كان عندنا طاحون (سهر الليالي) - Kan 3endna Ta7oon, aka Sahar El Layaly (We Had a Mill, aka Staying Up All Night)

Let's go with a more famous Fairouz song this time. This one has lyrics by the Brothers Rahbani and composed by Elias Rahbani, so it has more of a modern feel to it.

شو كانت حلوه الليالي ... والهوى يبقى ناطرنا
وتيجي تلاقيني .. وياخدنا بعيد .. هدير المي والليل
كان عنا طاحون عَ نبع المي قدامه ساحات مزروعه في
وجدّي كان يطحن للحي قمح وسهريات
ويبقوا الناس بهالساحات شي معهن كياس شي عربيات
رايحين جايين وعطول الطريق تهدر غنيات
آه يا سهر الليالي ...آه يا حلو على بالي
غني آه ... غني على الطرقات
وراحت الأيام وشوي شوي
سكت الطاحون عَ كتف المي
وجدّي صار طاحون ذكريات
يطحن شمس وفي
آه يا سهر الليالي ...آه يا حلو على بالي
غني آه ... غني على الطرقات

How beautiful were these nights ... and love was waiting for us

And you come to find me ... and we drift far away ... with the water noises in the night

We had a mill by the water front, and before it were the stretched wheat fields

And my grandfather used to grind it for the neighborhood, and give them long merry nights

And the people used to crowd this open spaces with their bags and cars

Coming and going along the way, and songs never leave them

Oh, staying up all night ... Oh, beautiful and always on my mind

Sing it ... Sing it along the roads

And days went by, and one by one

The mill went silent by the water front

And my grandfather only grinds memories

Grinding the sun and wheat ...

Oh, staying up all night ... Oh, beautiful and always on my mind
Sing it ... Sing it along the roads

The song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu4eJ67WqU

This song is one of nostalgia for those good old childhood memories. It's about the grandfather who used to own a mill by the water front. He gave the people flour, and they had some cool summer night parties that the whole town attended. She's remembering those nights, full of songs, and celebrations out in nature. For some reason, be it technology or people just growing apart, these parties are no more, and now the mill only produces flour and serves as a memory of the past.
So, why do I like this song? First, listen to it. Isn't it such a great uplifting song? Second, all of us long for those childhood memories. They might not necessarily involve big neighborhood parties, but they definitely involve a lot of good times of family and friends just hanging out and having fun. Also, I like how the memories are tied to her memories of her grandfather. I lost my grandfather when I was seven, and we were very close. I didn't know quite as well as I wanted to, but we had our bond. Whenever I hear this song, I also remember our memories together. He used to take me to the park, and tell me stories. My family members tell me that we used to have very long intense and serious conversations. I don't remember what they were about, but I know that when he passed away, I felt like I lost a dear friend. On some unconscious level, my child self new that this man was important, and he left his imprint in my memories and heart. So, this song goes out for all of the good summer nights I spent with my grandfather!!

خايف اقول - Khayef A'ool (I Am Afraid to Say)

I was trying to figure out which song I should go with next, and I just decided to go with an Egyptian one. Khayef A'ool is composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab who is one of Egypt's greatest musical masterminds of this last century. Abdel Wahab performed the song himself too. I am not sure who wrote the lyrics, but they are also by someone Egyptian as they are in the Egyptian dialect, instead of Fairouz's regular native Lebanese Arabic.

