يمر العمر ولا تأتي بنت السلطان

ادخلني حبك سيدتي مدن الاحزان
وانا من قبلك لم ادخل مدن الاحزان
لم اعرف ابدا ان الدمع هو الانسان
ان الانسان بلا حزن ذكرى انسان

Sara Al Hani - If I Had to Chooseسارة الهاني - لو خيرونيLaw Khayarouni

المتصفح الذي لديك لايدعم مشغل الأغاني. دبر حالك و روح نزل البرنامج أو .<A HREF="http://server5.sm3na.com/452/Sm3na_com_Law_Khayarouni.rm">اضغط هنا</A> لسماع الأغنية.

لو خیّرونی If I had to choose لو خیّرونی ما بین عیونی وبین هواک أسیب عیونی If I had to choose between my eyes and your love.. I'd give up my eyes اختار حبیبی أروح معاک الاحبیبی I would choose my love and go with you کل الانا عایزة من الدنیا لؤاک All I want in this life is to be with you

لو قالولک تبعد عنّی خلیها النهارده
If they told you to leave me.. Well you can do it today
عیّشنی اللیلادی حبیبی وانا بالیلة هارضة
Make my live for tonight.. and I will be satisfied with it
انا من امتی بحبک وانت ولا بحال
I've been in love with you for a long time, but you don't know how I feel
نفسی احکیلک عاللی ف قلبی واللی شاغللی بای
I wanna talk to you about my feelings and what I am thinking of

Ragheb Alama - When I'm With Youراغب علامة - وأنا وياكWana Wayak

Ragheb Alama - When I'm With You When I'm with you, my darling, it's like I'm in heaven I found more than I could have wished for in you I'm in another world when I'm with you I love you and I couldn't live out my days without you I'd never forget you

My darling, I have nothing in this world but you
I want the years of life to pass with you
I love you so much that nothing I could say to you could describe
My darling, you made this world worth living
And you've given me more than I ever dreamed of
It's like the life I lived before you never happened

Since I've been with you, I've found all my dreams came true (literally: in my hands)
You've cared for me more than anyone else in this world
Life is worth nothing in my eyes without you
Believe me, you're closer to me than anyone
I'll say it as loud as I can
I love you

راغب علامة - وأنا وياك

و أنا وياك حبيبي كأني في الجنة
لقيت يا حبيبي فيك أكثر ما بتمنى
بعيش دنيا غير الدنيا و أنا وياك
متطمن انا بهواك و مش ممكن أعيش أيامي من غيرك ولا انساك

حبيبي ماليش من كل الدنيا إلا انت
و نفسي تفوت سنين عمري معاك انت
بحبك مهما اقولهالك ده ما يكفيش
حبيبي انت اللي بيك الدنيا صالحتني
و اكتر من اللي بحلم بيك انا اديتني
انا عمري اللي كان قبلك كأنو ماكان

و أنا وياك لقيت أحلامي في ايديا
يا اكتر قلب خاف في الدنيا دي عليه
ما تسواش حاجة في عينيا الحياة بعديك
صدقني يا أقرب لي انا مني
بقولها بأعلى صوت ليا انا بهواك

Lyrics transcription from here

Tamer Ashour - It Looks Like It's Goneتامر عشور - باينه ضاعBaynu Daa

Tamer Ashour - It Looks Like It's Gone I'm afraid to get close Someone listening is coming from afar Coming to shatter our beautiful hopes And I'll live alone afterwards Today is the day that we had never considered Whenever our eyes meet I go back in time And I remember the word that made us fall in love and tenderness I feel sorry for myself, my heart's torment is increasing

Oh, we dreamed of everything, except we never dreamed of this
We never once said that our love might someday be lost
The dream that's beginning was I love you's end turns out to be goodbye
We said that throughout our days all the other loves would be jealous of us
My dream was that I would die beside after many years
But that dream in a moment changed, or it looks like it's gone

Do you hear my heart begging to you stay here with me?
My hunger for you would never die
What should we do?
Our farewell is knocking at the door, my darling, it's calling us
Try to get used to it and I'll adjust
Don't you dare forget me
Please remember that I'll remember you every day
Take care
Our fate is to be separated
It's our destiny

تامر عشور - باينه ضاع

خايف قرب جاي علينا سامع من بعيد
جاي يكسر احلي امالينا واعيش بعده وحيد
هو اليوم اللي احنا حبيبي ما عملناش حسابه
كلما عيني تيجي في عينك برجع بالزمان
وافتكر الكلمة اللي مالتنا بالشوق والحنان
ترجع تصعب نفسي عليا قلبي يزيد عذابه

أة حلمنا بكل حاجة الا ده ما حلمنا بيه
عمرنا في مرة ما قلنا ان شوقنا تروح عليه
والحلم اللي بدايته بحبك تبقي نهايته وداع
قلنا هنفضل طول ايامنا حاسدنا العاشقين
كان حلمي اني اموت وانا جنبك بعد سنين جايين
بس الحلم في لحظة اتغير ولا باينه ضاع

سامع قلبي بيطلب منك تبقي قصاد عنيه
انا عمري ما بشبع منك بس هنعمل ايه
والله وداع بيدق علي بابنا حبيبي ينادينا
عود نفسك وانا هتعود واياك تنسي يوم
خليك فاكر ان انا فاكرك دايما كل يــــــــــوم
خد بالك منك ده نصيبنا فراق مكتوب علينا

Somaya - Beating Around the Bushسمية - لف ودورانLiff wa Dawaran

Leff wa Dawaran لف ودوران is an Arabic expression that means the equivalent of "beating around the bush" or not directly saying what you want to say.

المتصفح الذي لديك لايدعم مشغل الأغاني. دبر حالك و روح نزل البرنامج أو .<A HREF="http://dc150.4shared.com/download/123416402/dace5439/somaya-lf-wdwran.rm?tsid=20090806-183414-a86ec668">اضغط هنا</A> لسماع الأغنية.

Somaya - Beating Around the Bush What's with you man Let me go No matter what you say I won't come back to you You're causing a problem for me Do you remember me saying that I would come back?

