George Wassouf started singing very young at the age of 10 years old in his hometown Kafroun that consequent to Mashta Al Helou in Tartous, Syria on different occasions such as marriages, parties, hotels, etc. Shortly thereafter he moved to Lebanon where he started singing and his popularity grew. It was at the age of 16 years old when he became known as "Sultan El-Tarab" as called by the famous international Actor Omar Sharif, Arabic for "The Sultan of Singing", with his classic song "el-Hawa Sultan".
People at that time thought of him as being the only one who could provide tarab with his magical and crystal voice that was very sharp and high-pitched when he was young and matured into the deep, commanding voice that he is now known for. A few of his first songs include "Hawa Sultan", "Rohi ya Nesmah", "Helif el-Amar", "Law Naweit" are the ones that really brought him up to fame.
The family name "Wassouf" is first of all the name of a statue God that was worshipped in the middle ages (around 1500 b.c.). Wassouf's magical voice was discovered by his first manager and producer "George Al-Khouri". This happened when Wassouf was 12 years old - he was singing at a wedding party. George Wassouf also got married very young at the age of 21 to Shalimar, who is originally from Sierra Leone. They have three children: Wadee', Hatem, and George Jr. His oldest son's name is Wadee', which is why he is known as Abu Wadee'.
George Wassouf has produced more than 30 albums and has performed concerts all around the world. Started from the famous Lebanese show which fired the fame of many Lebanese singers "Studio El Fan" 1980 when he was only 16 years old, surprisingly he was called at this time "Sultan of Tarab". The Song "Hilef il Amar" made a massive hit in the Arab world, although Wassouf was quite young at that time. However Wassouf was able to rise to the rank of "king" of Arab Tarab. Many Singers are jealous of wassouf , and that's why they try to copy his unique style and performance. Some of the younger singers who attempt to copy his style are George al-Rassi and Wael Jassar. Wassouf is one of the few singers that were able to attract millions of fans in a short period of time. In addition, Wassouf is not only famous in the Arab World but is also known in Europe and the States as one of the Best Arabian Singers.
According to his life and his fame he should have been called also "The King of Rumors" as he lived a life that was filled with rumors about his love life, his health and so on that it was told once earlier in 2001 that he died of an overdose.
He doesn't like to shoot his songs into video clips although he had some successful hits in the early 1990s, he used to say about this: "I don't feel I can act ... I really can't... I only find myself when I'm on the stage ... singing, but the video clip forces me to act".
On June 2002 , Sultan Al Tarab Released his new album "Salaf Wi Dein", which made a huge success in both the Arab world and abroad.
Al Janob "Mawal"
George Wassouf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
يابا يابا يابا يابا
يابا يابا يابا يابا يابا
يابا يابا يابا يابا
يابا يابا يابا يابا
يابا يابا يابا يابا
اوووووف يا باي
حبيبي حبييييبي
قبل ظهوره يحسبوا المواعييييييييد
زي القمر يبعتوله من بعييييد بعييييييد
زي القمر بس جماله كل يوووم يزدااااد
وكل ما يهل هلاااله تنعاد الاعياااااد
الليلة عيد
الليلة
عالدنيا سعيد
الليلة
الليلة الليلة الليلة عيد
عالدنيا سعيد
الليلة
الليلة عيد
الليلة
بوجودكم عييد
الليلة
الليلة الليلة الليلة الليلة
والليلة عيد
الليلة
يا حبايب عييد
الليلة
واللييييييييلة عييد
عالدنيا سعيد
والليلة عييد
عالدنيا سعييد
الليلة عيد
عالدنيا سعيد
عز وتمجييد
وانت حبيييييبي
شكراً
The lyrics to George Wassouf's song Al Janob "Mawal" speak of a lover who is being likened to the moon in terms of beauty and significance. The chorus repeats the phrase "yaba yaba" which can be interpreted as an expression of admiration, awe or surprise. The singer describes his lover as being like the moon because people wait for its appearance and plan their schedules accordingly. Similarly, the lover's beauty increases every day and his arrival is celebrated like a holiday. The singer declares that tonight is a celebration, and that the world is happy because of the lover’s presence.
The song is full of emotion and passion, and the lyrics showcase the depth of the singer's devotion to his lover. He expresses his love in a way that is both poetic and deeply felt. The phrase "yaba yaba" could be seen as a way to emphasize the wonder and joy he feels in his lover's presence. In addition to the moon metaphor, the song also features a repetition of the phrase "عالدنيا سعيد" which means "the world is happy" and suggests that the lover's presence makes everything better.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are a celebration of love and beauty, and emphasize the power of a lover's presence to transform the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
يابا يابا يابا يابا
Expression of joy and excitement
يابا يابا يابا يابا يابا
Further emphasis on the joyful feeling
يابا يابا يابا يابا
Continued expression of joy
يابا يابا يابا يابا
Repeating the same joyful expression
يابا يابا يابا يابا
Continuing the repetitive joyful expression
اوووووف يا باي
Expression of affection towards someone
حبيبي حبييييبي
Addressing a loved one with affection
زي القمر
Comparing someone's beauty to the moon
قبل ظهوره يحسبوا المواعييييييييد
Anticipation of someone's appearance and celebration of it
زي القمر يبعتوله من بعييييد بعييييييد
People express their admiration from afar, like the moon
زي القمر بس جماله كل يوووم يزدااااد
The moon's beauty increases every night, just like the subject's beauty
وكل ما يهل هلاااله تنعاد الاعياااااد
Every time the subject appears, it's like the start of a new holiday
الليلة عيد
Tonight is a celebration
الليلة
Emphasizing the current moment and celebration
عالدنيا سعيد
Expressing general happiness and contentment with life
الليلة الليلة الليلة عيد
Repetition and emphasis on the celebration tonight
عالدنيا سعيد
Further expression of happiness and contentment in life
الليلة عيد
Reiteration of tonight's celebration
الليلة
Emphasis on the current moment and celebration
بوجودكم عييد
Acknowledgment of the presence of others in making the moment special
والليلة عيد
Reiteration of tonight's celebration
يا حبايب عييد
Addressing loved ones and acknowledging their role in making the moment special
والييييييييلة عييد
Further emphasis on tonight's celebration
عالدنيا سعيد
Continued expression of general happiness and contentment in life
والليلة عييد
Reiteration of tonight's celebration
عالدنيا سعييد
Continued expression of general happiness and contentment in life
الليلة عيد
Reiteration of tonight's celebration
عالدنيا سعيد
Continued expression of general happiness and contentment in life
عز وتمجييد
Pride and celebration of achievements
وانت حبيييييبي
Addressing a loved one with affection
شكراً
Expressing gratitude
Writer(s): Lebanese Folklore
Contributed by Eliana C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hoda
on Garahouna
Besides the explanation given above to which i'm not so inclined, this is obviously a love song, meaning that a loving person sings to his careless, unkind lover. The first line says so: the lover hurt the poet with her eyelashes. This is a common metaphor in persian/arab poetry. It simultanously appreciates the beautiful lashes of lover and complains how this beauty along with unkindness hurts him deeply.
As you see, this implication is basically related to the literary context and culture.