In The Past Few Days

Have you ever heard of the phrase "Music Globalization"?

If not...Then this is the best way to know my definition of that phrase!

The song released in Latifa's official website a week or so before the official release of the album on 12th of July 2008.

The first time I heard it It shocked me, I didn't expect to listen to anything like that ever...The song mixes genuine Arab singning teqniqe which is "Arab Tarab" (طرب عربي) - you can hear it when Latifa start singing in the beggining - with an Arab sad melody played with violin, in some parts it feels like the violin is dancing with the westurn disco beat and the electro guitar in the song, I can rephrase that to mixing two extreme unrelated music from two different worlds in a great harmony.

I can't explain that anymore, but you have to listen to it and you'll figure it out (and I would love to know what do you think).

As far as I know, the music video is going to release soon...I will add it here when it's out, maybe with English subtitles since many anonymous people requested the translations of the song (I didn't relize that people actually read my blogs!)

UPDATE: They refer to this music genre as "TekTonik" or "Tectonic", it even has it's own dance!

This is the first Arab Tektonik song, Latifa mixed it with Arab instruments.

Song name: Fil Kam Yom Illi Fato (في الكام يوم اللي فاتوا) In The Past Few Days

Album: Fil Kam Yom Illi Fato (في الكام يوم اللي فاتوا) In The Past Few Days

Year of production: 2008Song genre: Oriental, TekTonik

Tempo: Slow in some parts and fast in others (generally fast)Singer: Latifa - لطيفة - لطيفة

Lyrics by: Nader Abdullah - نادر عبدالله

Composed by: Waleed Sa'ad - وليد سعد

Arranged by: Tameem - تميمTranslated by: RADIANT GUY (ME)

In the last few days...
He had enough strength to live his life without me...Why?
I can't believe that he accepted to allow the night to fall while he is not beside me!

If he was planning for something...
Why didn't he tell me about it?!
People, When he forget all about me...My life will end instantly!

I've never thought he would push me away and live with other people...
My dear heart, with whom shall I forget my agony if he walked away; and I will always wonder my beloved one now belongs to who?

What is he doing now and where is he?
If one day he saw me with his own eyes...
That day he will feel sorry about me...
Without him, my heart is scared because it already knows the subsequence of being apart

I've never thought he would push me away and live with other people...
My dear heart, with whom shall I forget my agony if he walked away; and I will always wonder my beloved one now belongs to who?

ف الكام يوم اللى فاتوا جالة قلب يعيش حياته

من غيرى أنا بس ليه؟

معقول يرضاها ليّا يجى يوم الليل عليا

ومايبقاش جانبى فيه؟!

لو فى حاجة ناويها لية ماقالش عليها؟

لو نسينى خلاص ساعتها ياناس

هروح أنا فيها

أنا ماستنيتش منه يبعدنى عنه

ويعيش لناس تانيين

مع مين أنا هنسى تعبى لو راح ياقلبى

وهقول حبيبى لمين؟

عامل أية ودلوقتى فينه؟

لو شافنى فى يوم بعينه

يومها ما أصعب عليه

قلبى من بعده خايف

أصلة مجرب وعارف

البعد بيعمل أيه

لو فى حاجة ناويها لية ماقالش عليها؟

لو نسينى خلاص ساعتها ياناس

هروح أنا فيها

أنا ماستنيتش منه يبعدنى عنه

ويعيش لناس تانيين

مع مين أنا هنسى تعبى لو راح ياقلبى

وهقول حبيبى لمين؟

You've changed me

One of my favorite song in her 2007 album, I love the second part of this song specifically (2:43 to the end of the song).


Song name: Ghayyartini (You've changes me) غيرتني
Album: Kol Ma Neqarrab Le Ba'adh كل ما نقرب لبعض 2007
Song genre: Khaleeji
Singer: Angham - أنغام
Lyrics by: Hind Al Qadhi - هند القاضي
Composed by: Khalid Ez - خالد عز
Arranged by: Fahad - فهد
Translated by: RADIANT GUY (ME)

You've changed me...
I am not what I am anymore...
I don't believe in anybody anymore...
You've changed me...
I am afraid of everybody...
Aren't you a human being with feelings and emotions just like us?
You only know how to take but you never give back!

You've changed me...
You've made me regret dreaming that I could teach you how to treasure me...
Now I have to forget all about you because you are a weak person who can not handle my heart and love
Aren't you a human being with feelings and emotions just like us?
You only know how to take but you never give back!


غيرتني ما بقتش انا ما بقتش اصدق اي حاجه
غيرتني معقوله انا بقيت اخاف من كل حاجه
هو انت ايه مش برضه انسان زينا ممكن تحس؟
و الا انت ايه كل اللي عارفه عن الحياه تاخذ و بس!

غيرتني خليتني اندم اني كنت بجد بحلم
اعلمك تقدر اللي مابين ايديك
لازم تهون لما تكون انسان ضعيف
مش قد قلبي و حبي ليك

Distinct groups of Arab Music Genres

Once upon the time, I had a comment on one of my blogs from an American teacher requesting some Arab songs (specificlly folklore songs) for his students. I already know stuff about it but I thought to google it, I found nothing except short (mostley meaningless) comments in some forums. That's why I decided to blog some of what I know about it.

Almost all of Arab illegal music sites catogorize Arabic music into 4 or 5 distinct groups according to the singer's origin.
That could be great If you already know the singers nationalities but that would be totally meaningless If you know nothing about Arab music genres or singers.