I don't wanna beat around the bush
I know that your eyes wander (meaning, he's looking at other girls)
So you think that when you try to trick me I'll be happy with you

Frankly, you're fooling yourself
If you're gonna lie, lie well
Go act and try to fool somebody else
I feel sorry for you

As far as I'm concerned, I've removed you from my mind
Actually, what happened to me with you was too hard for me to forget
Oh my God, you're coming back again
Saying insincere sweet nothings and I don't understand them

This is how I feel
Stop talking nonsense
Wake up my darling and listen to me
Why are you making this into an ordeal?
Stop doing this with me and go, it's enough
Oh, spare me

Are you seriously coming to try to make me feel sorry for you?
I'm standing here before you stunned
How can you think that so easily I'll cave and soften towards you
You're lying to yourself
And I'm more than capable of repelling you and keeping up with you
I know all your words in full
So let's go, you poor boy

سمية - لف ودوران

مالك خيالتني ياعم حلني ده مهما قولتلي
مش هسمع
عامل لي مشكلة متهدى مش كده فاكرني قال كده
قال انا هرجع
لف ودوران انا مش عايزة انا عارفة ان انت عنيك زايغة
ومفكر لما هتخدعني انا هفرح بيك
بتضحك على شكلك بصراحة
اكدب بس اكدب بنصاحة
روح مثل واضحك على غيرى
انا صعبة عليك

انا بالنسبالي شيلتك من بالي
اصل اللى جرالي معاك اصعب من اني انساه
اه منك ياني راجع من تاني بتقول لي كلام حلو مزوق وانا مش فهماه
مالك خيالتني ياعم حلني ده مهما قولتلي
مش هسمع

انا قلبي هيدادي بلاش كلام فاضي اصحالي ياحبيبي
واسمعني
عاملها ليه حكاية بلاش كده معايا وروح كده كفاية
اه وارحمني
جاي بتتمسكن معقولة
انا واقفة قصادك مذهولة
ومفكر قال ايه بسهولة هضعف وهلين
تبقي انت بتكدب على نفسك
وانا قادرة اصدك وانافسك
ده انا حافظة كلامك بالملي يلا يا مسكين

Wael Jassar - All the Words in the Worldوائل جسار - كلام الدنيا كلهKalam El Donya Killo

Wael Jassar - All the Words in the World All the words in the world could not express my love for you If I lived my whole life for you, it would still be less than you deserve My heart, my soul, and my eyes They don't get week for anyone, but they get weak for you

My darling I love you so much it's killin me
And I don't want it to end
This moment with you alone, so long as I'm seeing you here with me
Made me care about living, so that you can stay with me, my darling

The most beautiful moment in my life
While I'm beside you, in your arms
I don't know what my life would be if one day I didn't live for you
Your heart is good and caring, as if my soul was in it
Before I ever knew you

وائل جسار - كلام الدنيا كله

كلام الدنيا كله مايكفيش حبي ليك
لو اعيش لك عمري كله برضه قليل عليك
قلبي وروحي وعنيا
ما بيضعفوش لحد .. ومعاك بيضعفو
يا حبيبي بحبك حب قاتلني منيش بعرفله نهاية
اللحظة معاك بالدنيا بحالها .. مادام شايفك ويايا
خلتني أخاف على عمري عشان تفضل يا حبيبي معايا

أجمل لحظة في حياتي .. وانا جمبك بين اديك
معرفش انا ايه حياتي .. لو يوم مابقتش ليك
قلبك طيب حنين .. كأن نفسي فيه أنا
من قبل ما اعرفه

يا حبيبي بحبك حب قاتلني منيش بعرفلو نهاية
اللحظة معاك بالدنيا بحالها .. مادام شايفك ويايا
خلتني أخاف على عمري عشان تفضل يا حبيبي معايا

Lyrics transcription from here

Wael Jassar - Kalam El Donya

Kalam El Donya Kolo
Maykfeesh Hoby Leek
Lao 23shlak 3omry Kolo
Bardo 2olyl 3aleek
Alby We roo7y We 3nya
Mabyd3foosh L7d
We M3ak Byd3fo

Ya Habeeby Ba7bak
Hob Atelny Maleesh 23rflo Nehya
Del La7za M3ak Bl Donya Ba7lha
Madam Shayfak Wayaya
5altny A5af 3ala 3omry 3ashan
Tefdal ya Habibi Ma3aya

Agmal La7za Fe Hayaty
Wana Ganbak Be2edeek
Ma3rfshy Ana Eih Hayaty
Lao Youm Mab2tshy Leek
Albak Tayb Henyn
Kan Nefsy Feeh Ana
Mn Abl Ma3rfo

Ya Habeeby Ba7bak
Hob Atelny Maleesh 23rflo Nehya
Del La7za M3ak Bl Donya Ba7lha
Madam Shayfak Wayaya
5altny A5af 3ala 3omry 3ashan
Tefdal ya habibi Ma3aya

Wahida Khalil - Who Are You Blaming, My Heart?وحيدة خليل - عليمن يا قلب تعتبAlayman Ya Galob Taeteb

You'll notice an exceedingly high percentage of the accompanying musicians wearing dark sunglasses. This is because in Baghdad there was a music school for the blind in the large Baghdad Jewish community, which produced scores of talented musicians and composers.

Wahida Khalil - Who Are You Blaming? Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming Who was it that you loved and tried and believed in Love is not faithfulness, only abandonment and betrayal Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming

Stop blaming and quit criticizing
Did you think you were in love with an angel (???)
Remember this shock and consider
You loved him and he loved you
And you were faithful to him and he was not faithful to you
Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming

Stop blaming he who is gone
He gave me sorrow while I gave him pureness
I started to reach him but he rejected me and cut me off
He cut the chord of love, that guy that I had loved
Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming

وحيدة خليل - عليمن يا قلب تعتب

عليمن يا قلب تعتب عليمن
هويت وجربت وامنت بيمن
ماللحب امانه .. بس هجر وخيانه
عليمن يا قلب تعتب عليمن

لا تعتب بعد واترك عتابك
اظن ملوّك هل كانوا احبابك
اذكر صدمتك واحسب حسابك
هويته وكان يهواك .. وفيت وما وفى وياك
عليمن ياقلب تعتب عليمن

لا تعتب بعد منهو اللي يوافي
سقاني الكدر وانا اسقيته صافي
بديت وصله وهو يصد ويجافي
قطع حبل المودة .. ذاك اللي كنت اوده
عليمن يا قلب تعتب عليمن

Lyrics transcription from here

Lamea Tawfiq - This Boyلميعة توفيق - هذا الحلوHatha al Halew

So here I have translated "helw (حلو)" "pretty" or "pretty person" as "boy" because it is a woman singing. However if a man were to sing this song, and it seems to be written from the persona of a man, it should be translated as "girl" I think.

