Despite Jowan Safadi’s (b. 1973) longstanding relationship with music, Palestinian cultural circles have only recently began to recognize the artist, who just released his first solo album, Namroud (Troublemaker).
His relocation to Bir al-Sabah (Beersheba) — where he set up the alternative rock band Lenzez with anti-Zionist Israeli musicians — was enough to keep this son of Nazareth in the shadows for some time.
“I never felt like my colleagues in the band were Israelis; they were leftists, and possessed a high level of political awareness. They refused to serve in the military and abhorred the occupation establishment,” Jowan told Al-Akhbar.
He released three albums in 10 years with Lenzez, before some political parties in Israel began marketing the band as a model for “coexistence,” as a PR stunt in international art and media forums.
At the time — around the bloody Israeli invasion of Jenin — Jowan decided to step up his political songs, which gave the band an “extremist” reputation among Israelis.
“It was the beginning of an awakening that helped me re-establish reality in my head, especially with my increasing political awareness,” Jowan explained.
For this reason, he left Bir al-Sabah for Haifa, where he established a new band with Palestinian artists.
While participating in a street festival in Haifa, his performance was stopped midway through because of the songs being too “controversial, as they shed light on racism, refugee conditions, and political prisoners, and is also hard for the Jewish audience,” according to what Haifa municipal officials told him.
He released three albums in 10 years with Lenzez, before some political parties in Israel began marketing the band as a model for “coexistence.”
An investigation into the matter was opened by right-wing Knesset member Aryeh Eldad, accusing Jowan of “inciting violence and terrorism,” only to be closed two months later for lack of evidence.
Jowan chose to play the guitar because it is “strong, expressive, has multiple potentials, and is the most suitable for the type of singing and music I offer,” he said.
He didn’t pick western music on purpose. “It was only a step I took without thinking,” he remarked.
Namroud rebels against reality and ready-made molds.
The idea for the album began with a sentence Jowan wrote on his Facebook page, “I think, therefore I rebel.”
He began by writing songs on “normal” daily life and social issues, describing love, country, religion, faith, sex, joy, and pain, approaching the issues with satire.
Many concerns surround the daring young musician, “but I will not allow them to impede my journey and prevent me from saying what I believe,” he insisted.
Sometimes, he feels “like he’s yelling ‘the king has no clothes on,’ expecting a slap from the entourage.”
Jowan Safadi has received many threats and frequent insults, but maintains that he will continue his journey, breaking all barriers and taboos.
البوليس مش بوليسنا
Jowan Safadi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
لمين بدك تشكي لمين
لما البوليس مش بوليس
والرئيس مش رئيس
والقاضي مش بيعدل
شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي
البوليس ما بيحمينا
بيحمي اللي بينهبوا فينا
راحت كُل أرضينا
بس عِندنا سجون بِتكفينا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
والرئيس مش رئيسنا
وَشو بدك تحكي وَلمين؟
لمين بدك تشكي لمين؟
لما البوليس مش بوليس
والرئيس مش رئيس
والقاضي مش بيعدل
شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي
The lyrics to Jowan Safadi's song "البوليس مش بوليسنا" (translated to "The Police Are Not Our Police") express a feeling of disillusionment and frustration with the government and its institutions in Palestine. The repetition of the lines "البوليس مش بوليسنا" and "الرئيس مش رئيسنا" (the police are not our police, the president is not our president) emphasize the disconnect between the people and those in power.
The lyrics also criticize the police for not protecting the citizens and instead protecting those who are stealing from them. This highlights a lack of trust in the police force and a feeling of helplessness in the face of corruption. The line "راحت كُل أرضينا" (we lost all our lands) adds to the feeling of despair and powerlessness.
The song ends with the rhetorical question "لما البوليس مش بوليس والرئيس مش رئيس والقاضي مش بيعدل شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي" (when the police are not police, and the president is not a president, and the judge does not act fairly, what can we do?). This shows the singer's sense of hopelessness in the face of institutional corruption and a lack of justice.
Overall, "البوليس مش بوليسنا" is a powerful expression of the frustration and disillusionment felt by many Palestinians towards their government and its institutions.
Line by Line Meaning
البوليس مش بوليسنا
The police are not our police
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
The president is not our president
البوليس مش بوليسنا
The police are not our police
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
The president is not our president
البوليس مش بوليسنا
The police are not our police
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
The president is not our president
البوليس مش بوليسنا
The police are not our police
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
The president is not our president
لمين بدك تشكي لمين
To whom do you want to complain
لمين بدك تشكي لمين
To whom do you want to complain
لما البوليس مش بوليس
When the police are not police
والرئيس مش رئيس
And the president is not the president
والقاضي مش بيعدل
And the judge does not bring justice
شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي
Whatever you do is in vain
البوليس ما بيحمينا
The police do not protect us
بيحمي اللي بينهبوا فينا
They protect those who rob us
راحت كُل أرضينا
We lost all our lands
بس عِندنا سجون بِتكفينا
But we have enough prisons to suffice us
البوليس مش بوليسنا
The police are not our police
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
The president is not our president
البوليس مش بوليسنا
The police are not our police
والرئيس مش رئيسنا
And the president is not our president
وَشو بدك تحكي وَلمين؟
And what do you want to say, to whom?
لمين بدك تشكي لمين؟
To whom do you want to complain?
لما البوليس مش بوليس
When the police are not police
والرئيس مش رئيس
And the president is not the president
والقاضي مش بيعدل
And the judge does not bring justice
شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي
Whatever you do is in vain
Writer(s): Jowan Safadi
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mohammedfarhat922
I looked it up for you:
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
لمين بدك تشكي لمين
لمين بدك تشكي لمين
لما البوليس مش بوليس
والرئيس مش رئيس
والقاضي مش بيعدل
شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي
البوليس ما بيحمينا
بيحمي اللي بينهبوا فينا
راحت كُل أرضينا
بس عِندنا سجون بِتكفينا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
الرئيس مش رئيسنا
البوليس مش بوليسنا
والرئيس مش رئيسنا
وَشو بدك تحكي وَلمين؟
لمين بدك تشكي لمين؟
لما البوليس مش بوليس
والرئيس مش رئيس
والقاضي مش بيعدل
شو ما تعمل ع الفاضي
@HanaaCrazy
تحية حب و إنسانية و أمل من المغرب 🇲🇦
@ferdaoushayfa3136
الموسيقى رسالة و انتم رسالتكم ثورية..كل الحب من المغرب الى فلسطين
@reyavispa1472
Love and support from Argentina 🇦🇷❤️🇵🇸 this is a fantastic song!
@PsychedelicWizardOfOz
Being in Syria until today, this song can't be more relevant.
@ayakorabe6735
تحيا من سوريه لاحلى شعب بالعالم فلسطين ✌✌
@archistudent6124
تحية من الشام لبلاد الشام 💓💓💓💛
@aminakaddoura9483
by far one of the coolest videos I have seen. yallaaa 3alehon
@eslamteleb7206
do you see songs?
I listen to them, hope we hangout and find a solution so we can smell them...
@samimasri6443
هاي الاغنيه هسا وقتها يا سلام قديش بتعبر عن واقع الاحداث اليوم 16.5.2021
@ahmeddwood1556
والله مبدعين تساهلوا الكثير