Radio Romance
مشروع ليلى Lyrics

The song "Radio Romance" by Mashrou' Leila is a passionate and confrontational expression of the singer's desire to break free of societal expectations and live life on their own terms. The lyrics reflect the singer's physical and emotional longing for freedom and love, represented by the sensations of touch and the overwhelming power of passion. The repeated refrain of "yalli akhadtu minni, rabbi" ("you who have taken from me, oh God") expresses a sense of loss and longing for what has been taken away or denied, while the repetition of the phrase "kalima akoun 'ala jismi" ("whenever I am on my body") highlights the importance of physical experience and sensation as a means of liberation.

The second half of the song shifts into a more confrontational mode, as the singer addresses the limitations and injustices of the world they inhabit, including the societal norms that have deprived them of the love and freedom they seek. The lines "s'a'ban 'alayya ya zaman, asamah sanin alharaman, khallas hawanhum kan zaman" ("time is hard on me, I forgive years of deprivation, their oppression is over") express a sense of resilience and determination in the face of hardship and oppression, while the plea to "habibi harreni min jahli, awiddli sanini allati fatatni" ("my beloved, free me from my ignorance, make up for the years I have lost") reflects a desire for enlightenment and empowerment.

Overall, the lyrics of "Radio Romance" are a powerful expression of personal and political struggle, encapsulating the tension between societal norms and individual desires, between injustice and liberation, and between the past and the present.