Lamea Tawfiq - This Boy This boy is killing me auntie I love him so much and I want to tell him So how can you not understand me, auntie? My whole soul is with him Oh auntie, auntie

This boy is killing me and I want him
My heart has suffered while my soul is his hands
I can't bear being far from him
So how can I give my heart patience (to bear it)
When the fire of passion is burying it
My whole soul is with him
Oh auntie, auntie

He's inflicted me with sadness
His light is much more beautiful than the moon
I'm lost in my love, auntie
So how can I give my heart patience
When the fire of passion is burying it
My whole soul is with him
Oh auntie, auntie

Oh woe is me, oh the pain of my love
I've been so sleepless over him
The color has fled from my face, I've run out of strength
So how can I give my heart patience
When the fire of passion is burying it
My whole soul is with him
Oh auntie, auntie

لميعة توفيق - هذا الحلو

هذا الحلو قاتلني يا عمة
فدوه شقد احبه واريد اكلمه
وانتي شلون عمتي
بيه ما افتهمتي
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة يا عمة

هذا الحلو قاتلني واريده
عذب مهجتي والروح بايده
ومااصبر بعد عنه بعيدة
وقلبي شلون اصبره
ونار العشق قبره
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة ياعمة

هو بالحزن باليني بلوة
احلى من القمر وشويه اضوه
توه بالعشق يا عمة توه
قلبي شلون اصبره
ونار العشق قبره
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة ياعمة

اه من العشق منه يا ويلي
يما عالولف سهران ليلي
عمة انخطف لوني انهدم حيلي
وقلبي شلون اصبره
نار العشق قبره
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة يا عمة

Lyrics transcription from here

Afifa Iskender - It Burned my Soulعفيفة إسكندر - حرقت الروحHaragat al Rouh

Afifa Iskender - It Burned my Soul It burned my soul when we parted I cried and drowned them in my tears What did my heart say when we parted It burned my soul when we parted As I bid them farewell I say how can I forget them My heart, for God's sake go with them I would rather die than us be apart

I want those who left me to come back from the journey
I want to give them part of my soul as a keepsake
I've experienced every kind of affliction

عفيفة إسكندر - حرقت الروح

حرقت الروح لمن فارقتهم
بكيت ومن دموعي غرقتهم
إيش قال القلب لمن ودعتهم
حرقت الروح لمن فارقتهم
اْودعهم واْقول إشلون اْنساهم
ياقلبي لخاطر الله روح وياهم
اْريد الموت اْنا وماريد فرقاهم
اْريد اللي فارقوني بعد مشوار
اْريد اْنطيهم الدلال تذكار
واْنا بكل المصايب جربتهم

Lyrics transcription from here

Salima Murad - You Branch of Basilسليمة مراد - يا نبعة الريحانYa Nebaet al Rihan

This is a hard song to decipher for me for a lot of reasons, but I've done my best here to convey the meaning. The phrase "branch of basil (نبعة الريحان)" refers to the beloved of the poet, and this is intended to mean that she is pretty and sweet-swelling, basil being a sign of perfume in Iraq. In addition, basil is known to be a cure-all of sorts, and I think in calling the lover a branch of basil, the poet is demanding a cure for his love, describing himself as "walhaan (ولهان)" a word meaning in love with the connotation of being mad or sick in love. Of course, the cure for this sickness is to be with his love, the branch of basil.

Interestingly, the song, written by Abdel Karim al Alaf (عبد الكريم العلاف), is being sung from the persona of a man, even though the original performer, Selima Murad, is a woman.

Selima Murad or "Selima Pasha" herself is a unique figure in Arabic music history, as she was one of the early great figures of Iraqi music and also Jewish. However, unlike most of Iraq's formerly large Jewish population, she did not leave Iraq in 1948 after the founding of Israel and remained in Iraq until her death in 1975. The composer of this song, Shalekh (Saleh) al Kuwaiti (صالح الكويتي) was also an Iraqi Jew. Selima Murad was married to the great Iraqi singer, Nazem al-Ghazali.

Selima Murad - You Branch of Basile You branch of basile, take pity on the one who's infatuated with you My body has become emaciated, my soul has melted, and my bones are showing I no longer know what to do about this sickness inside of me My condition is difficult and there's not a person who knows the cure

The day I loved I went crazy
I've been confused, I don't know what my crime was

I haven't committed any crimes except loving the loved
It's not a crime for me to repent from and ask for forgiveness

سليمة مراد - يا نبعة الريحان

يا نبعة الريحان حني على الولهان
جسمي نحل والروح ذابت وعظمي بان

من علتي اللي باحشاي ما ظل عندي راي
دائي صعب ودواي ما يعرفها انسان

يوم الذي حبيت يا منيتي جنيت
حاير انا تميت ما ادري ذنبي أيش كان

ما عندي كل ذنوب إلا هوى المحبوب
لاهو ذنب لاتوب واتجبر الرحمن

Nazem al-Ghazali - Coming Out of Her Father's Houseناظم الغزالي - طالعة من بيت أبوهاTalia Min Bayt Abua

This is a song about a guy flirting with a very pretty girl who is flirting back by rejecting him arrogantly

Nazem al-Ghazali - Coming Out of Her Father's House Coming out of her father's house on her way to the neighbor's house She passed by and didn't say hi to me Perhaps this pretty girl is upset

I told her, "my dear, give me some water I'm thirsty"
She said, "go away you poor boy, our water does not quench the thirsty"

I told her "my dear, then show me your height" (meaning her pretty stature)
She told me "go away my poor boy, my height is a branch of basile" (I know this makes sense, I can't figure out how to translate it a way that makes sense. Basile was once warn by women as a perfume, although less so today, in Arabia. This line means she is tall, pretty and sweet, and not for him)

I told her "my dear, then show me your eyes"
She told me "go away my poor boy, my eyes are as pretty as the gazelle's"

