You can hear Leila, cascading melts of masculine vocals only suspended with thrusts of violin, beats and bass – attacked by neurotic melody that means no harm – sometimes tender, even sometimes on pause. Through the music, you can smell where Leila has been, in bed sheets, on sidewalks, jasmines in rifles and spilled coffee on dresses as she made you play with aubergines, dancing her dance. Music has constantly been their place to play with things, to match and mis-match, a project.
In the various performances, Mashrouʼ Leila is a constant attempt to taste and produce, more than happy to harvest anyone from the audience as a guest in their encores. They have performed around Lebanon since 2008, playing in various venues in Beirut, taking over supposed public piazzas as well as clubs, pubs, hybrids and the such – they also played in Zahle, Sour, Jounieh, Saida and Deir el Qamar, each of which pushed forward their thinking about how to go about their music, lyrics and performance. It is only when Mashrouʼ Leila goes live, that you can actually catch a glimpse of Leila. As it talks to you of Beirut, the city that tastes of the absurd, the product of its day-to-day experiences, its stubborn security and lack of the latter, its musical bombshells, incoherent sexuality and thrusting pleasure…narcotic pain – as it brings forward hints of Arabic Tarab, rock, to folk pop, electro, you can see Leila in every man and woman in the silent- come-raving audience. In this trajectory, they participated in music workshops and concerts in Amman and Cairo to maneuver their way into a pan-Arab music scene, to know and to announce, more importantly to grow, musically.
In March 2009, Mashrouʼ Leila won the Lebanese Modern Music Contest jury prize and public vote organized by Radio Liban in partnership with CCF, Incognito and the Basement. They released their debut album in December 2009 at what turned out to be Beirut’s biggest alternative (read non-mainstream) event in recent years.
The months leading up to the Arab Spring proved fruitful for Leila as well. In July 2010, Mashrou’ Leila headlined Byblos International Music festival alongside the Gorillaz and Caetano Veloso; this was the first time a Lebanese band was given a headlining post in the festival and proved to be Mashrou’ Leila’s biggest concert yet. Fall of 2010-11 saw Leila pack up her suitcases with shows in Qatar at the Doha Tribeca International Film Festival and at the Vodafone Big Day Out, headlining alongside Hoobastank and Toploader, in the United Arab Emirates at the Du World Music Festival and the Music Room – Dubai’s leading live music venue and in Egypt where the live at the Genaina Theater show saw a sold out crowd with people gathering outside the venue premises for a peek.
In the summer of 2011, Mashrou’ Leila released "el Hal Romancy" E.P., five songs of new material recorded in mountain retreats with cousins and turkish coffee, in the abandoned concrete dome in the Tripoli world Fair and with a quintet of strings on cold winter nights. The release was held at the Hippodrome of Beirut. Mashrou’ Leila also added Serbia and Jordan to the map, with a spot in the 4 day prestigious Exit Festival in Serbia and a 2 night show at the Citadel in Jordan.
After two years, one spent writing the other spent producing, one crowd funding campaign, touring and gigging all around, Mashrou’ Leila released their 3rd Album “Raasük” on 27 August, 2013, recorded at the mighty Hotel 2 Tango in Montreal.
The first hint of new material arrived when the band started a campaign asking the members of their social media pages to submit lyrics and video ideas to be incorporated in the band's upcoming single. "3 Minutes" was released on March 17, 2015.
Contrary to their common method of writing and producing songs, the band decided not to test their new material in live concerts, opting instead for secrecy and mystery about their fourth album. The band recorded the 13 tracks in studio La Frette in France over the summer with French-Lebanese producer Samy Osta, and worked on orchestral and brass arrangements with the Macedonian Radio Orchestra in F.A.M.E's Studios in Macedonia. The band has said that this album is their most pop album to date, and deals with topics that range from the euphoric to the destructive and depressive, all taking place in the politically, socially, and sexually charged spaces of Beirut's night.
