Fouad Ghazi - You Are My First Loveفؤاد غازي - على حبك فيقتينيAla Hobak Fayye'tini

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

Omar Souleiman - A Proposalعمر سليمان - خطابةKhataba

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 during the 1990s 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 Soliman - 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

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 All the clever people left you They remain homesick and confused And this homesickness 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 for all my life

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 country so long as I live
My land and the land of my ancestors
I asked my family about the people
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

شب 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

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

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