ناظم الغزالي - طالعة من بيت أبوها

طالعة من بيت ابوها رايحة لبيت الجيران
فات ما سلم عليا يمكن الحلو زعلان

قلت لها يا حلوة ارويني عطشان مي اسقيني
قالت لي روح يا مسكيني مينا مايروي العطشان

قلت لها ياحلوة ارويني على طولك فرجيني
قالت لي روح يامسكيني طولي نبعة ريحان

قلت لها يا حلوة ارويني على عيونك فرجيني
قالت لي روح يا مسكيني عيوني عيون الغزلان

Abdel Halim Hafez - I Love Youعبد الحليم حافظ - اهواكAhwak

Abdel Halim Hafez - I Love You I love you And if I forget you I hope I forget my soul And if I lose it you can keep it If you forget me

So I forget you and forget your cruelness
Only to miss my torment with you and find my tears remember you
And then I go back to you again

When you come to me the whole world comes with you
And it's wish is your wish
And at that time my deprivation from your love might end

And I'll find you thinking of me and I of you
And our eyes meeting once again
And their words will be all over you even though you try to hide it (meaning she won't be able to hide her feelings)

And I'd take care of you
And awake in the night calling out to you
And send you my soul to wake you up
Get up, oh you who's preoccupied me, and experience the hell I've been through

عبد الحليم حافظ - أهواك

أهواك واتمنى لو انساك
وانسى روحي وياك
وان ضاعت يبقى فداك لو تنساني

وانساك وتريني بانسى جفاك
واشتاق لعذابي معاك
والقى دموعي فاكراك ارجع تاني
في لقاك الدنيا تجيني معاك
ورضاها يبقى رضاك
وساعتها يهون في هواك طول حرماني

والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري

واراعيك واصحى من الليل اناديك
وابعت روحي تصحيك
قوم ياللي شاغلني بيك جرب ناري

Lyrics transcription from here

Saria al-Sawas - Oh Sheikhسارية السواس - يا شيخYa Shaykh

Saria al-Sawas - Oh Sheikh Oh Sheikh, cure me I can't sleep It's been more than two years that I've been in this state My love is driving me crazy, leaving me and being cruel to me He doesn't fear God and I am in this state

He went away and left me by myself everyone
He doesn't know what's happened to me while I've been in this state

Oh Sheikh, I've come to you
If only you would cure me
My love did not fear God
Please help me with my condition

I miss his voice, I miss him
Shame on him for leaving me in this state

سارية السواس - يا شيخ

يا شيخ عالجني النوم ما يجيني
لفوق عاميني وانا بهالحالة

خلي مجنني يهجر ويظلمني
ولا يخاف الله وانا بهالحاله

سافر وخلاني يا ناس وحداني
ما يدري ايش جاني وانا بهالحالة

يا شيخ انا جيتك ليتك تعالجني
خلي ما خاف الله يرضيك هالحالة

مشتاقة لصوته مشتاقة يا انا
حرام يتركني وانا بهالحالة

Fairuz - Take Me, My Darlingفيروز - خدني حبيبيKhedni Habibi

This song is from the Rahbani Brothers play entitled "Petra (بتراء)"

Fairouz - Take Me, My Darling Take me, my darling, to a house with no doors Take me, my darling, to a hidden moon Help me for get as I sleep, in pure days So that the nights return and our loved ones come back My darling, my darling

Take me, joy is on the way
My love for you consumes me and you don't have a companion

Oh prince of the sword, where did you take the summer?
I can kind of see you, lost in the fog

There's a little princess who was betrothed early
They cast jealousy upon her, and she can't fly
The put her in a castle beyond seven seas
And the princess is little, and the gates are big

فيروز - خدني حبيبي

خدني ياحبيبي ع بيت مالو بواب
خدني ياحبيبي ع قمر الغياب
نساني بالغفا بأيام الصفا
تترجع الليالي ويرجعوا الأحباب
ياحبيبي .. ياحبيبي

خدني ولا تخدني الفرح عالطريق
حبك بيحصدني وماعندك رفيق

يا أمير السيف وين أخدت الصيف
بشوفك ومابشوفك ضايع بالضباب

في اميرة صغيرة نخطبت بكير
رميو عليها الغيرة ومابتعرف تطير

سكنوها قصور خلف سبع بحور
وصغيرة الأميرة وكبيرة البواب

Hakim - Nobody Blame Meحكيم - ما حدش يلومنيMa Hadesh Yiloumni

Sounds like a nice song, but it's about taking revenge on people who have hurt you.

المتصفح الذي لديك لايدعم مشغل الأغاني. دبر حالك و روح نزل البرنامج أو .<A HREF="http://www.6rob.com/songer/x/egypt/7akeem/7akeem-ma7addesh_yeloomni.rm">اضغط هنا</A> لسماع الأغنية.

Hakeem - Nobody Blame Me Nobody blame me or criticize me These guys inflicted a large wound in my heart (literally, "not small) I gotta humiliate them and make them stay up all night in tears And injure their hearts in return 100 times

Nobody tell me "nevermind, forgive them"
And nobody remind me of the past
I've been wronged so much and experienced so much cruelty

Oh night, tell them
They hurt me and left me in pain and misery
I've been hurt so much and experience so much cruelty

I gotta humiliate them and make them stay up all night in tears
And injure their hearts in return 100 times

Nobody blame me or criticize me
These guys inflicted a large wound in my heart

حكيم - ماحدش يلومني

محدش يلومني ولا يعتب عليا
دول جرحوني فى قلبي جرح مش شويه
لا زم اذلهم واسهر دمعهم

واجرح قلبهم بدال الجرح ميه
محدش يقولي معلش وسماح
ولا حد يفكرني بالماضي اللى راح
انا اتظلمت كتير وشوفت قسوة كتير

يا مسهر عيوني احكيلهم ياليل
جرحوني وسابوني بين عذاب وويل
انا اتجرحت كتير وشوفت قسوة كتير
لا زم اذلهم واسهر دمعهم
واجرح قلبهم بدال الجرح ميه

محدش يلومني ولا يعتب عليا
دول جرحوني فى قلبي جرح مش شويه

Lyrics transcription from here

Zeki Nasif - Butterfly and Flowerزكي ناصيف - فراشة وزهرةFarashe wa Zehra

The language is a bit abstract I hope it makes enough sense rendered in English

Zeki Nasif - Butterfly and Flower Pick me out the prettiest flower, oh butterfly A flower that would look good arranged in the blonde girl's hair Pick one more wonderful than a child's laugh And let the lily shout to her a mawwal (song) from its heart While the sparrow sings it and translates what it said And the break of the dawn strums to her on its strings

