In 1995 he received his Masters Degree for his thesis: "The Egyptian Song in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century". Not satisfied with just a master degree, Ehab worked toward his Doctorate in Music and Arabic singing, completed in April 2002. The doctorate was entitled "The Methods of Performing Arabic Singing in Egypt during the second half of the last century".
He is seen as one of the top singers in the Arab world, especially revered in his hometown. Arguably, his greatest exposure as an artist came on February 26, 2001, when he performed for 50,000 people at a benefit concert to raise funds for Iraqis who were maimed during the Gulf War in Baghdad.
Critics say the successes of Ehab albums year after year can be attributed to his warm voice, good lyrics, and ability to find talented composers.
In 2006, Ehab denied rumors that he had an affair with the model that appears with him in the video "Alath Kilmit Hub" ("The Sweetest Love Word"). He said that she lives in Germany and came to Egypt solely to work as a model. She was born to an Egyptian father and a German mother, he added.
Adda Alayia
Ehab Tawfik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
و إني مبقتش عارف أكتب سطر و انتى بعيدة
واصل قبل مانتى تصحى بساعة و تقريباً
تحت الشباك و ماسك ورد و بكتب القصيدة
خليتى الرحلة مش طويلة! الرحلة مش بطيئة!
نسخة من عالمنا غير موازية للحقيقة
كل حاجة حلوة علشان علاقتنا لسه جديدة
فى الغالب المفروض يهمك كذا عن ايه؟ مش مين!
كذا بيمسّك انت فى ص ، شاغل بالك ليه بالـ س
مرضاش أجارى الجارى بإنى أكون فنان تجارى
مين اللى عاجز يبقى التانى صبحى ولا عبد الباقى ؟
تمدد الإنتماء بعشوائية عيب مش ميزة
تخيل عالم يجمع بين بنى آدم و بنى عيسى
صاحبك مش جوكريان مش هيقدر اللى بقوله
لو كان فى أمل منه كنت هقولك فهمهوله
مستحيل الواقع أصبح مستحيلين بكدبك
قابلينى فى المشمش لما تشوفى حلمة ودنك
ضعيف و الضعف مُر ، كلامى فى بُِعدك كله كُره
بفضى لمقابلتنا قلبي منه فى كل لحظة تمُر .
فى المعركة اللى أنا يادوب أقدر أخرج منها سليم
قلت تهرب لية و لمين ؟ إرجع موت وسط الباقيين
الكفر بلع أراضينا ، و فى أراضى الكفر بنبقى
هربانين ، عديمى الصوت ، فبتاخد اللى تعوزه منّا
In Ehab Tawfik's song Adda Alayia (Coming onto Me), the lyrics describe the singer's intense longing and yearning for a distant lover. It begins with the singer admitting that he cannot bring himself to tell anyone else that she is his inspiration and that he is unable to write anything without her being present. The next verse speaks of how she makes the journey seem shorter and time go by faster, creating a perfect world where everything is sweet and new. The chorus tells Cinderella to be patient because in just 12 minutes, their time will come.
The third verse criticizes people who stretch their identities without meaning or purpose, dreaming of a world that unites instead of divides. The following verse switches back to the singer's voice, stating that the reality of their separation is unbearable and that even the things he says in her absence are bitter. He describes himself as weak and admits that his heart is empty without her, but he also alludes to a battle he is in, in which he needs to stay strong.
Overall, the song is a passionate plea for a distant lover to return. The lyrics are filled with longing and desire, with the singer struggling to find the words to express how much he misses her.
Line by Line Meaning
مرضيتش أقول لحد إن انتى ملهمتى الوحيدة
I couldn't tell anyone else that you are my only inspiration
و إني مبقتش عارف أكتب سطر و انتى بعيدة
And I don't know how to write a line when you are far away
واصل قبل مانتى تصحى بساعة و تقريباً
I arrive before you wake up, about an hour earlier
تحت الشباك و ماسك ورد و بكتب القصيدة
Under the window, holding a rose and writing a poem
خليتى الرحلة مش طويلة! الرحلة مش بطيئة!
You made the journey short! The journey is not slow!
نسخة من عالمنا غير موازية للحقيقة
A version of our world that is not parallel to reality
كل حاجة حلوة علشان علاقتنا لسه جديدة
Everything is sweet because our relationship is still new
صبرًا يا سندريلا الساعة ١٢ إلا دقيقة
Patience, Cinderella, it's just one minute till twelve
فى الغالب المفروض يهمك كذا عن ايه؟ مش مين!
Mostly, shouldn't this concern you regarding what, not who!
كذا بيمسّك انت فى ص ، شاغل بالك ليه بالـ س
This is how you get caught up in gossip, why bother with rumors!
مرضاش أجارى الجارى بإنى أكون فنان تجارى
I refuse to compete with others by being a commercial artist
مين اللى عاجز يبقى التانى صبحى ولا عبد الباقى ؟
Who is incapable of being the other, Sabah or Abdel Baki?
تمدد الإنتماء بعشوائية عيب مش ميزة
Expanding belonging randomly is not a virtue, it's a flaw
تخيل عالم يجمع بين بنى آدم و بنى عيسى
Imagine a world that brings together the sons of Adam and the sons of Jesus
صاحبك مش جوكريان مش هيقدر اللى بقوله
Your friend is not a jester, he cannot handle what I have to say
لو كان فى أمل منه كنت هقولك فهمهوله
If there was any hope in him, I would have explained it to you for his sake
مستحيل الواقع أصبح مستحيلين بكدبك
The reality became impossible because of your lies
قابلينى فى المشمش لما تشوفى حلمة ودنك
Meet me in the apricot orchard when you see the nipple of your finger
ضعيف و الضعف مُر ، كلامى فى بُِعدك كله كُره
Weakness is bitter, my words are all hateful in your absence
بفضى لمقابلتنا قلبي منه فى كل لحظة تمُر .
In each passing moment, my heart longs for our meeting.
فى المعركة اللى أنا يادوب أقدر أخرج منها سليم
In the battle that I am in, I can barely come out unscathed
قلت تهرب لية و لمين ؟ إرجع موت وسط الباقيين
You said to run away, why and to whom? Go back to die among the others
الكفر بلع أراضينا ، و فى أراضى الكفر بنبقى
Disbelief swallowed our land, and we remain on the land of disbelief
هربانين ، عديمى الصوت ، فبتاخد اللى تعوزه منّا
We are fugitives, voiceless, so you take what you want from us
Contributed by Lucy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.