Such wonderful days were the days of our love You were coursing through my veins (literally, "you were spreading in my soul") And I was loving you madly
Your heart is hard, but my heart was in your heart
Where has the moment that brought us together gone? Where is that wonderful place? And where is that smile we shared, and the love and tenderness
You would overturn the entire universe if you were just a moment late I lost you in an instant You were worth more than the world to me/It's not worth living without you (I think دنيا ماتسوى means both of these things in English)
نوال الكويتي - أيام حبك
أيام حلوه كانت أيام حبك كنت في روحي تسري كنت بجنون أحبك
قاسي القـلب لكـن كــان قلــبي بقــلبك
ويــن مـوعــــد جمعـــنا وين ذاك المكان وضــحكــنا الي ضـــحكناه والوله والحنان
تقـلـــب الكــون كله لو تأخرت خــــــطوه ضعـت مني بثــواني والله دنـيا ما تسوى
"Barra (بره)" means "outside" and therefore "barra barra" means "get out" or "everybody out". This song is about all the problems there are in Algeria, and the reality that you have to get out of the country to escape those things, a sentiment also expressed in Cheb Khaled's "El Harba Wine?" However, you could alternatively understand the song as a message to those who are responsible for the problems.
Of course Rachid Taha like most of the biggest Rai singers has in fact fled Algeria and currently lives in France.
This is one of the most well known modern Arabic pop songs in the world. I think it was made around 1996. It made this Egyptian singer, Amr Diab the preeminent popstar of the Arabic world to this day.
The video appears to be set in a sort of Andalusian/North African village setting and the flamenco guitars and accordion add to this motif.
What difference would the word "love" make? You could satisfy me with it My heart asks about it a lot and you're keeping it from me Tell me what you're feeling and make it sweet Why are you holding it in? I wanna hear it
Tell me it again and again and sing it to me I need to hear it from you a lot
Day after day I'm getting more attached to you and I'm forced to hide it While I stay up all night thinking of you Why are you lighting my fire? This love of yours is showing in your eyes Why arey ou hiding it? Then just say it I beg you, and put my mind at ease
صوفيا مريخ - كلمة حب
كلمة حب ح تفرق ايه ترضيني بيها قلبي بيسأل عنها كتير وانت مخبيها ما اللي تحسه قوللي عليه قولها وحليها انت شايلها فقلبك ليه انا نفسي فيها قولهالي تاني تاني قولهالي وغنيهالي محتاجة اسمعها منك كتير وكتير قولهالي تاني تاني قولهالي وغنيهالي محتاجة اسمعها منك كتير وكتير يوم عن يوم بتعلق بيك وغلبت اداري وعايشة ليلاتي بقكر فيك ليه بتقد ناري حبك ده باين في عينيك على ايه بتداري طب ما تقولها الله يخليك وريحلي بالي يوم عن يوم بتعلق بيك وغلبت اداري وعايشة ليلاتي بقكر فيك ليه بتقد ناري حبك ده باين في عينيك على ايه بتداري طب ما تقولها الله يخليك وريحلي بالي قولهالي تاني تاني قولهالي وغنيهالي محتاجة اسمعها منك كتير وكتير قولهالي تاني تاني قولهالي وغنيهالي محتاجة اسمعها منك كتير وكتير
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 carrying grapes and on top of that apples Everyone is with their beloved and my beloved has gone Oh lord, may the breeze bring my lover back to me
عالروزانا عالروزانا كل الحلى فيها شو عملت الروزانا ألله يجازيها عالروزانا عالروزانا كل الهنا فيها شو عملت الروزانا الله يجازيها يا رايحين ل حلب حبي معاكم راح يا محملين العنب فوق العنب تفاح كل من حبيبه معه وأنا حبيبي راح يا ربي نسمة هوى ترد الولف ليا
In an article in al-Watan, Bandar Khalil explains the cultural significance of this event in the present day like this:
With this genuine Arabic song, many questions arise in the mind of the genuine Arab. For example, how many of our people have had all of their rosy dreams met with dark disappointment, and all their hopes were squandered on an endless range of despair, frustration and helplessness? How many of us have waited and were patient and bore all of the their pain, only to find that when our Rosanna came and dropped anchor in the harbor of their dreams, nothing came out of it... We as an Arab people that has spent its whole life waiting for numerous "Rosannas" which still have never arrived, while carrying further disappointment for our dreams, how many times must we hear this song each day?