خايف أقول اللي في قلبي تتقل و تعند ويايا
و لو دريت عنك حبي تفضحني عيني في هوايا 
أنا زارني طيفك في منامي قبل ما أحبك 
طمعني بالوصل و سابني و أنا مشغول بك
عايز أعتبو لكن خايف يروح يقول إني بحبك
بحبك 
مشغول بك

I am afraid to say what is in my heart because you might play hard to get and get more stubborn

And if I hid away my love from you, my eyes will embarrass me by revealing my love

Your phantom visited me in my sleep before I fell in love with you

It filled me with longing and left me with only you in my mind

I want to blame it, but I am afraid it will go and tell you that I love you

I love you

Only you on my mind

Here's an actual live performance YAY!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Yqdb5S9Ek

This is a good example of a common motif in Arabic music: the dilemma of whether to confess your love or to keep it hidden to avoid rejection/heart break. This song also adds the following twist: even if you hide your love, it will be so easily revealed because it shows on your eyes and mannerisms. This love has lasted for a while even before meeting for the first time. I know this sounds weird, but it's another common Arabic music motif. It's this feeling of meeting someone finally and realizing that this is who you were looking for all this time. It's as if you actually missed their presence in your life even before you knew they even existed.

So, why do I like this song? I just simply love the second line and the way Fairouz performs it just makes it even way better. The thing is you might be too scared to admit to your significant other that you really love them because of whatever reasons, but if you are so in love them, your actions, attitude, and mannerisms communicate your sentiment even if you don't declare "I love you!" It is definitely borderline embarrassing sometimes. It's like where can I possibly hide when every breath I take screams "I love you." The way Fairouz sings this line makes you live her embarrassment. You can feel her blushing away from her guy, and you blush with her too. The truth is being in love is that obvious. You can practice as much self restraint as you want, but your eyes will always betray you and reveal your secret. 

On a side note, I would really like to know if someone actually reads this blog. Feel free to send me a comment or something. I mean, this is meant to just be for me, but it's cool to know there's an audience.

بتتلج الدني - Btetloj El Deni (The World Is Covered in Snow)

If you are familiar with the corpus of Fairouz's work, you'll know that there are many beautiful songs about how wonderful Lebanon is. Basically, Fairouz rules at the patriotic Lebanese song genre. Here's one of my favorites:

لا تخافي سالم غفيان مش بردان
نايم ع تلة بتضل تصلي
وناطر زهر اللوز بنيسان
بقلبو الإيمان ومغطى بعلم لبنان
بتتلج الدني بتشمس الدني
ويا لبنان بحبك تتخلص الدني
بخبيك بعنيي وبقلك غنية
تلجك المحبة وشمسك الحرية
وطني يا حكاية بالعز مضواية
ليش هالقد بحبك يا غاية الغاية
بحبك يا عنيي لأنك غنية
تلجك المحبة وشمسك الحرية
بتتلج الدني بتشمس الدني
ويا لبنان بحبك تتخلص الدني
بخبيك بعنيي وبقلك غنية
تلجك المحبة وشمسك الحرية
شمسك الحرية

Don't worry, Salem is sleeping, and not cold

He's sleeping on a hill, and we should keep praying

And he's waiting for the almond flowers to bloom in April

Faith is in his heart, and he's covered with the flag of Lebanon

The world will be covered in snow, and then filled with sunlight

And Lebanon, I will love you until the world ends

I will hide you inside my eyes (protect you) and sing you this song

Your snow is love, and your sun is freedom

My homeland, your story shines with glory

Why do I love you so much, and want nothing but you?

I love you as dear as my eyes because you are my song

Your snow is love, and your sun is freedom

and the song itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxFEHjzD1ac

A little bit of background first. This song is from Fairouz's play, El Baalbakiya (aka The Return of the Soldiers). The play is just a collection of patriotic songs about some war in Baalbek and the soldiers fighting for Lebanon. Before this song starts, the soldiers have returned except one soldier, Salem, who died in battle. So that explains the first four lines. After that, the song just goes on saying that no matter what happens, they will always love their homeland, Lebanon, and it is totally worth all of the sacrifices. Why? Because everything good in this world is tied to that homeland.