The band experimented with drum machines, loops, samples, and several synthesizers in a new method of composition, trying to accommodate for the departure of keyboard player Omaya Malaeb. "Maghawir" narrates a possible version of a club shooting in Beirut, drawing on references to real Lebanese case histories from two different shootings that took place within the same week, both of which resulted in the deaths of extremely young victims, each of who was out celebrating their birthday." During a show in Boston, the band explained that the song "Tayf (Ghost)" is about a shuttered gay club, and "Bint Elkhandaq" tells the story of a friend who learned, "as hard as it is to be a woman in Beirut, it’s just as hard to be brown in the West."
The album is heavily loaded with allusions and references, both to contemporary figures of pop, and to mythological figures of gods and demons.
On the November 28, the band released Ibn El Leil at the Barbican in London with live broadcasting on MTV Lebanon available to the entire world to positive reviews. "In the seven years since Mashrou’ Leila formed at the American University of Beirut, the quintet – whose name, in fact, means 'overnight project' – have won comparisons to everyone from Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead to Roxy Music and Wild Beasts."
On December 1, Ibn El Leil debuted at the number one spot on local iTunes channels, and charted as number 11 on the international world Billboard charts. "It’s such an impressive performance that stadiums seem not only possible but imminent."
The band released a music video for their single "Roman" on July 19, 2017. The single was included on the deluxe version of Ibn El Leil released July 21, 2017.
On February 8, 2019, Mashrou' Leila released a new single, "Cavalry", the first from their upcoming album The Beirut School. The Beirut School was released on March 1, 2019. The album includes some songs from the group's previous album. The group toured North America in 2019 in support of the album.
On Aug. 9, 2019, the band was set to perform at the Byblos International Festival. The concert was banned against the backdrop of widespread rejection and accusation that the lyrics of one of the group’s songs offend the Christian faith.
In September 2022, Sinno announced that the band would be disbanding. Sinno cited harassment and hate campaigns as a reason for the band breaking up, especially because of Mashrou’ Leila’s hardships with bans in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. The real reason for restrictions on the band is his declared gender identity, as he defines himself as being queer — something that he believes was behind the attacks on the musical group and their work over the past years.
Many of the group’s songs touch on the issue of homosexuality, namely the 2009 song “Sham El Yasmine,” which speaks of a forbidden relationship and love between two men, and their struggle to lead normal lives together. The band also produced several songs addressing social and political topics in unconventional ways. The group members also touched on love, marriage, sex, religion, emancipation, the reality of Arab cities and revolutions, political assassinations and other thorny issues in the Arab world.
www.mashrou3leila.com
Ashabi
Mashrou' Leila Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
كلهن عم بيضحكوا بالأسود والأبيض
بتشقشق بسْمتي أسود وأبيض
نحنا بعدنا شي متعرِفين ع بعض
لدقيقة بالحمّام كنا أقرب الأصحاب
زيِّف لي الإهتمام قول لي إني بنحب
إبن الليل، إبن الليل
كل الأسبوع تسعة للخمسة عم بنموت
نسّيني حالي بدّي كون مثل بيروت
شو حلوة الليلة كل شيء منتمنّاه موجود
وبؤذي نفسي بس لَبَرِّر الوُجود
إبن الليل، إبن الليل
إبن الليل، إبن الليل
إبن الليل، إبن الليل
إبن الليل، إبن الليل
بتذكُر كيف كانت الموسيقى تؤثّر فينا؟
صرنا نخشى العتمة يا اللّي كنا نلعب فيها
عشنا وشفنا وما بقي ولا شي يدهشنا
عالية الموسيقى مش معقول حدا يسمعنا
ولّعتها مبارح حاسس حالي شوي تعبان
كأني دايماً عم بغرق بعدني عطشان
دعسة ع الشمال وع اليمين حطّ دعستين
لأ مش عم ببكي دمّعت من الدخان
وبصبّ الكس لاثنين وبشربُه لوحدي
مين قولك من ها الناس رح يجي يزور لي قبري؟
ليك عندك قدّاحة، تع ولّعلي سيجارتي
ليك شو في حولي ناس مش ممكن كون لوحدي
The song "Ashabi" by Mashrou' Leila talks about the joy of being a part of a community, particularly in the nocturnal hours. The lyrics describe a group of friends dancing and laughing together, dressed in black and white, with the singer's smile cracking in two. Despite not knowing each other well, they become closer in just a few minutes spent together. The song references the nightlife of Beirut, with the singer longing to be like the city and all that it has to offer. The song's title, "Ashabi," translates to "my friends" in Arabic, emphasizing the importance of friendship and community in the lyrics.
