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
Icarus
Mashrou' Leila Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ما بيفهم كيف صار يشبه بيُّه وبعده بكل شي بيضيع
العين بتشتهي بس ما بتطال الإيد
كل الآلات بتغنّي له وبتكبّله بأنابيب
والغنّية رح تتغنى
بكرة مش رح تبقى معنا
العين بتشتهي الفرح اللّي بتدّعيه
وروّح سنينُه لراحت أسنانُه
أخذ ترِين وترِين من بعده وبعده اللحن بيلحقه
بيرقص بالسهرة لحاله (كأنه اللحن على الراديو، كأنه اللحن على الراديو)
بيسأل اللحن على راديو (إن كان بعده بيحب نفسه إن بعده راضي بنفسه)
كان عنده مشاريع بس الحياة بتصير (شمع وريش، بكرة ما كان هيك)
كأنه الزمن عبير بيمرّ وبيرميه من غير تنذير (شمع وريش، بكرة ما كان هيك)
واللي مكتوب ع الجبين آخرته تشوفه العين (شمع وريش، بكرة ما كان هيك)
بتذوب الجوانح كلنا منهبط بلا جياب على الأكفان (شمع وريش، بكرة ما كان هيك)
علّمني أغنية الراديو
قال لي غنّيها ع ترابه
The lyrics of Mashrou' Leila's song "Icarus" describe the disillusionment and disappointment of the younger generation with their future prospects. The opening lines refer to how young people are being promised a better tomorrow through various projects, only to realize that nothing seems to be improving. The frustration is palpable as the singer describes the feeling of everything slipping away without any hope of regaining it. The line "All the machines sing to him and tie him with pipes" could be interpreted as a metaphor for how society and institutions are suppressing individual thought and creativity.
The chorus of the song shifts to a more introspective tone, where the singer is left alone dancing and asking the radio about his future. The lines "If he still loves himself, if he is still happy with himself" further emphasize the idea of self-doubt and uncertainty plaguing the singer's mind. The song ends with a sense of desolation, where the only comfort is found in listening to the radio, where at least the music is authentic and unadulterated.
Overall, "Icarus" is a poignant critique of society's broken promises and the disillusionment of a generation faced with an uncertain future. It raises questions about identity and individualism, while also exploring themes of self-worth, authenticity and escapism through music.
Line by Line Meaning
المشاريع بتزيد بحجة بكرة بعيد
Future projects keep increasing with the excuse that tomorrow is far away.
ما بيفهم كيف صار يشبه بيه وبعده بكل شى بيضيع
He doesn't understand how it's become like this, and how everything fades away with time.
العين بتشتهي بس ما بتطال الإيد
The eye desires, but the hand cannot reach it.
كل الآلات بتغنيله وبتكبله بأنابيب
All the machines sing to him and tie him up with pipes.
والغنية راح تتغنى
And the song will be sung.
بكرة مش راح تبقى معنا
Tomorrow will not be with us.
العين بتشتهي الفرح اللى بتدعيه
The eye desires the happiness it calls for.
كان المستقبل غير عن ذكريات هزيمة وتجاعيد
The future was different from memories of defeat and wrinkles.
روح سنينه... لراحت اسنانه
His soul for all those years, lost like his teeth.
أخد ترين وترين من بعده وبعده اللحن بيلحقه
He takes one train after another and the melody follows him.
بيرقص بالسهرة لحاله
He dances alone at the party.
(كأنه اللحن على الراديو)
(As if the melody is on the radio.)
بيسأل اللحن ع الراديو
He asks the melody on the radio.
(إن كان بعده بيحب نفسه، إن بعده راضى عن نفسه)
(If he still loves himself, if he's still satisfied with himself.)
كان عنده مشاريع بس الحياة بتصير
He had projects, but life happens.
كأنه الزمان عبير بيمر وبيرميه من غير تنذير
As if time is a fragrance that passes by and throws it away without warning.
اللي مكتوب عالجبين آخرته تشوفه العين
What's written on the forehead, eventually the eye will see.
بتدوب الجوانح كلنا منُهْبُط بلا جياب على الأكفان
Our wings melt, we all fall without a shroud on the coffins.
علمنى غنية الراديو
Teach me the song on the radio.
قالى غنيها عترابه
He said, sing it in a tavern.
Lyrics © Sentric Music
Written by: Carl Gerges, Firas Abou Fakher, Haig Papazian, Hamed Khalil Sinno, Ibrahim Badr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@somebody.6519
احب شلون اغانيهم مختلفه عن الباقيين وكلماتهم ثقيله تخليك تفكر بيهه مليون مره وتحللهه ✨ .
@ghazal5821
عن جد غيرتوا مفهوم الاغاني العربيه. الكلمات جداً ذكيه وقصة ايكاروس بتخلص كتير اشياء 🌟
keep going 😭💓💓💓💓
@salamasamman1490
بتلخص*
@user-hg8it9do7g
🤣🤣
ولي عالغباء
@adamtesla1923
تعجز الكلمات عن وصف هذه الأسطورة الموسيقية من حي الكلمات والمعنى وكل شي وايضاً لايكفي اللايك ب حق هذه الأغنية الروعة ،،،،،،،،،
@dyiaxbii4385
لسا بتسمعها؟
@rayanal-shikhi140
@@dyiaxbii4385 لسا بسمعها..
@asmaalr494
@@rayanal-shikhi140✋🏼٢
@ZAHRAA-vs2nv
@@rayanal-shikhi140 لسا؟
@user-xj9oh4lj6d
@@ZAHRAA-vs2nvاكيد لسا