In November 1995, along with Greg Ellis, Ali formed Vas, producing four albums: Sunyata (1997), Offerings (1998), In the Garden of Souls (2000), and Feast of Silence (2004).
In 2002 she released her first solo album, Portals of Grace, which saw her expand her repertoire even farther and prove her to be equally as adept in singing in 13th century French-Provençal, Galician and Ladino as she is in Arabic.
In 2005, Ali worked on a new project called Niyaz with solo artist Carmen Rizzo and Axiom of Choice member Loga Ramin Torkian. Its self-titled album, Niyaz features Ali's vocals sung in Urdu and Farsi, backed up by more electronica-style music.
In June 2006, Ali released another latest solo album, Elysium for the Brave, where she includes English singing in her repertoire.
Azam Ali collaborated with Keyavash Nourai and Shahrokh Yadegari on the album Green Memories, released in September of 2008.
In 2011, the latest album, From Night to the Edge of Day was released. It features Ali's unique take on traditional Middle Eastern songs and lullabies.
Forty One Ways
Azam Ali Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One strong will to live
World's gone all awry
Faith is the battlefield
Tender, I feel
And the wheels turn
To fortify a design of free will
Forty-one ways to die
One strong pain to feel
Strapped to a suicide
With just one more place to be
Tender, I feel
And the wheels turn
To fortify a design of free will
We test, we form, we fear, we tilt
We strive, we fall, we want, we kill
And we hail, and we doubt
And with all wasted
We heal, and we call
We atone, kneeled here
And will stray fortified
In a windfall
The lyrics of Azam Ali’s song “Forty One Ways” appear to be exploring the theme of life and death, and the importance of free will and faith in navigating the challenges of existence. The first verse presents the concept of forty-one ways to die, which could be seen as a metaphor for the infinite number of potential dangers and pitfalls in life. However, the next line immediately counters this with the idea of one strong will to live, suggesting that despite the many dangers, there is also an innate desire to survive that can be a powerful force. The world is described as “all awry,” indicating that there is chaos and disorder that must be navigated.
The second verse presents an even more direct reference to suicide, with the image of being strapped to it like a prisoner. The singer is tender and sensitive, suggesting a vulnerability and an emotional connection to the concept of death. However, the line “with just one more place to be” adds a sense of urgency, and implies that there is a crucial decision to be made. The repeated chorus emphasizes the importance of free will and the need to fortify it in order to navigate the challenges of life.
The song as a whole seems to be exploring some of the most fundamental questions of human existence, such as why we are here and what we are supposed to do. The reference to faith as a battlefield suggests that there is a struggle between belief and doubt, and that this struggle can sometimes feel like a matter of life and death. The repeated references to being tender and feeling suggest that there is a deep emotional component to this struggle, and that finding a sense of purpose and direction can be a deeply personal and subjective experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Forty-one ways to die
There are many ways for a person to die.
One strong will to live
Having a strong desire to live can be the difference between life and death.
World's gone all awry
The world has become chaotic and unpredictable.
Faith is the battlefield
One's beliefs can be contested and challenged in unexpected ways.
Tender, I feel
I am vulnerable and sensitive to what is happening around me.
And the wheels turn
Time keeps moving forward, inexorably.
To fortify a design of free will
We must strengthen our ability to choose our own path in life.
One strong pain to feel
There is often one intense pain or trauma that defines a person's life.
Strapped to a suicide
Feeling trapped and unable to find a way out of a difficult situation.
With just one more place to be
Being close to death with limited options for survival.
We test, we form, we fear, we tilt
We face challenges, adapt, and struggle with uncertainty.
We strive, we fall, we want, we kill
We have hopes and dreams that sometimes turn violent or harmful.
And we hail, and we doubt
We celebrate and question our achievements and beliefs.
And with all wasted
Despite our efforts, everything we do can seem futile.
We heal, and we call
We find ways to recover and reach out for help when needed.
We atone, kneeled here
We seek forgiveness and admit our mistakes.
And will stray fortified
We must be strong and resilient in the face of adversity.
In a windfall
In a time of sudden and unexpected change.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: AZAM ALI, TYLER BATES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Laird Culver
Nicely done video. I love Azam Ali's voice as it is so melodic in any of the languages she vocalizes to capture one's ear.
mka mix
This Persian lady has a divine voice!
Zoltan Szasz Benedek
Used to play "prince of Persia" . Hehe
just kidding
*Iranian
J B
2022 I found out about her via Spotify random playlists & I'm truly thankful 🙏
poluniaa14
Her voice is just .. Wow !
lunamorada29
This woman is a goddess. What can't she do? She's celestial!
lowrider692
thank you for this amazing music.
Bahb Woolley
Beautiful, visually and the sound, her voice is a majic carpet.
Ayla Liesma
2:34 is so gorgeous! The sound mixed with the pose!