Contemprary Arabic music could be catogorized into distinict groups according to the song's dialect or song's genre.

These names are not official but I will use them in my posts labels/tags.

Each group below consists of sub genres, I will not mention them all because I am not a music expert. I just wrote the ones below to let you know some basic information of contemporary Music in the Arab world.

Note. I will keep updating this post every now and then.

1. Grouping according to dialects

"Khaleeji" literally means "Gulfic" and it refers to music from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman .
Examples of "Khaleeji" music genres: "Samri", "Bahri", "Ekhbaiti", "Emrobi'e", "Classic"...Etc
Sometimes people includes Iraq and Yemen to "Khaleeji".

"Shami" and it refers to music from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan. Example of "Shami" music genre: "Dabkah".
Sometimes people includes Iraq to "Shami".

"Iraqi" music, Personally I consider Iraqi music a separate group because they have their own unique dialect, rhythms and music instruments.

"Sharqi" and it refers to music from Egypt.Most of other Arab genres are heavily influenced with "Sharqi" music.
Example of "Sharqi" music genre: "Maqsoom".

"Magharibi" and it refers to music from Lybia, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania. Example of "Magharibi" music genre: "Rai" or "Raï".


2. Grouping according to music genres

ARAB POP MUSIC
This kind of music started in the 1980s by many Arab singers such As Latifa, Samira Said, Amr Diab and Raghib Allamah.
It's a mix of Arab and world's instruments, rhythms and beats.
Examples:

"Ma Etrohsh Ba'ed" (Don't go away) by Latifa (لطيفة)
"Wallahi Ma Tahaddi" (I swear I am not challenging) by Asalah (أصالة)
"Laily" (My night) by Dania (دانية)
"Shofto Be Aini" (I saw him with my own eyes) by Latifa (لطيفة) a mix of Disco and Oriental rhythms.


TARAB
ARAB TARAB was popular in the 1980s and earlier, this kind of songs are rarely performed by singers these days.
Tarab songs needs singers with powerful voices to perform them, they usually arranged using Arab Instruments only.
The Tarab songs usually have a long length, more than 10 minutes...Singers uses TARAB to show off their voices, they keep repeating the exact phrases differently each times.
Currently Asalah is the only one who perform this kind of genres (she perform the others genres too).

Example of "Khaleeji Tarab" music:
"Yis'ed Sabahak" (Good morning) by Asalah (أصالة)


SLOW MUSIC
It's a great way to deliver the feelings in the lyrics no matter what kind of feelings...
Despair, Romance, Melancholy, Longing, Missing...Etc
This is not an exclusive Arab Genre, but it's sometimes they mix it with Arab Instruments and that adds the Arab touch.

Examples of slow music:

"Inta Meen?" (Who are you?) by Angham (انغام)
"Betohashni" (I miss you) by Sherine (شيرين)
"Kefak?" (How are you?) by Baha'a (بهاء)
"Akdib" (I am lying) by Diana Haddad (ديانا حداد)
"Law Bassait Qoddamak" (If you looked in front of you) by Elissa (اليسا)



ORIENTAL "SHARQI" RHYTHMS (aka BELLY DANCE)
Known in the Arab world and Turkey, using Arab/Turkish rhythms with Arab and non Arab Instruments.

Examples of Sharqi rhythms:
"Ehlifli" (He promised) by Diana Haddad (ديانا حداد) with fast tempo
"Fe Gheyabak Anni" (During your absence) by Latifa (لطيفة) with slow tempo

KHALEEJI MUSIC
Khaleeji music is a music genre which consists of sub genres,the are used in six Arab states and they are (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman).

Samri, Ekhbaiti, Emroba'a, Bahri, Classic...Etc

Example of Samri music:

"Wainik Inta?" (Where are you?) by "Thekra or Zekra or Zikra" (ذكرى)

The song

"AL GHENYWA" is a great song by Latifa, released in the year 1997 as a part two of her 1986 hit song "Akthar Min Roohi" (More than my soul).
Both songs are a mix of Arab instruments and Spanish Tango.


Download the MP3 at 128 KBPS (4shared host)
Song name: Al Ghenwa (The song)
Album: Al Ghenwa (1997)
Song Genre: Tango
Singer: Latifa
Composer: Ammar Al Sherai'ei
Lyrics by: Abdulwahab Mohammed
Translated by: Hanine Jaraiseh


The song that we use to hear when we’re together is still on my mind constantly.
It's always moves and touches me every time I hear it.
I wonder if it’s the same for you when you hear it, does it still effect u the same way?
Does it make u cry about the way we ended up? Or you will not even care?
Did you forgot all about it; did you forget all about me too?
Did you completely forget me and our song?
The song that said “ I love you more than myself, honestly I love you even more”.

Years past and life drifted us apart; look who you’re with now, and who I’m with.
But I’m still thinking of our days together, and the same song still comes on my mind constantly.
I wonder if it’s the same for you when you hear it, does it still effect u the same way?
Does it make u cry about the way we ended up? Or you will not even care?
Did you forgot all about it; did you forget all about me too?
Did you completely forget me and our song?
The song that said “ I love you more than myself, honestly I love you even more”

Are you crying about the way we ended up?
“ I love you more than myself, honestly I love you even more”

Are you crying about the way we ended up?
“ I love you more than myself, honestly I love you even more”

Are you crying about the way we ended up?
“ I love you more than myself, honestly I love you even more”

Are you crying about the way we ended up?