Marcel Khalifé (Arabic: مرسيل خليفة) was born in 1950 in Amchit, Mount-Leba… Read Full Bio ↴Marcel Khalifé (Arabic: مرسيل خليفة) was born in 1950 in Amchit, Mount-Lebanon. He studied the oud (the Arabic lute) at the Beirut National conservatory. His music works around the classical Arabic oud but also includes jazz piano and many other influences. His playing techniques expand far outside those of classical oud playing, however, and he is attributed for having greatly expanded the horizons of this traditional Arabic instrument.

Mother
Marcel Khalife Lyrics

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أمي
أحنّ إلى خبز أمي
وقهوة أمي
ولمسة أمي.
وتكبر فيّ الطفولة
يومًا على صدر يوم
وأعشق عمري لأني
إذا متّ،

أخجل من دمع أمي!

خذيني أمي، إذا عدت يومًا
وشاحًا لهدبك
وغطّي عظامي بعشب
تعمّد من طهر كعبك
وشدّي وثاقي .
بخصلة شعر .
بخيطٍ يلوّح في ذيل ثوبك .
عساني أصير إلهًا
إلهًا أصير .
إذا ما لمست قرارة قلبك!

ضعيني، إذا ما رجعت
وقودًا بتنور نارك .
وحبل غسيل على سطح دارك
لأني فقدت الوقوف
بدون صلاة نهارك

هرمت، فردّي نجوم الطفولة
حتى أشارك
صغار العصافير

درب الرجوع .
لعش انتظارك!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Marcel Khalife's song "Mother" express the deepest longing for a mother's warmth, comfort, and love. The first stanza vividly portrays the artist's yearning for his mother's simple but nourishing treats like bread and coffee, as well as her caring touch. The second verse takes the listener on a journey of the artist's growth, where he cherishes his life because he would be ashamed if he saw his mother cry for his death. Finally, the artist begs his mother to shroud him with her veil and bury his bones with her pure feet.

The third verse is an emotional plea to his mother to light the fire of her stove with him as the fuel and hang her laundry on the rooftop of her home as a reminder of their shared memories. The song ends with the artist asking his mother to guide him back to her nest like a little bird, where he belongs. This song celebrates the unconditional love of a mother and encapsulates the essence of the Arabic familial bond.

Line by Line Meaning

أحنّ إلى خبز أمي
I long for my mother's bread

وقهوة أمي
And my mother's coffee

ولمسة أمي
And my mother's touch

وتكبر فيّ الطفولة
And I grow up with childhood inside me

يومًا على صدر يوم
One day I will be big and carry the memories of those childhood days

وأعشق عمري لأني
And I love my life because

إذا متّ،
If I die

أخجل من دمع أمي!
I would be ashamed to see my mother cry

خذيني أمي، إذا عدت يومًا
Take me, mother, if you ever return one day

وشاحًا لهدبك
As a shawl on your eyelashes

وغطّي عظامي بعشب
And cover my bones with grass