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.
موال الميكروتشيب
Jowan Safadi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ملك للبنك ديون علينا
أنا بنفسي بعت نفسي لهم
دفعوا ثمني ولا شيء يهم
غارق في آلة لغسيل الدماغ
مدمن على كل ما يقتل الفراغ
وكأن الوقت صار هو عدوي
يستعملوني كالرجل الآلي
لأُفقِرَ الفقير وأُثر]يَ الثري
ولا أكترث، فقلبي من حديد
ادفع لي، أفعل ما تريد
صارت حياتي نسخة عصرية
عما كان يسمى عبودية
تغير الاسم من عبد لعامل
أو موظف بأجرة شهرية
وهذا هو حال الجميع في الغابة
علينا أن نطيع رئيس العصابة
فهل من صوت ينادي بالثورة؟
هل من صوت ينادي بالثورة؟
يا ويلي علينا ياويلي علينا,
لما يحطوا الميكروتشيب بأيدينا
يا ويلي علينا يا ويل, يا ويلي علينا
ها أنا أقف هنا
فوق أطلال الحرية
ها أنا أقف هنا
لأعيد النظر بكل النظرية
البيت والسيارة وكل ما لدينا
ملك للبنك ديون علينا
أنا بنفسي بعت نفسي لهم
دفعوا ثمني ولا شيء يهم
The lyrics of Jowan Safadi's song موال الميكروتشيب convey a deep sense of hopelessness and despair, as the singer describes his life as being nothing more than a never-ending cycle of debt and servitude. He states that everything he owns, including his home and car, is owned by the bank, and that he has essentially sold himself to them in order to pay off his debt. He feels trapped and helpless, living in a world where the only thing that matters is money and power.
The singer also describes feeling like a machine, a slave to the corporate world, addicted to anything that can help him forget his pain and emptiness. He feels as though time itself has become his enemy, and that the possibility of freedom is only a distant dream. He describes himself as being used by those in power to keep the poor poor and the rich rich, and he has become numb to their manipulation, with a heart made of iron.
The song ends on a note of desperation and a cry for change, with the singer asking if there is anyone out there who will call for revolution. The repeated phrase of "yawi alayna" ("woe to us") emphasizes the overwhelming sense of despair that permeates the entire song, while the final two lines of the song suggest that the singer is standing on the ruins of freedom, ready to reexamine everything he has been taught and to fight for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
البيت والسيارة وكل ما لدينا
Our house, car, and everything we have are owned by the bank, we're loaded with debts.
ملك للبنك ديون علينا
We owe the bank a lot, they own everything we have, and we're in debt.
أنا بنفسي بعت نفسي لهم
I sold myself to them willingly, they paid the price I asked for.
دفعوا ثمني ولا شيء يهم
They paid for me, but they don't care about me or my well-being.
غارق في آلة لغسيل الدماغ
I'm drowning in a machine that washes brains, they control my thoughts and actions.
مدمن على كل ما يقتل الفراغ
I'm addicted to anything that kills the void and emptiness inside me.
وكأن الوقت صار هو عدوي
Time has become my enemy, it's constantly pushing me towards fulfilling their desires and needs.
وأنين الحرية في قلبي يدوي
The cry for freedom echoes painfully in my heart.
يستعملوني كالرجل الآلي
They use me like a robot, to impoverish the poor and make the rich richer.
لأُفقِرَ الفقير وأُثر]يَ الثري
I'm used to keep the poor poor and the rich richer.
ولا أكترث، فقلبي من حديد
I don't care, my heart is made of iron, they can't break it.
ادفع لي، أفعل ما تريد
Pay me and I'll do whatever you want.
صارت حياتي نسخة عصرية
My life has become a modern version of slavery.
عما كان يسمى عبودية
What used to be called slavery.
تغير الاسم من عبد لعامل
The name has changed from slave to worker.
أو موظف بأجرة شهرية
Or an employee with a monthly salary.
وهذا هو حال الجميع في الغابة
This is the situation of everyone in the forest.
علينا أن نطيع رئيس العصابة
We must obey the leader of the gang.
فهل من صوت ينادي بالثورة؟
Is there anyone calling for a revolution?
يا ويلي علينا ياويلي علينا,
We're in trouble.
لما يحطوا الميكروتشيب بأيدينا
When they put the microchip in our hands.
يا ويلي علينا يا ويل, يا ويلي علينا
We're in big trouble.
ها أنا أقف هنا
Here I am standing.
فوق أطلال الحرية
On the ruins of freedom.
ها أنا أقف هنا
Here I am standing.
لأعيد النظر بكل النظرية
To reconsider all theories and beliefs.
Contributed by Benjamin R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mayabooba
Truly shows the universality of music. As an Israeli, this is absolutely beautiful, regardless of language, or who made it.
hamudi Dabdoub
كلمات الاغنية والفكرة عبقرية!
salam salam
لقاء الفلسفه بالابداع على شكل لوحه موسيقية فنيه رائعه بتوصل رساله مهمه جدا ومصيريه. شكرا انك موجود
Fadi Eilabouni
you dude need support from all over the world!!!
IMNBDF
الراجل ده برنس فشخ D':
Ruba Shamshoum
ولك لايك وثم لايك وثم لايك!! كتييييييييييير جامد!
ysr144
الاغنية رائعة فوق العادة؟! لكن الاخراج التصوير دون المستوى المطلوب استمر بالعمل الرائع
Firas Fahoum
great work my friend .... !!
IndigenousOne
Wa7sh Jowan!!!
حسام الدين بدوي
الرأسمالية كما ينبغي لها أن تكون!