Pick one the color of marble and stories of fire (hell?)
And the dark, barren soil and the aged snow
And from the dream of the green valley and the bloom of the laurel
And if I could describe more to you, I wouldn't tell you to pick it for me

زكي ناصيف - فراشة وزهرة

نقي لي أحلى زهرة يا فراشة نقي لي
زهرة تلبق للشقرة على شعرها تشكيلي

نقيها حلوة أحلى من ضحكة أطفال
وخلي الزنبق يصرخ لها من قلبه موال
والعصفور يترغلها ويترجم شو قال
وشق الفجر ينغم لها عوتاره تهدي لي

نقيها بلون المرمر وحكايات النار
وتراب الجرد الأسمر والتلج الختيار
ومن حلم الوادي الأخضر وعنفوان الغار
ولو بعرف أوصف أكتر ما بقلك نقي لي

Mohamed Nour - A, B Boobayeمحمد نور - ألف بيه بوبايهAlif Be Bubaye

This song is included in our Syrian Debke Podcast as well



Mohamed Nour - A, B Boobaye
محمد نور - ألف باء بوبايه

This is a song that really requires explanation rather than translation since it doesn't make much sense.

الف باء وبوبايه قلم رصاص ومحاية
انا بغني على المايك واسعد بيعزف ورايا

This is the crux of the song, which is kind of like a little game. The form usually employed is as follows:

الف باء وبوبايه قلم رصاص ومحاية
انا بكتب على اللوح وبتكتبوا ورايا

In the standard version, the line is something like "A, B, pencil and eraser, I write on the board and you write after me," as if to be a classroom type game. But the singer instead sings "I sing on the mic and Asaed plays after me," indicating that they are playing this kind of game with music, in this case debke songs. In the song when you hear "Asaed (أسعد)" or "Abu Suoud (أبو سعود)" he's referring to his accompanying musician.

So what they proceed to do in this framework is choose a letter, then a word that starts with that letter that refers to a particular line from a debke song, then they sing that line putting whatever embellishments they may choose. I'll explain each section best I can though it's not important for enjoying the song.

حرف التاء .. تع بورد
تع بورد تع بورد تع بورد تع

The letter "ta," "ta3 bourid"

"ta3 bourid (تع بورد)" means "come cool off" and is like the kind of thing a vendor of cold juice might be calling out in the street on a hot summer day.

حرف الواو

ويلي من العشق يا ويله عزبتني بنت الليل
كل يوم اسهر بمقصف كتر السهر هد الحيل

The letter "waw," "weeli"

He says "weeli (woe is me) from love, the girl of the night tormented me" then he says that he has stayed up every night thinking of her to the point that he doesn't have the energy to work or do anything.

حرف الواو .. وردة

وردة وردة على القطن تعالي واريد اشوفك بالنوح الشمالي

The letter "waw" (again), "warda"

"warda (وردة)" means a flower or rose, and he compares the girl to a flower and says he wants to see her.

حرف الهاء .. هاجر

هاجر فوق الرعوشي حوشي جدياتك حوشي
بكرا يعلم حب الديس وان شاش الهوى شوشي

The letter "he," "hajer"

Hajer is a name, like Hagar from the Torah. This line is hard to crack, he's courting Hajer but the lines are really weird, they are just for rhyme mostly I guess.

حرف الواو .. وعدتينا

وعدتينا تحت التينا وما جيتينا
وطلبنا بوسة من خدك ما عطيتينا

The letter "waw" (again), "wa3edtina"

"wa3edtina" means something like "you promised to meet us," and he's saying basically that they had a date, to meet under a tree and she didn't come. Then he says "I asked to kiss your cheek and you didn't let me."

حرف العين

عاشق لبنت البيتي وانا ابن الفلاحي
لا تخليني روح ليكي هيي قليبها مرتاحة
مليتيلي قلبي جراح
يا جميل رد ما برد يا هنا ردي ما بدي

The letter "3ayn", "3ashiq"

"3ashiq" means in love and he says that he is in love with a girl from a well-off family and that he is the son of a farmer. Then something that is hard to understand. Then he says "you filled my heart with wounds."

حرف الغاء .. غسل وشك

غسل وشك يا قمر بالصابون وبالحجر وينك يا أسعد
مشط شعرك يا أسعد والمشط الحلو انسكر وينك يا وينك يا أصلع

The letter "gha (ie ghayn)", "ghassel wishak"

This one especially is meant to be humorous and he inserts his own variation. He says "wash your fash, you moon (meaning pretty face), with soap and stone" then he says "where you at Asaed" meaning that the line is intended for his buddy Asaed. Then he says "comb your hair, Asaed, and the comb would break, where you at baldy." Normally in place of "baldy" he would say something like "moon" again, but he is using this line to make fun of his buddy I guess.

حرف الدال

ده ده دونك على ام البرقع ودونك
الله الله يا الله تحمي حسن نصر الله

The letter "dal," "dahdunek"

"dahdounek" doesn't have a clear meaning, it's the name of a debke song. He is addressing a woman referring to "the one in the burkah." In the following line he says "God, oh God, please protect Hassan Nasrallah," who is the political leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Ozeina al-Ali - If Onlyأذينة العلي - يا ريتكYa Reitek

Yemmi (يمي) means Jembi (جمبي) in this case, ie "next to me." In no way is he singing to his mother.

