Fairuz was born Nouhad Haddad in Jabal al Arz, Lebanon. She began her musical career as a teenager. From chorus girl at the Lebanese radio station in the late 1940s, to critical and popular acclaim from the 1950s to today, Fairuz is acknowledged not only for her musical talent and contribution, but also as a cultural and political icon. A symbol of a people, a heritage, a quest for peace, and of humanity. During most of her career, Fairuz reflected two other great artists, Assi and Mansour Rahbani. They wrote the lyrics and composed her tunes. Today, many of her songs reflect the composing talent of Ziad Rahbani who is Fairuz's son. Her songs testify to the Rahbani musical genius, as well as to Fairuz's broad musical background. Referred to as "The Soul of Lebanon" in the 1970s, Fairuz became a pre-eminent figure, a superstar of current music in the Arab world. Together, the Rahbani family is both a school of music and a cultural phenomenon.
BAGHDAD WAL CHOUARRA
Fairuz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
يا ألف ليلة يا مكملة الأعراس يغسل وجهك القمر
بغداد هل مجد و رائعة ما كان منك إليهما سفر
أيام أنت الفتح ملعبه أنا يحط جناحه المطر
أنا جئت من لبنان من وطن إن لاعبته الريح تنكسر
صيفاً و لون الثلج حملني و أرق ما يندى به الزهر
يا من يواجدني و ينكرني حذراً و إن طريقنا الحذر
بيني و بينك ليس من عتب حييت تنكرني و تعتذر
أنا حب أهل الأرض يزرعني وتر هنا و يشيل بي وتر
عيناك يا بغداد أغنية يغنى الوجود بها و يختصر
لم يذكر الأحرار في وطن إلا و أهلوك العلى ذكروا
The lyrics to Fairuz's "Baghdad Wal Chouarra" paint a nostalgic picture of a time when Baghdad was a hub for poets and artists. The first line refers to Baghdad's association with poetry and imagery, and how the passage of time has caused the scent and beauty of the city to fade. The second line paints a picture of the city as a place of celebration, where people can wash their faces in the moonlight after a night of revelry.
The third line speaks to the city's history and its previous glory. The fourth line references how Baghdad was once a city of conquest and victory, but now rain quiets all. The next few lines refer to the singer's journey from Lebanon to Baghdad, which they describe as a place where even the snow is colorful and the most delicate of things flourish.
Line by Line Meaning
بغداد و الشعراء و الصور ذهب الزمان و ضوعه العطر
Baghdad, poets, and images - time has passed and taken its aroma with it
يا ألف ليلة يا مكملة الأعراس يغسل وجهك القمر
Oh Baghdad, a thousand nights, the completer of weddings - the moon cleanses your face
بغداد هل مجد و رائعة ما كان منك إليهما سفر
Baghdad, you are glory and splendor - no journey can compare to you
أيام أنت الفتح ملعبه أنا يحط جناحه المطر
You are the triumph, in your days rain put its wings down
أنا جئت من لبنان من وطن إن لاعبته الريح تنكسر
I came from Lebanon, a land where even the wind breaks if it plays around
صيفاً و لون الثلج حملني و أرق ما يندى به الزهر
In summer, and with the color of snow, I was carried with the delicacy that dew drops on flowers
يا من يواجدني و ينكرني حذراً و إن طريقنا الحذر
Oh you who deny and recognize me, beware even if our paths are cautious
بيني و بينك ليس من عتب حييت تنكرني و تعتذر
There is no grudge between us, even though you deny me and apologize
أنا لوعة الشعراء غربتهم و شجي ما نظموا و ما نثروا
I am the longing of poets, their exile and their melancholy that they didn't just write, but scattered
أنا حب أهل الأرض يزرعني وتر هنا و يشيل بي وتر
I am the love of the people of the earth, who plant me like a string and carry me like a tune
عيناك يا بغداد أغنية يغنى الوجود بها و يختصر
Your eyes, oh Baghdad, are a song that everything sings and summarizes
لم يذكر الأحرار في وطن إلا و أهلوك العلى ذكروا
The free did not mention their country except by mentioning your greatness
Contributed by Gabriella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ghaith Alkhazraji
Baghdad, and poets and images of the golden age esteemed in fragrence
Oh thousand nights, and wedding ceremonies, the moon cleanses your face
Baghdad, you journey towards glory and excellence
In the days you were a conqueror, and the rain fell upon the wing of your courtyards
I came from Lebanon, from a troubled country where the wind is broken
The snow carried me into watchful summer, which dries the dew from the flowers
You who have found me yet denounce me, be careful, for our path is cautionary
There’s no blame between us if you don’t deny me and make excuses
I am the anguish of poets and their estrangement, for they never heard melodies nor reaped their rewards
I am the love of the people of the world, fortified (literally ”planted”) by a chord (of a lute) that resounds within me
(I think in those previous two lines she’s speaking as if she were Baghdad, and that’s the really poetic way of saying “I’ve had my ups and downs”)
Your eyes, oh Baghdad, are a song that sings of you but is cut short (this may mean that Baghdad was once free but then fell to the Ba’th Party’s tyranny)
The free in a country are not remembered, except for your people who are remembered by the heavens
Waad Khamo
allaahhh ..... this is what I call PURITY...... May God bless this lady eternally.. I'm 52 years old and I'll probably die, by GOD I would not witness never ever such a beautiful,pure and peaceful VOICE amongst all musicians and singers in this entire universe combined.. this is my very personal opinion.... I'd believe that millions of people around the globe will agree without a doubt what so ever .. GO FEIRUZ WE LOVE YOU LADY
Ishtar
بغداد الحبيبة للأبد لا تنسى 🌹👸🕊💌
EL Yassaâ
Beautiful. They realy don't make songs like this anymore.
Lubna Haddad
Kazem and Majida Al Roumi sings a lot of poetry (No Arabic keyboard)
Yousif A Tobiya
أنت قيثارة الحياة التي لم ولن تنسى، وجوهرة الأوطان ...
TAŞ MARKET
please translate this song to Turkish from Arabic. I love this one.
ghaith Alkhazraji
Baghdad, and poets and images of the golden age esteemed in fragrence
Oh thousand nights, and wedding ceremonies, the moon cleanses your face
Baghdad, you journey towards glory and excellence
In the days you were a conqueror, and the rain fell upon the wing of your courtyards
I came from Lebanon, from a troubled country where the wind is broken
The snow carried me into watchful summer, which dries the dew from the flowers
You who have found me yet denounce me, be careful, for our path is cautionary
There’s no blame between us if you don’t deny me and make excuses
I am the anguish of poets and their estrangement, for they never heard melodies nor reaped their rewards
I am the love of the people of the world, fortified (literally ”planted”) by a chord (of a lute) that resounds within me
(I think in those previous two lines she’s speaking as if she were Baghdad, and that’s the really poetic way of saying “I’ve had my ups and downs”)
Your eyes, oh Baghdad, are a song that sings of you but is cut short (this may mean that Baghdad was once free but then fell to the Ba’th Party’s tyranny)
The free in a country are not remembered, except for your people who are remembered by the heavens
Ayşe İrem Yücel
ghaith riyadh Thank you so much i was looking for that
ghaith Alkhazraji
you are welcome
Lubna Haddad
Ghaith, he said Turkish 😉