I got thse lyrics from a Russian lyrics site but I'm not sure they are all correct. I did my best to correct them, but Natacha's accent is absoultely impenetrable sometimes.
Natacha Atlas - A Knight
A handsome knight snatched me up onto his horse And took me with him to an island with ferocious monsters
And quickly he drew his sword with knightly courage I found the beasts of the city torn to shreds all over the place You me forever A handsome knight
He came to me He approached me, carrying pile of wood
I told him, "in the city there are many unhappy people. The monsters in our city are hidden in our clothing." (???) "Come back with me and see Kill the people's fears"
But he was just quiet, until the sun went down Then he said to me, "tomorrow I will try. And everything is written (meaning everything is up to fate)" Everything is written
نتاشا أطلس - فارس
فارس جميل الملامح خطفني فوق الحصان وأخذني ويّاه جزيرة فيها الوحوش القوّى فارس جميل الملامح خطفني فوق الحصان وأخذني ويّاه جزيرة فيها الوحوش القوّى
وبسرعة اتسلّ سيفه بشجاعة الفرسان وبسرعة اتسلّ سيفه بشجاعة الفرسان لقيت وحوش المدينة أشلاء في كلّ مكان أنا وإنت ولا زمان.. فارس جميل الملامح..
جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب جاءني، جاءني، جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب جاءني، جاءني، جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب
وأنهى منها البيت وحفر الشوق بالذهب جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب جاءني أكثر قرّب وفي يده كومة خشب وأنهى منها البيت وحفر الشوق بالذهب
حسّيت براشد قاله - وقلت له: في المدينة فيه ناس كثيرة حزينة وحوش مدينتنا متستّرة بزينا وحوش مدينتنا متستّرة بزينا ارجع معايا وشوف، اقتل في ناس الخوف! ارجع معايا وشوف، اقتل في ناس الخوف!
لكنّه بس اتسكن للشمس وقت الغروب.. لكنّه بس اتسكن للشمس وقت الغروب.. وقال لي: بكره أحاوّل.. وكلّ شيء مكتوب.. وكلّ شيء مكتوب.. كلّ شيء مكتوب كلّ شيء مكتوب.. وكلّ شيء مكتوب
You are my first love And you've lit up my dark years
We met by chance in the neighborhood I told you I was a little thirsty You gave me water to drink with your hand And you made me more thirsty And you made me more thirsty (with love)
If I hadn't known you my heart would have been lost on a road to nowhere I loved you and asked for the address and you led me to your heart
فؤاد غازي - على حبك فيقتيني
على حبك فيقتيني و ضوّيتي عَتم السنين تلاقينا صدفة بالحي قلتلك عطشان شوي سقيتيني بيديك المي, و بزيادة عطشتيني لو ما عرفتك قلبي كان تايه على دروب النسيان عشقتك و تطلبت العنوان و على قلبك دلّيتيني
Linguistically this song is pretty simple but it might need a lot of cultural explanation for the Western audience. Watching the video will also help you to arrive at the meaning.
This song comes from Eastern Syria around Deir Ezzor, a rural region near the Iraq border through which the Euphrates River flows. For many in this region and the Arab world as a whole, marriage is arranged in a different fashion than is common in the West. Typically the groom asks for a girl's hand from her family, not directly from her, and often in the end an engagement is negotiated between two families on behalf of the children who may or may not know each other. The premise of the song is that some people have come to ask for a girl Nora's hand in marriage. Typically at this occasion there is some agreement made about what the bride will receive in terms of independent money, gifts, various conditions etc, and these conditions are usually set by the father and negotiated. These are an extremely part of a marriage agreement in Shari3a, Muslim law, because she will likely have no other way to obtain her own property and in the event of divorce this is especially bad because the law does not guarantee that she will receive money from her husband. Anyway, Nora's father agrees to the engagement, on four conditions for the wedding as stated: a ride in a Mercedes that has never been ridden in on their wedding day, 1 kilo earrings made of gold, a honeymoon in Damascus and Paris, and a wedding dress made in London. Of course these are outlandish requests, especially between people of this region who live a rural life generally on a few hundred dollars a year. Therefore, we can say that the song is a facetious, light-hearted song intended for dancing at parties such as engagement parties etc.
"Khattaba (خطابة)" was a huge phenomenon in Syria and the Arab world and launched Omar Souleiman to fame in this region, which has in the past few decades developed a sort of indie Debke music scene (debke is the "traditional" dance music of the region, however now they are making it with drum machines and keyboards). Since then, he has developed a cult following in the Europe and the United States, appreciated for the energy and originality of his songs which are unlike anything ever heard in the West. He is a favorite of prominent musicians such a Blur and Gorillaz' Damon Albarn as well as Bjork.