Ozeina al-Ali - If Only You Would Come to Me If only you would come to me So I could tell you all my problems and worries I planted you as a rose in my veins But it turns out you're already part of my blood Never have you felt for me Nor have you loved me or cared about me I've been fooling myself for so long And it looks like I've sacrificed with my own blood

I used to cry at night in your absence
I wouldn't calm down until I smelled your clothes
I've been waiting for you for so long (literally, by your door)
And I've suffered while missing you, waiting

Oh world, gather up my wounds
You will never be happy in my absence
When you come back and knock on my door
I swear on my life, upon what I've suffered
I won't forgive you as long as I live

Turns out you've left me
Put out your fire oh world
I thought you were my true love
But it turns out your promises were all a mirage

أذينة العلي - يا ريتك لو تيجي يمي

يا ريتك لو تجي يمي
واسمعك كل صدى همي
زرعتك وردة بعروقي
وأتاري انت من دمي

بعمرك ما حسيت بحالي
ولاحبيت ولاعندك غالي
صارلي زمان عم اخدع حالي
وتاري ضحيت بدمي

كنت الليل ابكي على غيابك
ما ارتاح تاشم تيابك
صارلي زمان والله عبوابك
والشوق دايب على بوابك

يادنيا جراحي لمي
ماراح يوم تهنى بغيابي
وراح ترجع وتدق بوابي
وحياتك وحياة عذابي
ما بصامح الا على دمي

وتاري وتاري ياهاجر قليبي وتاريه
طفي نارك يادنيا وتاريه
كنت مفكرك وفي ياولفي
خاين وعودك كلها سراب

Saria al-Sawas - Just Listen What I Sayسارية السواس - بس اسمع منيBas Esma Menni

This is part of our Syrian Debke Podcast

This is modern Syrian debke of a Bedouin variety, that managed to surpass professional manufactured Arab pop in Syria and the Gulf during 2008-09.

Saria al-Sawas - Just Listen What I Say Just listen what I say, you who's driving me mad I'm suffering and you're happy with it Listen, just listen, you whose eyes are crying It's as if you aren't listening God give me patience

Layla oh Layla oh Omm Guthayla (Omm Guthayla might be a specific nickname for a girl with a particular physical feature but I can't figure it out)
How can I reach your heart?
What is the means?

We don't take our lovers from among our relatives anymore (this is a feature of the current generation of rural Syrian society that would differentiate them from previous generations, and refers to the fact that it has become less common for marriages between cousins to be arranged by their families)
We don't take anyone except the ones we like
And there couldn't be anything better

سارية السواس - بس اسمع مني

بس اسمع مني ياللي مجنني
أنا المتعذب وانت المتهني
اسمع بس اسمع ياللي عينك تدمع
كانك ما تسمع الله يصبرني

ليلى وياليلى اه يا أم قديلة
شلون اوصل قلبك
شنو هالوسيلة

ياحبايبنا وياحبايبنا
بطلنا ناخد من قرايبنا
واحنا ما ناخد الا اللي يعجبنا
وأروع ما يكونا

Samira Said - We're Throughسميرة سعيد - ما خلاصMa Khalas

Updated media and translation

Samira Said - It's Over We're through, what do you want from me? Get away from me Try to understand the past is over Forget it

We're through, what brought you here again?
Put your mind at ease and forget me
I don't want you anymore

You say "you were once in love with me"
Quite frankly, I don't remember you anymore (meaning she no longer loves him)
So what are you talking about?

We're through, you've missed you chance
Go ahead and dream if you want
What do you want me to do for you?

Oh god, you're begging me
And you're dreaming of me
Why??
No, calm down a little
This is your imagination running wild

Don't let it even cross your mind that I might be returning to you
Look at yourself
Your talk will do no good

You are the one who started this separation
So it's normal that I am being cruel to you now
It's all nothing to me
My eyes see you and don't miss you

سميرة سعيد - ما خلاص

ما خلاص عايز ايه منى ايه
ابعد بقى عنى ايه
حاول تفهمنى الماضى خلاص انساه

ما خلاص ايه جابك تانى ايه
ارتاح وانسانى ايه
واللى هييجى منك والله مانيش عايزاه

بتقول انا كنت زمان بهواك
بصراحه انا مش فاكراك
وبتتكلم عن ايه

ماخلاص راحت يا حبيبى عليك
عايز تحلم خليك
وعايزنى اعملك ايه

يا سلام بتحايل في ايه
وبتحلم بي ليه
لا اهدى شويه
ده خيالك راح لبعيد

وبلاش يخطر على بالك لا
ان انا راجعالك لا
ما تشوف بقى حالك
ده كلامك مش هيفيد

انت اللى بالبعد بادى
ودلوقتى عادى انى اقسى عليك
كل اللى هاين علي تشوفك عيني ولا تحن ليك

The Best of Azar Habib Podcast

Azar Habib Podcast
عازار حبيب

Click play to hear the podcast


For translations of Azar Habib on the site click here

The most-repeated of the Azar Habib (عازار حبيب) truisms is that he was the first Arab musician to blend a "light western style" with "eastern rhythm." To me, this is a pretty banal way to describe Habib's music which combines some of the most innovative and catchy beats to ever come from a synth. Testament to the Lebanese singer's popularity is how his songs are in constant rotation on Damascus and Beirut radio stations, but there were missteps along the way.

Much like one wonders what Elvis was thinking in his Vegas days, one wonders what Habib was thinking recording songs that harken a carnival or, even odder, some type of vampire shakedown. Yet much to his credit, even when his songs teeter on kitsch, redeemable loops abound and he's never uninteresting.

This podcast is a sample of my favorite Azar Habib songs, between tracks that I instantly loved -- and tracks that on first-listen sounded campy, but then developed into undeniable classics.

Track List

1. The Pearl Drop on Your Cheek (translation available)
على خدك حبة لولو
2. Cheeky Cheeky Baba (translation available)
شيكي شيكي بابا عيني عيني يأبا

This song is actually performed by the Lebanese one-hit wonder Adonis Aqel

3. Going round to the "Dayer-dayer" (translation available)
عالداير داير مندار
4. It's Hard For Me to Sleep (translation available)
عازز عليّ النوم
5. When My Beloved Left Me (lyrics available)
انا والحبيب لما هجرني
6. Not Important (translation available)
مش مهم
7. I Love You
حبيتك
8. Pharmacist (translation available)
صيدلي
9. Tell Me (translation available)
قولي
10. I Love Her Eyes (translation available)
بحب عيونها
11. Everything That's Happening (translation available)
كل اللي صاير
12. I'm Gathering My Affection (translation available)
عم لملم حناني
13. Since You're Going to Our Village (translation available)
يا رايح عضيعتنا

Azar Habib - I'm Gathering My Affectionعازار حبيب - عم لملم حنانيAm Lamlem Hanani

Azar Habib - I'm Gathering My Affection I'm gathering my affection and writing you songs with the most beautiful of meanings, my life And my eyes are dreaming of two letters from this alphabet, my life (those two letters probably spell "love")