This song is much needed nowadays in my life. It is getting harder and harder to feel this bond to Egypt, my homeland. With the political situation in shambles, and the country practically falling apart, it is becoming impossible to see anything good in the homeland. It sometimes feels that there are two Egypts, the mystical one in my mind that has all of the good things that Fairouz describes in Lebanon, and the real one that drove me and my family away. It is hard to reconcile my conflicting feelings towards Egypt. It really is. However, as an Egyptian saying goes, "If you don't remember your origins with good things, you will never find the good in those things to come." So, I still love Egypt, and I am proud to be an Egyptian, and I truly wish it well. I'm not sure what I can possibly do to make it better, but I will not hesitate to do it. I had good memories growing up in this godforsaken country, and I will not let anyone take these memories away from me. Egypt will persevere!

سلم لي عليه - Sallem Li 3aleih (Say Hello to Him for Me)

I apologize for taking a while to follow up my last post. I was caught up last week with finals, graduation, and yeah things happening in my life. Anyway, it took me a while to figure out which song I should go with next, and I had so many ideas, and ultimately could not choose. So, I opened my iTunes, searched for Fairouz, put songs on shuffle, and hit play. The result: this song. To start with Here's the lyrics, followed by the translation.

سلم لي عليه و قلو إني بسلم عليه
و بوسلي عينيه و قلو إني ببوس عينيه
إنتا يللي بتفهم عليه سلملي عليه سلم
قلو عيونو مش فجأة بينتسو
ضحكات عيونو ثابتين ما بينقصو
مدري شو بو و بعرف شو بو
مطبوعة بذاكرتو ما تبحثو عم تبحثو
ما تبحثو ما تبحثو ما تبحثو
هيدا حبيبي اللي إسمي بيهمسو
تعبان على سكوتو و دارسو
واضح شو بو ما تقول شو بو
أعمل حالك مش عارف ما تحرأسو بتحرأسو
ما تحرأسو ما تحرأسو ما تحرأسو
سلملي لي عليه و قلو إني بسلم عليه
بوسلي عينيه هو و مفتحهن عينيه
و بوسو بخدو طوللي عليه فهمت علي أيه و سلم
و أنا عم غني المذهب و لما بغني ردو عليه
و بعدو نفسو المذهب و لولا قدرتو زيدو عليه
و عودو تبقو عيدو الكوبلية سلملي عليه سلم 

Say hi to him for me, and tell him I said hi

Kiss his eyes for me, and tell him I kiss his eyes

You who knows him, say hi to him for me

Tell him that his eyes cannot be suddenly forgotten

The laughter in his eyes is always there and will never be less

I am not aware of what is up with him, and I know what is up with him

It is imprinted in his memory, and don't try to look it up

Don't search for it, don't search for it, don't search for it.

This is my love who whispers my name

He works for this silence and studies it.

It is obvious what is up with him, say what is up with him

You pretend that you do not know, and shy away

Don't shy away, don't shy away, don't shy away

Say hi to him for me, and tell him I say hi

Kiss his eyes for me when he has them open

Kiss his cheek, and make it a long one. Do you understand what you have to do?

I will sing the chorus and when I sing, repeat it

And then the same chorus, and if you can add some of it

And come back and repeat this last verse, and say hi to him for me.

and of course, here's the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_7gaJBwHwM

So, the song is basically about this woman who misses her man and is sending her love with a common friend who will have the chance to see him soon. She's going through this huge romantic gesture of making a song for him because she terribly misses him. She misses his laughter and deciphering his actions, which apparently no one else can understand. She knows her guy is super quiet and a major introvert and he will never go out of his way to show his emotions, but she's okay with that.

Why do I love this song? Well, I have a couple of people in my life at the moment that I want to send my hellos to and show them how much I care. They are my childhood friends in Egypt, especially my super close friend who went to hell and back with me when we were growing up. This girl understands me even without saying a word, and she is not the kind who will tell you straight away what's on her mind, so I just want to say, "I miss you!!" Another reason why I love this song is the fact that my mom used to play it a lot when I was little. She had some Fairouz album on tape that she played over and over again, and this song always stuck with me. At first, I always found the whole "kiss his eyes for me" part unhygienic, and slightly weird that you will involve a third-party in this weird request, but the song grew on me afterwards. As things stand, it now symbolizes my wish to tell those who mean a lot to me how much I miss them. So, if you even find me sending you this song, know that you are important to me, and I miss you. I truly do.