Throughout the song, the singer also touches on the sadness that comes with being alone. This is most prominently seen in the chorus, where the singer repeats "Ibn Al Leil," which translates to "son of the night." This title acts as a way to identify with others who may also feel alone during the night hours. The singer drinks alone and wonders if anyone will visit his grave after he passes away. This adds a layer of melancholy to the otherwise upbeat and celebratory tone of the song.
Overall, "Ashabi" by Mashrou' Leila celebrates the beauty of companionship in both the dark and light hours of life, while acknowledging the loneliness that can exist during one's individual journey.
Line by Line Meaning
كلن عم بيرقصوا
فوق القزاز عالأرض
Everyone is dancing on the glass ground.
كلن عم يضحكوا
بالأسود والأبيض
Everyone is laughing in black and white.
بتشقشق بسمتي
أسود وأبيض
My smile cracks in black and white.
نحنا بعدنا شي متعرفين عبعض
لدقيقة بالحمام كنا أقرب الأصحاب
زيفلي الاهتمام هل لاني بإنحب
We are still strangers to each other, but for one minute in the bathroom, we were closest friends. Feigning interest just because I'm in love.
إبن الليل
إبن الليل
إبن الليل
إبن الليل
Son of the night, son of the night, son of the night, son of the night.
كل الأسبوع تسعة للخمسة عم نموت
نسيني حالي بدي كون مثل بيروت
شو حلوة الليلة كل شي بنتمناه موجود
وبأذي نفسي بس لابرر الوجود
All week we're dying nine to five. I forgot myself and I want to be like Beirut. How sweet the night is when everything we wish is there. And hurting myself just to justify my existence.
بتذكر كيف كانت الموسيقى تأثر فينا؟
صرنا نخشى العتمة إلي كنا نلعب فيها
عشنا وشفنا وما باقي ولا شي يدهشنا
عاليا الموسيقى مش معقول حدا يسمعنا
ولعت مبارح حاسِس حالي شوي تعبان
كأني دايما عم بأغرق وبعدني عطشان
دعسة عالشمال وعاليمين حط دعستان
Do you remember how music affected us? We started to fear the darkness we used to play in. We have lived and seen everything, and nothing surprises us anymore. The music is too loud, no one can hear us. I'm burned out today, feeling a little tired. As if I'm always drowning and still thirsty. On the left and right, footsteps can be heard.
لا مش عم ابكي دمعت من الدخان
إبن الليل
وباصب الكاس لثنين باشربو لوحدي
إبن الليل
مين قولك من هالناس رح يجي يزورلي قبري
إبن الليل
لك عندك قداحة تعا ولعلي سيجارتي
لك شوف في حولي ناس مش ممكن كون لوحدي
No, I'm not crying, it's just the smoke. Son of the night. Pouring two glasses for myself and I'm drinking alone. Son of the night. Who do you think of all these people will come visit my grave? Son of the night. Do you have a lighter? Come and light my cigarette. Look around me, there are people who can't be alone.
Lyrics © Sentric Music
Written by: Haig Papazian, Firas Abou Fakhar, Ibrahim Badr, Hamed Sinno, Carl Gerges
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind