Basel Zayed is a virtuoso oud player and an acclaimed vocalist skilled in c… Read Full Bio ↴Basel Zayed is a virtuoso oud player and an acclaimed vocalist skilled in classical and contemporary Arabic music. He draws on deep experience with the Maqam (Arabic) music tradition to explore the beauty and universality of Middle Eastern music, especially when combined with other musical styles, such as jazz. Basel is also a trained pianist and skilled musical arranger. He has composed and arranged music for several successful artistic projects and performing groups. He also creates and records original soundtracks for movies, plays, and dance troupes.

Basel began his music career as a composer, vocalist, and professional oud artist, and has developed a reputation as successful musical leader and conductor. He has performed at many international music venues in various roles—featured artist, bandleader, conductor—in Sweden, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Lebanon, UK, US, Jordan, Egypt, and Palestine.

In addition, Basel is an experienced music educator with a background in music therapy. He holds a master’s degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at City University of London. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two children, where he works as an artist, clinician, and educator.

I See in the Heavens
Basel Zayed Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

جبينك عالٍ ونورك أعلى
نهاراً أضاء وليلاً تجلّى
جبينك عالٍ ونورك أعلى
نهاراً أضاء وليلاً تجلّى
تبسّم فإني أرى في السماء
إلى جانب الشمس للشمس ظلاً
تبسّم لعلّ البصيرة تأكل من بصري العتيق حتى تملَّ
حبيبك أعمى فما الفرق قلّي

إذا العشق زاد أو العشق قلَّ
حبيبك أعمى فما الفرق قلّي

إذا العشق زاد أو العشق قلَّ
... (end)

Overall Meaning

In "I See in the Heavens" by Basel Zayed, the singer describes seeing the face of a beloved with a luminous glow that shines brighter than the sun. The beloved's radiance shines day and night, and the singer glimpses a shadow beside the sun - this shadow symbolizing the presence of the beloved even in the brightest of places. The singer calls for the beloved to smile, hoping that through their closeness he might regain vision that he has lost due to the intensity of his experience. The singer acknowledges that his love is blind and that it makes no difference to him whether his love is increasing or decreasing, because his love for the beloved remains steadfast and unwavering. The phrase "I see in the heavens" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the divine and otherworldly nature of the singer's experience.

The lyrics of "I See in the Heavens" suggest a spiritual, transcendent experience brought about by the singer's love for their beloved. The use of celestial imagery - stars, shadows, and the sun - suggests a divine significance to the singer's relationship. The theme of blindness also adds to the sense of transcendence: the singer's experience has rendered him blind to the world, but has opened up new spiritual connections that allow him to "see in the heavens." The use of repetition and imagery make the song a powerful meditation on the nature of love and its transformative power.

Line by Line Meaning

جبينك عالٍ ونورك أعلى
Your forehead is raised up high and your light shines even higher

نهاراً أضاء وليلاً تجلّى
You shine during the day and reveal yourself at night

تبسّم فإني أرى في السماء
Smile, because I see in the heavens

إلى جانب الشمس للشمس ظلاً
Next to the sun, a shadow for the sun

تبسّم لعلّ البصيرة تأكل من بصري العتيق حتى تملَّ
Smile, maybe the sight will feast on my ancient vision until it is satisfied

حبيبك أعمى فما الفرق قلّي
Your beloved is blind, so what difference does it make, tell me?

إذا العشق زاد أو العشق قلَّ
If love increases or love decreases

Contributed by Brooklyn S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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