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.
El Hob el Kebber
George Wassouf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ومهما حتفكري، وقبل ما تقدّري
ومهما حتفكري، وقبل ما تقدّري
ومهما حتفكري، وقبل ما تقدّري
أنا حبي ليكي كبير وفوق ما تتصوري
أنا حبي ليكي كبير وفوق ما تتصوري
يا أم العيون كحلى، فيك الحياة تحلى
عمري أنا رحلة أمشيها لو تأمري، أمشيها لو تأمري
(ومهما حتفكري (تفكري) وقبل ما تقدّري (قبل ما تقدّري
ومهما حتفكري، وقبل ما تقدّري
أنا حبي ليكي كبير وفوق ما تتصوري
وفوق ما تتصوري
وملكت بيك الكون ولأني بيك أكون
(سلمت لك أمري (سلمت لك أمري
أما اللي ضاع قبلك من قبل ما أقابلك
(مش بحسبه بعمري (مش بحسبه في عمري
وملكت بيك الكون ولأني بيك أكون
(سلمت لك أمري (سلمت لك أمري
أما اللي ضاع قبلك من قبل ما أقابلك
(مش بحسبه في عمري (مش بحسبه في عمري
من حبك المبتدى، عمري بلقاك ابتدى
من حبك المبتدى، عمري بلقاك ابتدى
يا أم العيون كحلى، فيك الحياة تحلى
يا أم العيون كحلى فيك الحياة تحلى
عمري أنا رحلة أمشيها لو تأمري، آه لو تأمري
(ومهما حتفكري وقبل ما تقدّري (تقدّري
ومهما حتفكري (ومهما حتفكري) وقبل ما تقدّري
أنا حبي ليكي كبير وفوق ما تتصوري
وفوق ما تتصوري
لو كان هواك قدر أنا اللي قلبي قدر
(يوهب له أيامي (يوهب له أيامي
صاين أنا وعدك وعيوني بتواعدك
(بسكوتي وكلامي (بسكوتي وكلامي
لو كان هواك قدر أنا اللي قلبي قدر
(يوهب له أيامي (يوهب له أيامي
صاين أنا وعدك وعيوني بتواعدك
(بسكوتي وكلامي (بسكوتي وكلامي
وعشقت بيك الروح وحنان يرد الروح
وعشقت بيك الروح وحنان يرد الروح
يا أم العيون كحلى، فيك الحياة تحلى
يا أم العيون كحلى (آه، آه) فيك الحياة تحلى
عمري أنا رحلة أمشيها لو تأمري، أمشيها لو تأمري
(ومهما حتفكري وقبل ما تقدّري (قبل ما تقدّري
ومهما حتفكري (مهما) وقبل ما تقدّري
أنا حبي ليكي كبير وفوق ما تتصوري
فوق ما تتصوري
The lyrics to George Wassouf's song El Hob El Awalanee express the deep and unconditional love that the singer has for the person he is addressing. He repeats the phrase "and before you realize it" several times, emphasizing that his love is beyond what anyone can comprehend. He proclaims that his love is the beginning of his journey, emphasizing that it is the center of his being. He compares his love to an adornment that enhances one's life, stating that just like kohl enhances the beauty of the eyes, his love for this person enhances his life. He also declares that he has given his life to this person and that he has conquered the world for them, emphasizing the extent of his love.
The song continues with the singer making a promise to his beloved and vowing to fulfill it. He compares his love to the beginning of their lives together, declaring that he has loved them from the very start. He ends the song by saying that he has fallen in love with their soul and that his love for them is an affection that responds to the soul. Overall, the song is a touching expression of love that is not bound by time or space.
Line by Line Meaning
ومهما حتفكري، وقبل ما تقدّري
No matter how much you think, and before you assess things
أنا حبي ليكي كبير وفوق ما تتصوري
My love for you is immense and beyond imagination
يا أم العيون كحلى، فيك الحياة تحلى
O mother of the beautiful eyes, life is sweeter with you
عمري أنا رحلة أمشيها لو تأمري، أمشيها لو تأمري
My life is a journey I walk if you command me to do so
(ومهما حتفكري (تفكري) وقبل ما تقدّري (قبل ما تقدّري
And no matter how much you reflect and before you evaluate
وفوق ما تتصوري
Beyond what you can ever imagine
وملكت بيك الكون ولأني بيك أكون
I possess the world with you, and because of you I am
(سلمت لك أمري (سلمت لك أمري
I surrender my will to you
أما اللي ضاع قبلك من قبل ما أقابلك
What was lost before you, before I met you
(مش بحسبه في عمري (مش بحسبه في عمري
Does not count in my life
من حبك المبتدى، عمري بلقاك ابتدى
From the beginning of your love, my life began to meet you
يا أم العيون كحلى فيك الحياة تحلى
O mother of the beautiful eyes, life is sweeter with you
عمري أنا رحلة أمشيها لو تأمري، آه لو تأمري
My life is a journey I walk if you command me to do so, oh command me
(ومهما حتفكري وقبل ما تقدّري (تقدّري
And no matter how much you think and before you evaluate
ومهما حتفكري (ومهما حتفكري) وقبل ما تقدّري
No matter how hard you think and before you estimate
لو كان هواك قدر أنا اللي قلبي قدر
If your love is destined, then it’s my heart that fated it
(يوهب له أيامي (يوهب له أيامي
I offer him my days
صاين أنا وعدك وعيوني بتواعدك
I keep your promise and my eyes are committed to you
(بسكوتي وكلامي (بسكوتي وكلامي
With my silence and my words
وعشقت بيك الروح وحنان يرد الروح
And with you, my soul fell in love, and your tenderness brings back life
يا أم العيون كحلى (آه، آه) فيك الحياة تحلى
O mother of the beautiful eyes, life is sweeter with you
(ومهما حتفكري وقبل ما تقدّري (قبل ما تقدّري
And no matter how much you think and before you evaluate
ومهما حتفكري (مهما) وقبل ما تقدّري
No matter how much you reflect and before you assess
فوق ما تتصوري
Beyond what you can ever imagine
Lyrics © Rotana Publishing s.a.r.l.
Written by: Abdalah Rowaished
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.