Amel Mathlouthi - My Word is Freeأمال مثلوثي - كلمتي حرةKelmti Horra

The lyrics here are for a more complete version than that found in this performance. This song predates the recent events in Tunisia and Egypt but has gained particular resonance in light of what has transpired.



Emel Mathluthi - My Word is Free

I am those who are free and never fear
I am the secrets that will never die
I am the voice of those who would not give in
I am the meaning amid the chaos

I am the right of the oppressed
That is sold by these dogs (people who are dogs)
Who rob the people of their daily bread
And slam the door in the face of ideas

I am those who are free and never fear
I am the secrets that will never die
I am the voice those who would not give in
I am free and my word is free
I am free and my word is free
Don't forget the price of bread
And don't forget the cause of our misery
And don't forget who betrayed us in our time of need

I am those who are free and never fear
I am the secrets that will never die
I am the voice those who would not give in
I am the secret of the red rose
Whose color the years loved
Whose scent the rivers buried
And who sprouted as fire
Calling those who are free

I am a star shining in the darkness
I am a thorn in the throat of the oppressor
I am a wind touched by fire
I am the soul of those who are not forgotten
I am the voice of those who have not died

Let's make clay out of steel
And build with it a new love
That becomes birds
That becomes a country/home
That becomes wind and rain

I am all the free people of the world put together
I am like a bullet
I am all the free people of the world put together
I am like a bullet

أمال مثلوثي - كلمتي حرة

انا احرار ما يخافوش
انا اسرار ما يموتوش
انا صوت إل ما رضخوش
انا في وسط الفوضى معنى
انا حق المظلومين
يبيعو فيه ال ناس كلاب
الي تنهب في قمح الدار
و تسكر في البيبان
قدام وهج الأفكار

انا احرار ما يخافوش
انا اسرار ما يموتوش
انا صوت إل ما رضخوش
انا حر و كلمتي حرة
انا حر و كلمتي حرة
ما تنساش حق الخبزة
و ما تنساش زارع الغصة
و ما تنساش خاين الويل ......

انا احرار ما يخافوش
انا اسرار ما يموتوش
انا صوت إل ما رضخوش
انا سر الوردة الحمراء
الي عشقو حمرتها سنين
الي دفنو ريحتها نهار
و خرجت بلحافها النار
تنادي عالأحرار

انا وسط الظلمة نجمة
انا في حلق الظالم شوكة
انا ريح لسعتها النار
انا روح إل ما نسيوش
انا صوت إل ما ماتوش
نصنع مالحديد صلصال
و نبني بيه عشقة جديدة
تولي أطيار
و تولي ديار
و تولي نسمة و امطار

انا احرار الدنيا واحد
انا واحد من كرتوش
انا احرار الدنيا واحد
انا واحد من كرتوش

Fairuz - New Year's Eveفيروز - عيد الدنيEid al Dunnye

This song is composed to the tune of "O Christmas Tree"



Fairouz - New Year's Eve

It's New Year's Eve and my house is full of gifts and decorations
There's candles and bells ringing in the distance
And red-colored flowers and wine
New Year's Eve, staying up late with my beloved

It's New Year's Eve
Just you, me and a little tree covered in lights
There's a yellow lantern and snow on my doorstep
And the stars are shining like the snow
And under the rain/winter a new year is coming
Who knows what it has in store?

A year has gone and another has arrived
It's white and new
May it draw smiles on the faces of the children
And may it give the people a new life
And as a year falls asleep and another awakens
May you remain my beloved

فيروز - عيد الدنيا

عيد الدني راس السني بيتي هدايا و زيني
في شموع و جراس تدق بعيد و زهور لونا أحمر و نبيد
عيد الدني راس السني سهرا أنا و حبيبي
راس السني أنتا و أنا و سجرة زغيري مضوايي
قنديل أصفر على بابي و تلج و نجوم عم تلمع متل التلج
و تحت الشتي جايي سني ما منعرف شو مخبايي
راحت سني طلت سني لونا أبيض و جديدي
الولاد ترسم عوجوهن عيد و الناس تعطيهن عمر جديد
و تغفى سني و توعى سني و أنتا تبقى حبيبي

Fairuz - Christmas Eve (Jingle Bells)فيروز - ليلة عيدLaylat Eid

This is a Christmas song from Lebanon by Fairuz sung to the tune of jingle bells. A lot of the imagery does not translate well (much like the imagery in the song jingle bells when you think about it) but I've tried to render the meaning here in English as best I can, though I think if you really want to get the sense the song is conveying you could probably just listen to jingle bells in English.