On the dew drops
On my voice
On its echo
I won't tell anyone
I'm drawing your eyes (on all those things)

From the sun of the morning
From the darkness of the night
I'm making you a bouquet to adorn your eyes (because those things could be used as makeup, that's the idea anyway)

عازار حبيب - عم لملم حناني

عم لملم حناني واكتب لك اغاني بأحلى المعاني يا حياتي
وعم تحلم عينيي بحرفين هدية من هالابجدية يا حياتي

ع حبات الندى ع صوتي عـالصدى
ما رح احكي لحدا عم برسم عينيكي

من شمس الصبحية من عتم العشية
زارع مزهرية تتكحل عينيكي

Azar Habib - Everything That's Happeningعازار حبيب - كل اللي صايرKol Elly Sayer

Azar Habib - Everything That's Happening Everything that's happening Happening in my heart Is cuz of you You who lives in my heart And if my heart didn't love your eyes It wouldn't be carrying any love at all Everything that is happening in my heart Is from you who lives in my heart

How could I not stay up singing while the light of your eyes is missing
Oh you who keeps me up
Come back to me and my heart will be strong again

Your name is sacred, your light is precious
While your image in this light is before me
I make myself happy and forget my situation
Whenever my heart is hurting me

عازار حبيب - كل اللي صاير

كل اللي صاير .. صاير بقلبي
منّك يا ساكن .. ساكن بقلبي
ولوما قلبي .. يحبّ عيونك
ماكان بيحمل .. بيحمل محبّة
كل اللي صاير بقلبي
منّك يا ساكن بقلبي

كيف ما بدّي أسهر غنّي .. ونور عيونك غايب عنّي
ندر عليّي يا مسهّرني .. ارجع لي بيرجع يقوى قلبي

ولوما قلبي .. بيحب عيونك
ماكان بيحمل .. بيحمل محبّة
كل اللي صاير بقلبي .. منك ياساكن بقلبي

أسمك عالي ونورك غالي .. وطيفك بهالنور قبالي
بهنّي حالي وبانسى حالي .. كل ما عميوجعني قلبي

ولوما قلبي .. بيحب عيونك
ماكان بيحمل .. بيحمل محبّة
كل اللي صاير بقلبي .. منك ياساكن بقلبي

Azar Habib - I Love Her Eyesعازار حبيب - بحب عيونهاBaheb Oyouna

Azar Habib - I Love Her Eyes I love her eyes and I can't hide it Cuz my eyes are giving me away My love is bigger than my heart Bigger than my name And bigger than me

I want everyone to know that I love her
If someone has feelings he shouldn't hide it
I've given her a home in my eyes
Her eyes mean so much to me
They are what made me sing

I want a love song to sing and make her happy
I want the voice of my heart to rise and call out to her
I gave her all my secrets and all my thoughts
And I'll let my journey tell her about me

عازار حبيب - بحب عيونها

حب بحب عيونها وما بقدرخبي عبيحكو عينوني عبيحكو عني
حبي أكبر أكبر أكبر من قلبي اكبر من اسمي من اسمي ومن اسمي ومني

بدي كل الناس تعرف اني بحبها اللي عنده احساس لازم ما يتخبى
سكنتها بعيوني عيونها بهموني وهنن اللي خلوني خلوني غني

بحب بحب عيونها وما بقدرخبي عبيحكو عينوني عبيحكو عني
حبي أكبر أكبر أكبر من قلبي اكبر من اسمي من اسمي ومن اسمي ومني

بدي لحن الحب غني تاهنيها بدي صوت القلب يعلى ويناديها
سلمتها اسراري وهديتها افكاري ورح خلي مشواري يخبرها عني

بحب بحب عيونها وما بقدرخبي عبيحكو عينوني عبيحكو عني
حبي أكبر أكبر أكبر من قلبي اكبر من اسمي من اسمي ومن اسمي ومني

Azar Habib - Say What You Wantعازار حبيب - قولي شو بدك قوليOulli Shou Badiek

Azar Habib - Say What You Want Say what you want, say it Say it, cmon really? Say "I'm jealous and my heart is on fire" And don't you dare say "I don't love you" The girls are jealous of you They returned all the gifts They left my heart to finish the road And they knew all of my intentions

Say "I love you" don't be scared
Your name is like a song on my lips
Enjoy our love
And let it wake up this guy who's heart is sleeping (ie him)

عازار حبيب - قولي

قولي شو بدك قولي قولي اخوت معقولة
قولي بغار وقلبي نار وما بحبك اوعى تقولي

ويلي نار نار ما بحبك اوعى تقولي

منك غاروا الصبايا ردوا كل الهدايا
تركوا القلب يكفي الدرب وعرفوا كل النوايا

ويلي نار نار ما بحبك اوعى تقولي

قولي بحبك لا تخافي اسمك نغمة عشفافي
هني الحب وخلي الحب يوعي اللي قلبه غافي

ويلي نار نار ما بحبك اوعى تقولي

Azar Habib - It's Not Importantعازار حبيب - مش مهم تكوني حديMish Muhim

Azar Habib - It's Not Important It's not important for you to be beside me for me to sing It's not important for the sound to carry and speak about me I don't write, my dear Nor do I play a line of music Nor do I compose or sing Except for my art, except for my art And you are my art

No matter how far you are from me
You're still the light of my candle
You're my joy

I wanna love you however you are
I wanna love you no matter what you say
I wanna love you wherever you are
Even if you stay far away

عازار حبيب - مش مهم تكوني حدي

مش مهم تكوني حدي حتى غني
مش مهم الصوت يودي ويحكي عني

انا ما بكتب يا رفيقة
ولا بعزف جملة موسيقى
انا ما بلحن ما بغني
إلا لفني ..إلا لفني
وانتي فني

مهما كنتي عني بعيدة..عني بعيدة
إنتيي نور الشمعة ..إنتي عيدي

بدي حبك كيف ما كنتي
بدي حبك شو ما قلتي
بدي حبك وين ما كنتي
حتى لو ضليتي بعيدي

Azar Habib - It's Hard to Sleepعازار حبيب - عازز عليا النومAziz Alay al Noum

Azar Habib - It's Hard to Sleep It's hard for me to sleep Your image is in my mind Only praying and fasting can give me patience I swear I wouldn't have loved you if not for my heart My tears over your absence lament my situation

