full song lyrics

We've translated many an Arabic folk song here on the blog performed by various artists, but the discussion on this song is so massive and the versions so numerous that it deserves its own post. "Fog al-Nakhel (فوق النخل)" is one of the most famous Arabic songs. It originated in Iraq and quickly spread throughout the Arabic world with the advent of radio and television. One of the earliest versions was performed by Nazem al-Ghazali, but there are others by Sabah Fakhri, Ilham al-Madfai, Kazem el-Saher and many others. Of course, the verses seem to be infinite. I've always tried to understand the song, which eventually led me to discussion forums discussing the lyrics and meaning. That's when I discovered the open secret that the lyrics are not actually فوق النخل, or "above the palm trees," but rather فوق إلنا خل, ie "I've got a friend above/up there" however you want to translate it. According to a discussion among posters in this forum her...

Mayada el-Hennawi is a Syrian singer born in Aleppo, but in this song she is singing in the Egyptian dialect. "Toba توبة" is an exclamation that expresses regret and the lack of desire to repeat an action used to swear off an undesirable behavior so as to say "I'll never do it again" or "I swear it's the last time." Of course, Mayada begins the song by saying "never again, never again," only to explain that she doesn't believe in "never again." A song with the same title and similar theme was popularized earlier by Abdel Halim Hafez. Mayada al-Hennawy - Never Again Never again, never again, never again, never again So many people have said "I'll never love again," only to go back and write love poems and songs once more I want to be in love this once My life and my destiny are awaiting me I want to sing for joy for once I want to be happy tomorrow At least I'll have lived No matter how much I regret or fee...

Updated lyrics, translation and info Fouad Ghazi is a Syrian singer from the Hama province. He was very popular during the 1980s and was known for his distinctly "mountain (jabali)" style of singing typical of the Syrian coast. Although he withdrew from the spotlight during the nineties, his music remains popular today. "Rose Garden (بستان ورود)" is arguably his most famous work. Fouad Ghazi - I'll Plant You a Rose Garden I'll plant you a rose garden And a little tree to give you shade And spin for you from the light of the sun A bracelet to adorn your hand And I'll bring you from the farthest sea The prettiest pearl you can find And I'll steal for you from around the full moon The most beautiful star and keep it And I'll build you a lofty palace And carry you on my wings And spin for you from the light of the sun A bracelet to adorn your hand If you want pearls and corals I'll bring you a whole chest-full And if you want the hat of a fairy I...

Lena Chamamian - Before Dinner Not before dinner sir After dinner yes, yes With who can I send my greetings to you With my soul (literally "apple of the eye") or my heart? Oh lighting send them my regards whenever you strike When you were far away I used to hear your news Now that you're close I can't stop looking at you I won't die, no I won't die even if they bring the burial shroud I won't I'll go down to the Straight Street market and have a coffin made One nail made of silver and gold and the other nail of ruby The people will be amazed when they see us both in the coffin You have a apricot tree in your house and we have a peach tree in ours The apricot tree has leaned towards the peach tree (it makes a little more sense in Arabic, but to lean towards someone means to like them so it's a play on words) Quit coming and going Oh lord give us some rain, the Earth is longing (also a metaphor) لينا شاماميان - قبل العشا قبل العشا لا يا سيدي وبعد الع...

The song "Al Rozana (ع الروزانا)" is a folk song native to the region of the Levant or بلاد الشام, ie Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. The story behind it is that at the height of the intense wheat famine that the region experienced at the beginning of the 20th century, and Italian ship called "The Rosanna" was said to have been sent carrying food to the starving population of the Levant. Everybody was waiting in anticipation for the ship's arrival, but when it finally landed as the story goes in the song, it was carrying nothing but apples and grapes, on of the foods that the region was actually overflowing with at that time. The people cursed the ship for this reason. Here are the lyrics. Oh the Rosanna, the Rosanna, everything good is inside her What has the Rosanna done? God punish her! Oh the Rosanna the Rosanna, all happiness is inside her What has the Rosanna done? God punish her Hey you who are going to Aleppo, my love went with you Hey you who are carryin...

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...

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

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...

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 y...

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 c...

Fouad Ghazi - You Are My First Love 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 two of Dakhelt fi Marra Genina (دخلت في مرة جنينة) composed by Farid al Atrache for his sister Asmahan. To read more about Asmahan, see her bio here Asmahan - O Birds O birds Sing of my love and chant my passion and hopes To the one who is right beside me not paying attention to what's happening to me (i.e. in her love) I complain to him and he smiles and makes me grow fonder of him O birds Describe him my state of sleeplessness and sobbing (literally tears) The birds sang the sweetest words from the treetops The branches swayed from the felicity of their melodies And my heart was infatuated And the breeze blew gently carrying their beautiful sound As the flowers emanated the fragrance of longing And the brook sang along with them The air filled with tenderness sending away my longing and disgrace Oh how I hope his affection and love and favor will be mine He's happy with his handsomeness and youth, devoid of sorrows If he was in love, sleepless, feeling what I feel He wo...