Fairouz - Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, tonight is Christmas Eve
Decorations and people gathered
The sound of bells ringing in the distance

Friends finding presents behind the door
There's a tree in house with the children running around it
The tree is all dressed up for Christmas (literally, it's become like a holiday or part of the holiday) and there is bracelet on (my) hand (because it is a holiday, this line doesn't translate easily, but it is just giving some Christmas imagery)
And I'm hanging songs and bunches of grapes on the tree

Oh you nativities shining like sapphires
How did you bring such snow, ribbons and moons to our home?
Who's that coming from afar, giving out presents
Knocking on the door and leaving, spreading joy to all? (i.e. it's Father Christmas/St. Nick/Santa Claus etc.)

فيروز - ليلة عيد

ليلة عيد ليلة عيد الليلي ليلة عيد
زينة وناس صوت اجراس عم بترن بعيد
ليلة عيد ليلة عيد الليلي ليلة عيد
صوت اولاد تياب جداد وبكره بحُب جديد

عم يتلاقوا الاصحاب لهدية خلف الباب
في شجرة بالدار ويدوروا اولاد صغار
والشجرة صارت عيد والعيد اسوارة بأيد
والإيد تعلق عالشجرة غنية وعناقيد

يامغارة كلها بيوت تلمع مثل الياقوت
كيف جيتي عالدار ثلج شرايط واقمار
مين اللي جاي بعيد عم بيرش مواعيد
يدق بواب الناس ويمشي والخير علينا يزيد

Abdel Halim Hafez - Wandererعبد الحليم حافظ - سواحSawwah

I've seen "sawwah" translated as "vagabond," but I'm gonna use wanderer because vagabond has negative connotations that I don't think are intended. The word is inteded to convey the idea of someone who wanders or roams around, which a vagabond does, but vagabonds have a reputation for being beggars or thieves or having other negative attributes. This is one of Abdel Halim's classics. Shame on all of you who found this song for by searching for Ishtar's cover of this song called "Habibi Sawwah"

Abdel Halim Hafez - Wanderer A wanderer Walking in the countryside And the distance (literally step) between my and my beloved is vast In a faraway land where I am a stranger The night approaches as the day leaves

And if you find my love say hi to her for me
Reassure me about how she is doing so far away from me (here Abdel Halim's beloved is is "esmer," a word used to express the dark skin tone of people who are between white and black. The image of the attractive dark-skinned man/girl is a common trope in Arab poetry and song. perhaps something along the lines of "mr. tall, dark and handsome" in English)

A wanderer walking in the nights
Not knowing what I'm doing
What has this separation from my love done to me?

For years I've been melting with desire and longing
I just wanna know where is the way to her

My eyes, ah, my eyes (i.e. his beloved)
Where are you, what's happened to you and what are you doing?
My worries, ah my worries
Get away from me, I don't need this
I'm confused about her as it is
And I can't rest
I'm lost, a wanderer

Oh moon, oh you who forgets me
Take me to the one who is absent
Give me light and show me the trail of my darling
I've enjoined you with my last will and you are my witness
Tell her what's going on with me and what I've suffered in the nights

عبد الحليم حافظ - سواح

سواح وماشي في البلاد سواح
والخطوة بيني وبين حبيبي براح
مشوار بعيد وأنا فيه غريب
والليل يقرب والنهار رواح

وان لقاكم حبيبي سلموا لي عليه
طمنوني الأسمراني عامله إيه الغربة فيه

سواح وأنا ماشي ليالي سواح
ولا داري بحالي سواح
من الفرقة يا غالي سواح
إيه اللي جرى لي سواح

وسنين وأنا دايب شوق وحنين
عايز أعرف بس طريقه منين

يا عيوني..آه يا عيوني
إيه جرى لك فين إنت وبتعمل إيه
يا ظنوني..آه يا ظنوني
ما تسيبوني مش ناقص أنا حيرة عليه
لا أنا عارف أرتاح
وأنا تايه سواح

يا قمر يا ناسيني رسيني عاللي غايب
نور لي .. وريني سكة الحبايب
وصيتك وصية يا شاهد عليا
تحكي له عاللي بيه واللي قاسيته في لياليا

Ragheb Alama - If Only I Could Hold Herراغب علامة - ياريت فيي خبيهاYa Reet Riya Khabiha

Ragheb Alama - If Only I Could Hold Her If only I could hold her (or hide or keep) and not let anyone talk to her I'd water her with my tears and present her my heart in my hands And I'd take years off my lifetime and give them to her