I'm in love, longing for your beauty and passion
Being separated form your love is so hard my precious

I never said an "ah" (in pain) before I met you
Your image took me away and made forget my song

عازار حبيب - عازز علي النوم

عازز علي النوم طيفك على بالي غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
حالف ما كنت أهواك لو ما القلب بهواك دمعي على فرقاك يبكي على حاله
عازز علي النوم طيفك على بالي غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
هايم أنا مشتاق للحسن والاشواق الفراق ما اصعب الفراق عن حبك يا غالي
عازز علي النوم طيفك على بالي غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
عمري ما قلت الآه من قبل ما القاك طيفك أخدني معاه نساني موالي
عازز علي النوم طيفك على بالي غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي
غير الصلاة والصوم ما يصبر حوالي

Azar Habib - Going Round to the "Dayer-dayer"عازار حبيب - عالداير داير مندارA Dayer Dayer Mindar

So the context of the song is they are dancing around to a debke song, ie folk music, called the "dayer-dayer". This form of dance you dance in a big circle holding hands. In this case, they are distributed in a boy-girl configuration, and he finds himself surrounded by two beautiful girl, and now he has to choose, although he seems to be contemplating the idea of just taking both of them in the last verse.

Azar Habib - Going round to the "dayer-dayer" We're going round to the "dayer-dayer" And there's too many pretty girls around me This brunette has beautiful eyes And the blonde is getting jealous Who should I pick? I can't decide The way the blonde moves is gonna drive me out of my mind If I'm gone for a minute she misses me no matter how long the trip Damn she's nice, she's so jealous Who should I pick? I can't decide

This brunette with such dark beautiful lashes
Where did this magic come from (cuz she's encanting him)
I gave her my heart by the well when we were little kids
And now that we've grown up who should I pick?
I can't decide

Oh Lord, give me two hearts and two worlds and let me go back and forth between them
I can't choose on my own
My whole youth is going to go by (literally, "the flowers of my life will wilt" and he says this because he is spending so long confused and undecided)
Who should I pick? I can't decide

عازار حبيب - عالداير داير مندار

عالداير داير مندار حوالي الحلوين كتار
هالسمرا عيونها حلوين والشقرا علي بتغار مين بدي نقي محتار

شقرا نقلتها نقلة رح بتطير لي عقلي غبت دقيقة بتشتاق لي كيف ما نطولت المشوار
يخرب ذوقها شو بتغار ومين بدي نقي محتار

عالداير داير مندار حوالي الحلوين كتار
هالسمرا عيونها حلوين والشقرا علي بتغار مين بدي نقي محتار

سمرا بكحلة ريف العين من جابت هالسحر مين
سلمت لها قلبي عالعين كنا يومها ولاد صغار وهلق لما صرنا كبار مين بدي نقي محتار

عالداير داير مندار حوالي الحلوين كتار
هالسمرا عيونها حلوين والشقرا علي بتغار مين بدي نقي محتار

يا رب عطيني قلبين ت في ارضي التنتين وقضيها مابين وبين مش قادر وحدي اختار
رح تدبل وردات العمر مين بدي نقي محتار

عالداير داير مندار حوالي الحلوين كتار
هالسمرا عيونها حلوين والشقرا علي بتغار مين بدي نقي محتار

Azar Habib - Mr. Pharmacistعازار حبيب - صيدلي يا صيدليSaydali Ya Saydali

This hasn't been uncommon theme in the folk music of the Middle East, that is, songs about asking a doctor or in this case a pharmacist for a cure from the disease of love. Popular culture says that in Arabic, unlike other languages as it is claimed, love is a sickness. Thus, this motif has appeared many a time in Arabic poetry and song, as well as in songs of other languages such as this song performed by Turkish singer Candan Erçetin.

This song was also mentioned by Syrian author Mohamed al-Maghout in his satirical play "I Will Betray My Country (سأخون وطني)" when an Arab citizen goes to a doctor complaining of various ailments, which are metaphors for political and social problems, and says the only thing he can hear out of his ear is "Saydali ya saydali," a clever reference to this song which was immensely popular at that time. As a side note, the song is also featured in al-Maghout's film starring Durayd Lahham entited "The Borders (الحدود)"

Azar Habib - Mr. Pharmacist Mr. Pharmacist, oh pharmacist Oh pharmacist I need a cure for her and I need a cure for me Her heart is becoming a flame And my heart is boiling It's boiling, it's boiling Hurry Mr. Pharmacist It's boiling, it's boiling My heart, Mr. Pharmacist

We came so you could heal us
They directed us to you, be kind to us

I want you to give me a pill
That brings my heart and hers together
And will light my path for me and solve my problem

Everyone who sees us doesn't even recognize us
They think we are specters passing by

We'd like you to help us
Bring us together and don't split us apart
It's enough what we've been through and the pain (literally, "boiling") we've endured

عازار حبيب - صيدلي يا صيدلي

صيدلي ياصيدلي ياصيدلي
بدي دوا الها وبدي دوا الي

قلبها صاير صاير صاير شعلة نار
وقلبي قلبي قلبي عم يغلي غلي

عم يغلي عم يغلي عجل ياصيدلي
عم يغلي عم يغلي قلبي ياصيدلي

نحن جينا جينا لتداوينا
دلونا لعندك توصى فينا

بدي منك حبه
تجمع قلبا وقلبي
وتنورلي دربي وتحل المسألة

عم يغلي عم يغلي عجل ياصيدلي
عم يغلي عم يغلي قلبي ياصيدلي

كل اللي شافونا ماعرفونا
خيالات و عمتمرق فكرونا

ساعدنا بتسعدنا
اجمعنا ولاتشرِّدنا
بيكفي شو نوَعَدْنَا وشو حمِلنا غلي

عم يغلي عم يغلي عجل ياصيدلي
عم يغلي عم يغلي قلبي ياصيدلي

صيدلي ياصيدلي ياصيدلي
بدي دوا الها وبدي دوا الي

قلبها صاير صاير صاير شعلة نار
وقلبي قلبي قلبي عم يغلي غلي

عم يغلي عم يغلي عجل ياصيدلي
عم يغلي عم يغلي قلبي ياصيدلي