Composed for Asmahan by her brother Farid al-Atrache. For part two of the song entitled El Tuyour الطيور (The Birds), click here . To read more about Asmahan, see her bio here Asmahan - Once I Entered a Garden Once I entered a garden to smell the scent of the flowers And distract my sad soul and listen to the song of the birds I looked and found on the branches a nightingale with his mate Standing with her in silence It made me happy to see him He put his wing around her as he took care of her tenderly And from his love for her, he sang her a comforting song And then he said to her "My angel, anything you need just ask" "I'd give my life and soul for you, don't ever leave me" And after a long while of drinking from the cup of togetherness His beautiful lover started to play hard to get She flew off without checking up on him, leaving him in agony Poor guy, my heart goes out to him Passion has melted his heart He stayed up that night counting the stars as the...

This song is from Asmahan's second and final film entitled Gharam Wa Intiqam غرام وانتقام (Passion and Revenge) which was not completed before she died in a mysterious and fatal car accident in July of 1944. To read more about Asmahan, see her bio here Line by line explanation in the Egyptian Arabic Course Blog Asmahan - When Will You Realize? When will you realize? When will you realize I love you When will you realize that I love you When, when, when When will you realize (Hear that, she's talkin to you kid) (You talkin to me?) (Huh? no, uh, I made a mistake sir, I'm confused, talking to myself...) I confide in your specter, and I hope to see you You've never felt sorry for me or check up on me How long are you going to keep confusing me and adding to my troubles You whose lose is in my imagination and my soul and my blood (hear that? this is like a love letter to you) he said this with a Lebanese accent (I don't understand what you're saying) (You don't u...

This is part of our Syrian Debke Podcast A modern take on an old Syrian folk song. For more see the Sabah Fakhri version Bassam Bitar - Under Her Howdah Under her howdah While we fought Swords were drawn Oh woe is me Oh woe is me They took my love and went north They went afar, went afar How can I fly when I have no wings بسام بيطار - تحت هودجها(يا ويل حالي) تحت هودجها وتعالجنا صار سحب سيوف ياويل حالي ياويل .... ياويل حالي أخذو حبي وراحو شمالي راحوا لبعيد .... لبعيد راحوا كيف بدي أطير وجناح مالي ياويلي ... ياويل حالي

Updated media and lyrics Video features her as a spectre. Assala Nasri - When Our Eyes Met When our eyes met They began to speak to each other I told you a million I love yous I said it without speaking Ah I didn't say anything And you heard everything Ah I didn't say anything And you heard everything Since that day, I haven't been able to fall asleep My eyes, my eyes conveyed my meaning Of my love and my affection My tongue just couldn't find the words All of it in a moment of passion My tongue just couldn't find the words All of it in a moment of passion When our eyes met They began to speak to each other I told you a million I love yous I said it without speaking Ah I didn't say anything And you heard everything Ah I didn't say anything And you heard everything Tell me why I should call you with my voice When you can hear me in my silents Tell me why I should call you with my voice When you can hear me in my silents The words show in my eyes They speak ...

To read more about Asmahan, see her bio here Asmahan - I've Come Back to You Translation coming soon أسمهان - رجعت لك

To read more about Asmahan, see her bio here Asmahan Translation coming soon أسمهان - يا ديرتي Arabic Lyrics

Asmahan's brother Farid al-Atrache participated in the composition of this piece. A love song set in Vienna, which is envisioned as paradise, something hard to imagine given that the song was recorded in 1944, the same year that the Allies reached Vienna and began bombing at the end of World War II. Cairo isn't paradise, but it's not that bad, is it? To read more about Asmahan, see her bio here Asmahan - Nights of Merriment Nights of merriment in Vienna Her breeze is from the airs of paradise A melody so fair ringing in the air Upon hearing it the birds weep and sing along And amidst the clinking of glasses and the ring of the melody You sway in time like branches in the breeze Achieve happiness for your soul Let your heart rejoice Your loved ones are all around you It is nothing short of paradise Enjoy your youth here in Vienna For Vienna is a garden of Eden A moment of bliss If you can have it, you forget the whole universe in it What will remain of this happiness other t...