Omar Souleiman - A Proposal
This chorus and the first verse are sung from the perspective of the groom's party:
A marriage proposal, a proposal, we've come to make a marriage proposal We want to become related to you in accordance with God's law and book (ie Shari3a and the Qur'an, which means going through the traditional formalities of negotiating conditions of the marriage between the two families etc.)
We've drank your coffee and have been honored by your hospitality (this is a loose translation of the second half, but this is something you have to say to show respect to your host in Arab hospitality, who is likewise obliged to serve you coffee to express hospitality) We have a request from you, we've come to ask for Nora's hand
The rest of the song is sung from the point of view of the father of the prospective bride:
Nora is yours without paying a tribute (sometimes when a girl is to be married is on a condition that the family of a groom pay a sizable sum of money. this is designed as a way to make sure the groom has enough money to provide for the girl, but also is often a manifestation of greed on the part of the parents who want to marry up) However I have four conditions on behalf of the girl
The first is a Mercedes taxi that has never been ridden in before (i.e. on the wedding night,the word here for the Mercedes is "shabah شبح" which literally means a "phantom car," the term used by some European car companies to market their high end luxury cars in the Arab world. From what I've read, the word has come to refer specifically to the S Class Mercedes Benz which is very popular in the Gulf. In east Syria this word could mean a Mercedes or just a really fancy car, the point is it is a ridiculous request for people of that social class) (We also want) a kilo of gold in her ear at the engagement party (ie 1 kilo gold earrings)
We want a honeymoon in Damascus and Paris (in east Syria, Damascus is a pretty expensive and luxurious place) (We also want) a wedding dress made in London provided by the groom
عمر سليمان - خطابة
خطابة خطابة جيناكم خطابة نريد القرب منكم بشرع الله وكتابه
قهوتكم مشروبة بالعز مديورة النا طلب عندكم جينا نخاطب نورا
خذ نورا عطية ما الها جزية عندي اربع شروط من حق النبة
الشرط الاول تكسي شبح مي مركوبة كيلو ذهب باذنها بيوم الخطوبة
بدنا شهر عسل بالشام وباريس اللبس من لندن مطلوب من العريس
Wahrane is the Arabic name for the city known in English of Oran on the coast of Algeria. It was the birthplace of Rai, however, when an Islamist party took power in Algeria during the mid 90s many of the musicians left the country because the government became hostile towards them. This song was recorded by Khaled after he left, and reflects the nostalgia and longing that many emigrants to France and other countries from North Africa experience, living in what is known in Arabic as el-Ghorba (الغربة) that should be understood as "estrangement," "homesicknees," or "being far away from home and out of place."
There are extra verses in the live performance, which is much more recent than the album version upon which these lyrics are based. However, I don't have the lyrics for these extra verse nor do I understand them.
Cheb Khaled - Wahrane, Wahrane
Wahrane, Wahrane you went to hell Those who were smart ran away from you They remain confused in their exile And that exile is hard and traitorous
My happiness is with the children of el Hamri (a district of Oran) Children of the city and Sidi el Houari (a neighborhood in Oran where Khaled was from) I spent my youth with them My art is for them as long as I live
How beautiful are the nights my country The flutes and drums echo Oh those who are going to her Ask them to take care of my country
I'll never forget my countr My land and the land of my ancestors I asked my family about the people Seems they've left their religion and turned to the bottle (litearlly, followed the cup)
A dozen cups on the table Drank ten of them with no effect Sorry for the the empty space Her beauty was a wondrous beauty
Sadness entered in my heart And so I cry and call out
خالد - وهران وهران
وهران وهران رحتي خساره هجروا منك ناس شطارى قعدوا في الغربه حيارى و الغربه صعيبه و غداره
يا فرحي على اولاد الحمري اولاد مدينه و سيدي الهواري عديت معاهم صغري لهم فني طول عمري
ما احلى صهريات بلادي القصبه و القلالي صادي يا اللي ماشين ليها غادي وصوا يتهلوا في بلادي
عمري ما ننسى بلادي أرضي و أرض اجدادي وصيت اهلي على الناس تركوا دينهم و تبعوا الكاس
يا الزينه بالكاس و المايده راه عشره بلا فايده وعدي على الطحطحه وعدي كان زينها زين الودادي رجعت غمه في فؤادي وليت نبكي و ننادي
