Sunday, July 5, 2009

Julia Boutros

When she began her singing career at the age of 12, Julia could already sense the need to use her talent on behalf of others. Her first song, a French tune titled 'A Maman", was dedicated to all mothers on mother's day. It proved to be the first step in a lifelong journey of dedication: her gift to others.

By the age of 14, she had released her first album, titled ‘C’est La Vie’ (This is Life), written and composed by Elias Rahbani.
It was also around this time that the civil war in Lebanon broke out, playing a central role in Julia's life and bringing into sharp focus her desire to commit herself and her singing to humanity and civilization in the Lebanese community in particular and the world in general.

Early on, unlike other artists her age, Julia dedicated her career to a cause. This burning desire to be a voice for others led directly in 1985 to her recording “Ghabet Shams Al Haq”. Composed by Julia’s brother Ziad Boutros, who composes most of her work today, the song expresses their anger at the continued killing of the innocents: children, women, men and the elderly civilians.
"The only thing we were able to do at the time was to raise our voices and send a message to the world, and that was achieved by my first song" says Julia.

She wanted to send a message and she did so, forcefully. One week after this song was released; Julia's voice entered every house in the Arab world. Her voice had become their voice, with millions of people singing her songs. Even schools began teaching the children the real meanings of Julia's words.
After “Ghabet Shams Al Haq”, Julia would say, "I felt that I had a responsibility and that it is to speak on behalf of my people whose voice goes unheard".
Today, Julia’s fans range from children to elderly, as she became a national symbol for Nationalism, Patriotism, Resistance and even Romance.Julia received several national and international awards, including The Lebanese President's Award which was presented to Julia for her contribution, through her voice, to the Lebanese Resistance against the Israeli occupation of Lebanon, shortly after the liberation of the South in May 2000.Recently, and during the latest Lebanese - Israeli conflict, Julia Boutros was featured on Al Jazeera TV Station in a special program; she talked about the Politics in the Arab world, daring to say the least. She has today developed a fundraising project for the families of all Lebanese Martyrs who perished during the 33 day war. http://juliaboutros.net

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Saturday, July 4, 2009

Cheb Khaled - Oran, oh Oranشاب خالد - وهران وهرانWahrane, Wahrane

Updated media and translation

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

Jajouka

Bachir Attar, Master Musicians of JajoukaImage by GanMed64 via Flickr

The Master Musicians of Jajouka is a group led by Bachir Attar, from the village of Jajouka near Ksar-el-Kebir in the southern Rif Mountains of Northern Morocco. The inhabitants of this small village are from the Ahl Sherif ("the saintly") tribe. The Attar clan of Jajouka is the founding family of Jajouka and keepers of one of the world’s oldest and most unique surviving musical traditions. The music and secrets of Jajouka have been passed down through generations from father to son, by some accounts for as long as 1,300 years. The musicians of Jajouka are taught from early childhood a complex music which is unique to Jajouka, until they finally become malims or masters. They possess baraka, (good luck) or the blessing of Allah, which gives them the power to heal, and the endurance required to play some of the most intense and complex music around. The Master Musicians of Jajouka are all descendants of one family, the Attars. Attar is a Sufi watchword and a deeply mystical name meaning "perfume maker". Rest on http://www.travel-exploration.com/subpage.cfm/Musicians_Of_Jajouka

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Friday, July 3, 2009

Fairuz - I Beg You Bee Eaterفيروز - دخلك يا طير الوروارTayr al Werwar

Updated music and translation

Ok so I learned something new from this song. "Tayr al-warwaar" is a bird that in English we call a "bee eater." They don't live in America so I had no idea about them. Here's the wikipedia link. Needless to say the title sounds a bit more natural and beautiful in Arabic, especially because the word rhymes with other words in the song.