غيبي ولا تغيبي - Ghiby Wala Tghiby (Disappear and Don't Disappear)

The first song I am going to review is this one. Lyrics and music by the Rahbani Brothers.
Here are the lyrics in Arabic:

غيبي و لا تغيبي يا نجمة كفرغار
يا قمر حبيبي زهرة عباب الدار
غيبي و لا تغيبي يا جارتنا الغريبة
يا بعيدة يا قريبة يا نجمة كفرغار
نامي و لا تنامي يا زغيرة الربيع
نامي بالسلامة قبل الدني ما تضيع
نامي و لا تنامي عا مخدة السلامة
عجوانح الحمامة يا زغيرة الربيع
طلي و اندهيني بالليلة الطويلة
و تمرق عالهنا و الضنا و الساعات الجميلة

and here's the English Translation:
Disappear and don't disappear, star of Kifr Ghar
O my beloved moon, a flower on my house door
Disappear and don't disappear, my strange neighbor
You're far, you're near, star of Kfir Ghar
Sleep and don't sleep, little one of the spring
Sleep peacefully before the world gets lost
Sleep and don't sleep on this peaceful pillow
On the wings of a dove, you little one of the spring
Appear and call for me on the long nights
You will pass by, bringing joy and satisfaction and good times

and here's the song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFH7ja5obUc

So, I know that the English translation is not that great, but the whole idea of the song is this lullaby sung to a child on a starry night. It's about sleeping peacefully in the little town of Kfir Ghar, knowing that everything is beautiful and when you wake up, it'll all be the same. I'm not sure if Kfir Ghar is an actual place, but this was the opening song for Fairouz's film "Bint El Haris (The Guard's Daughter)," which was set in this Kfir Ghar.
Why do I love this song? Because the music, combined with Fairouz's voice makes it a perfect lullaby. Also, I love it because every time I listen to it at night, I remember those nights I used to stay up late in Cairo, seeing the few stars I can see and making my wishes. It reminds me of good old simpler times. It was fun when everyone else in the house was sleeping, and the streets were starting to be quite, except for the occasional car. It was only me, the stars, and the moon. They felt so close, and my childish wishes so real. Listening to this song filled me with inner peace, and when I laid my head down after my star gazing episode, the pillow always felt so fluffy like the clouds. It was almost as if all worries and concerns of this world disappeared. In away, it was as if Fairouz sung me a lullaby. I could not have chosen a better singer to serenade me to sleep.

Why?

Fairouz and I go way way back. It all started when my father was a young man who listened to her musical Petra and decided that this was what his future child would be called. Since as long as I can remember, Fairouz's music was played in our house, and I don't recall ever disliking it. Sometimes, I did not fully understand what she was singing about, but I could not help but fall in love with her artistry. In my teenage years, I started collecting her songs. I would go for hours, searching online for Fairouz songs, plays, and any live performances. I had my favorites, of course, and I would listen to them over and over again. However, it wasn't until recently that I started finding a deeper layer to each song. Ones that I dismissed before were rediscovered to be quite extraordinary. I fell in love again with those that I always loved. So, as a summer project, I decided to review as many of her performances as I can, and say what I find amazing about them. In a way, I need this project to keep the connection between Fairouz and me alive as I find that my daily life is starting to have less and less room for her. I'm doing this mostly for myself, and I definitely do not expect that many people to stumble upon this blog. Anyway, for anyone who gets here by mistake and wonders who Fairouz is, all you need to know is that she is Lebanon's most wonderful gift to music. She performed mostly in the 60s and 70s, but continues to make music today. It is simply not fair to describe her in words, so go look up a Fairouz song and enjoy some good Middle Eastern Arabic music. Yeah, that's pretty much it.