If only she knew how much I love her and how much I'm suffering in my love for her
My heart, go bring me her heart
I'm gonna melt just thinking about her
I'd take years off my lifetime and give them to her

If only she knew how I pray for her to appear before me just once
This problem needs a solution (or lit. this knot needs to be untied, 3aqde is a problem, psychological complex or knot)
I've gotta go talk about it

راغب علامه - يا ريت فيي خبيها

ياريت فيي خبيها وما خلي حدى يحاكيها
بسقيها دموع عيني وقدم لها قلبي بايديه
وباخد من عمري وبعطيها بعطيها بعطيها

ياريت بتعرف شو بحبها وشو عم اتعدب بحبها
ياقلبي روح جبلي قلبها راح دوب وانا فكر فيها
وباخد من عمري وبعطيها بعطيها بعطيها

ياريت بتعرف شو بصلي لطل قبالي شي طلي
ها العقدة صار بدها حلة وصار لازم روح احكي فيها
وباخد من عمري وبعطيها بعطيها بعطيها

Najwa Karam - Lemme See You at Nightنجوى كرم - خليني شوفك بالليلKhalini Shoufak Billeil

This translation is submitted by Cole

Najwa Karam - Lemme See You at Night Let me see you at night The night after sunset It’s no shame to meet up at night The night hides vices.

And if my uncles formed two lines
And my family gathered on both sides
With you, oh light of the eye
I won’t be shy, oh my love

Let me see you at night
The night after sunset
It’s no shame to meet up at night
The night hides vices.

Let me see your eyes
Which are purer than the water of a spring
Let me kiss your cheeks
Oh my love

Let me see you at night
The night after sunset
It’s no shame to meet up at night
The night hides vices.

I want and I wanted to hold you
I am lost in your charm
Let me smell you just once
And afterward faint.

Let me see you at night
The night after sunset
It’s no shame to meet up at night
The night hides vices.

نجوى كرم - خليني شوفك بالليل

خليني شوفك باليل . . . الليلي بعد الغروب
مش عيب الملقى باليل . . . الليل بيستور العيوب
ولو صفو عمامي صفين . . و ربعي التمو عالميلين
عن دربك يا نور العين, ما بحييد يا محبوبي
خليني شوف العينين .. اللي اصفا من المي عا العين
خليني بوس الخديين... دخيلك يا محبوبيييييييييييي
خليني شوفك باليل . . . الليلي بعد الغروب
مش عيب الملقى باليل . . . الليل بيستور العيوب


و بدي و كان بدي ضمك.. انا مغرومة بخفة دمك
خليني مرة شمك... و بعدا روح بغيبوبـــــــــــــي

خليني شوفك باليل . . . الليلي بعد الغروب
مش عيب الملقى باليل . . . الليل بيستور العيوب

خليني شوفك باليل . . . الليلي بعد الغروب
مش عيب الملقى باليل . . . الليل بيستور العيوب

ولو صفو عمامي صفين . . و ربعي التمو عالميلين
عن دربك يا نور العين, ما بحييد يا محبوبي

Lyrics transcription from here

Fadel Shaker - Still On My Mindفضل شاكر - بعدا عالبالBaada Aal Bal

Fadel Shaker - Still On My Mind The days come and go, only to be scattered as my dreams come to an end And you're still in my heart You're still on my mind My love for you is yours and yours alone You mean more to me than myself

They're still on my mind, those days when we were together
My dreams, my dreams are bitter without you

Oh love inside my soul
I'll be wherever you go
I'd see you and get a glimpse of you but my heart is wounded
This heart of mine, how it warmed you
It put you to sleep to its beat
Don't you dare hurt it my darling
Did the separation make you forget?

فضل شاكر - بعدها عالبال

بتروح الايام وبتيجى الايام عشان يتفرقوا وبتنتهى الاحلام

وانت بقلبى بعدك بعدك على بالى
حبك الك الك وحدك يا اغلى من حالى

بعدا عالبال ايامى ايامى انا وياك
احلامى احلامى مرة بلاك
بعدا عالبال ايامى ايامى انا وياك
احلامى احلامى مرة بلاك

يا حب جوه الروح عم كون وين ما تروح
بشوفك حبيبى وبلمحك بس القلب مجروح
هالقلب شو دفاك ع دقته غفاك
اوعى حبيبى تجرحه يكون البعد نساك

بعدا عالبال ايامى ايامى انا وياك
احلامى احلامى مرة بلاك
بعدا عالبال ايامى ايامى انا وياك
احلامى احلامى مرة بلاك