Yet, we shouldn't take this song as perceived by every listener as a song that sums up the broken dreams of the Arab people. Nonetheless, the theme of disappointment pervades discussion of the song. One poster in another forum describes the song as perfect for expression the feeling of disappointment by some soccer team. The point is this folk song is very much a song about getting your hopes up only to find that the thing you were waiting for was a mirage.
I've supplied many different versions so everyone can find their favorite.
I love you so much, so much my darling And I love you to death Nobody but you has changed my life Nor is anyone but you ever on my mind You are so dear to my heart my darling
Your love is growing inside of me and I hope it continues to Every day I feel something new
Nobody but you has changed my life Nor is anyone but you ever on my mind I love you so much, so much my darling And I love you to death
صوفيا مريخ - بزاف
بزاف بزاف يا حبيبي بزاف بزاف نبغيك ونموت عليك انا بزاف بزاف بزاف عليك يا حبيبي بزاف بزاف نبغيك ونموت عليك انا بزاف بزاف ولا غيرك غيرلي ايامي ولا غيرك ابدا على بالي ولا غيرك غيرلي ايامي ولا غيرك ابدا على بالي غالي يا حبيبي غالي على قلبي بزاف بزاف عليك يا حبيبي بزاف بزاف نبغيك ونموت عليك انا بزاف بزاف حبك يكبر فيي واكتر كي يزيد انا كنشعر يوميي باحساس جديد حبك يكبر فيي واكتر كي يزيد انا كنشعر يوميي باحساس جديد ولا غيرك غيرلي ايامي ولا غيرك ابدا على بالي ولا غيرك غيرلي ايامي ولا غيرك ابدا على بالي غالي يا حبيبي غالي على قلبي بزاف بزاف بزاف يا حبيبي بزاف بزاف نبغيك ونموت عليك انا بزاف بزاف بزاف بزاف يا حبيبي بزاف بزاف نبغيك ونموت عليك انا بزاف بزاف بزاف بزاف يا حبيبي بزاف بزاف نبغيك ونموت عليك انا بزاف بزاف
She's addressing her lover, expressing embarassment from his question "do you love me" or something along those lines. She's saying she doesn't want to respond, and he should know that from her behavior, that is, he should be able to tell. So he should listen to her heart and see "what is written in her eye," meaning what's on her mind, in order to see the truth.
Majida el-Roumy - Listen to My Heart
Listen to my heart and see its beats You'll know my love from its rhythym
Why are you asking me and confusing me? Listen to my heart and see its beats You'll know my love Listen Listen to my heart
There is a word you want me to say to you, I know it No matter how much you try, rest assured, I'm not going to say it
Ask my heart its secrets It will not hide or conceal them
I can't tell you with my tongue that I love you I can't tell you with my tongue that I love you There is meaning in my heartbeat, it will answer you The secrets of my heart and its tune are words They are my tongue
The word you are waiting for is in my eye The word you are waiting for is in my eye Written, and you can read it Look what it is Look what it is Ask it to tell you what's up with me Possibly it loves you, possibly and what does it have to do with me
ماجدة الرومي - إسمع قلبي
إسمع قلبي وشوف دقاته تعرف حبي من نغماته إسمع قلبي وشوف دقاته تعرف حبي من نغماته ليه تسألني وتحيرني إسمع قلبي وشوف دقاته تعرف حبي... إسمع إسمع قلبي
إسمع قلبي وشوف دقاته تعرف حبي من نغماته إسمع قلبي وشوف دقاته تعرف حبي من نغماته ليه تسألني وتحيرني إسمع قلبي وشوف دقاته تعرف حبي... إسمع إسمع قلبي
في كلمة عاوزني أقولها لك أنا عرفاها مهما تحاول ريح بالك، مش قايلاها في كلمة عاوزني أقولها لك أنا عرفاها مهما تحاول ريح بالك، ، مش قايلاها إسأل قلبي عن أسراره مش بيخبي ولا بيداري إسأل قلبي عن أسراره مش بيخبي ولا بيداري