Fairuz - I Beg You Bee Eater

I beg you oh bee eater bird
You are journeying in their direction
Say hi to my loved ones for me
And tell me how they are and what happened

On the hills of the forgoteen sun
On the leaf of the yellow sycamore
We fly and soar higher little by little
While the world becomes smaller
And with the fig orchards October calls, my darling
So often with the silence of the turtle doves I hear your voice call me
My night and my fear is that some night my family will wail
Secrets tire me and secrets sadden me, my darling

فيروز - دخلك يا طير الوروار

دخلك يا طير الوروار
رحلك من صوبن مشوار
و سلملي عالحبايب
و خبرني بحالن شو صار
عاتلال الشمس المنسيي
على ورق الدلب الأصفر
نطير ونعلا شوي شوي
و تصير الدنيي تزغر
و بكروم التين ينده تشرين يا حبيبي
ياما بسكوت الأمريي بسمع صوتك يندهلي
ليليي و خوفي
ليليي يعوا شي مرا أهلي
و تتعب أسرار تحزن أسرار يا حبيبي

Nawal al-Zoghbi - All My Lifeنوال الزغبي - طول عمريToul Omry

Updated media and translation

This song was obviously made during the Latin music craze that brought us Ricky Martin. Nawal's videos tend to emulate whatever is en vogue in pop like that.



Nawal al-Zoghbi - All My Life

All my life I dream, my precious
You are the dream of my nights
From a glance I changed myself
And my heart and my soul are with you I swear to God
My life... So long as I'm with you my heart will be full of joy
And my eyes...Even if you're far will see you
I swear to God I loved you at first sight

Reassure me, be with me
You are the most beautiful story
Our love is without end
Cmon, let's forget that which has past together

نوال الزغبي - طول عمري

طول عمري بحلم ياغالي

إن انت حلم الليالي
من نظرة غيرت حالي
و قلبي و روحي معاك و الله
حياتي.. طول مانا وياك
ليلاتي.. فرح قلبي معاك
و عيني.. لو بعيد شايفاك
عشقتك والله من طلة

طمني خليك معايا
يالي انت أجمل حكاية
ده هوانا من غير نهاية
ويلا تعالا ننسى اللي فات يلا

Kazem al-Saher - It Burned my Soulكاظم الساهر - حرقت الروحHaragt al Rooh

To see the original version of this song performed by Afifa Iskender click here.



Kazem al-Saher - 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

I bid them farwell as 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 my affection as a keepsake
I've experienced every kind of affliction

كاظم الساهر - 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

Thursday, July 2, 2009

George Al Rassy - My Heart is Deadجورج الراسي - قلبي ماتAlbi Mat



George Al Rassy - My Heart is Dead

My darling, my heart is dead
And the separation has made me crazy
What is the value of this life when you are not here before my eyes
It's starting to seem like my heart is missing
You made it forget how to feel and tortured it to death

From the day you took your love away from me the world is dark
It would destroy my heart if this separation went on

I still have hope though that my heart has not been killed
My darling, my life, I want you

I've lost my passion
And the abandonment has wasted my time
My heart has also been true to you
I haven't stopped caring for you for a moment
My darling I want to see you
I want you to come back right away
Even if your conditions have become harsh
Don't lose this love

جورج الراسي - قلبي مات

يا حبيبي قلبي مات
و البعد سبّب جنوني
شو قيمة هالحياة
وانت غايب عن عيوني
أنا قلبي بحضوره
صاير متل الغياب
نسّيته شعوره
دوّبته من العذاب

من يوم هواك عنّي غاب
صارت الدّنيي سواد
يا هلاك يا عذاب
قلبي لو طال البعاد

باقي في عندي أمل
إنّو قلبي ما انقتل
يا حبيبي ... يا حياتي ... بدّي ياك

غرامي منّي ضاع
والهجر ضيّغ زماني
ما بعمره قلبي باع
لحظة ما تغيّر حناني
يا حبيبي بدّي شوفك
بدّي ترجع قوام
لو قسيت ظروفك
لا تخسر هالغرام