People from every corner of Africa have crowded into Barbés, a refuge for exiles that directed Larbi Dida's raï towards Fateh's shaabi, and that brushed Aziz's guimbri up against Youcef's bass. It is encounters such as these that led to the formation of the Orchestra National de Barbés. In English, the name means The National Barbés Orchestra, implying that Barbés is a nation unto itself. It is a sentiment that few who visit the neighborhood would dispute.
The story started in Belcourt, a working class section of Algiers, Algeria at the peak of the 1980 baby boom. Youcef Boukella's older brothers listened to rock and bossa nova, people watched Cairo film classics on TV and tuned to Kabyl folk music on the radio. Outside the Belcourt alleyways --pandemonium. Street peddlers, muezzins, Gnawa street performers, shaabi concerts, ghetto blasters playing reggae, funk and raï.
"My style of music goes back to my childhood in Belcourt," explains Youcef. In 1985 he was offered a slot playing bass for the first Arabic-language rock group, T34. But when Youcef heard what visiting jazz musician Jeff Gardner was packing, that's when he decided to pack himself up and leave home. Raï was all the rage when he arrived in Paris. He worked with Cheb Mami and Kabyl native Takfarinas at diaspora parties. Safy Boutella plunged him into the vortex of underground jazz. He honed his vision while waiting to record his first album "The Greeting of Peace". This was when his genius as a producer began to reveal itself (his production). Meanwhile, with former -Raïna Raï vocalist Larbi Dida, he recorded a four-title offering that foreshadowed his future approach.
Larbi Dida comes from the town of Sidi bel Abbes and is a founding member of Raïna Raï, the rock-raï group that shook up the Algerian rock scene by zeroing in on a roots-meets-electric sound. Recognized by the Algerian media as a historic breakthrough, this group was the first rock group to use raï in its repertoire. Ever since Larba Dida moved to Paris in 1989, his has been one of the great Arabic voices in the French capital.
Aziz Sehmaoui is another pillar upholding Youcef's vision. Raised in Marrakesh, this Sufi was nourished on a combination of Gnawa Arab-African beats and British-American pop performed in Morocco with various traditional and electric groups. (Association Ziriab, Lemchaheb and others). Like Youcef, Aziz attempts to weld the mystical power of healing rhythms with today's sounds. As the custodian of spiritual rigor and technique, he infuses the music with an aura of native authenticity molded by the luminous candor of his voice.
The band:
Medehi Askeur, Fateh Benlala, Ahmed Benshidhum, Yusef Bukella, Alain Debiossat, Jean-Baptiste Ferre, Fathellah Ghoggal, Olivier Louvel, Taufik Mimuni, Michel Petry, Asís Sahmaui, Kamel Tenfiche. Discography:
En Concert (Virgin 844 009 2, 1997)
Poulina (Virgin 847 553 2, 1999)
Alik (Wagram 3130492, 2008)
Rendez-Vous Barbes (Le Chant du Monde CMD 165, 2010)
Dor biha
Orchestre National De Barbès Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dour biha tekhdem 3lik wa 3liha (x2)
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Bah terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima x2
(Refrain)
Bah terkeb 3lih lala taouess x2
(Refrain)
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli ldjamou
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda 3damou
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lama
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda 3dama
(Refrain)
Dour biha ya chibani dour biha
Dour biha tekhdem 3lik wa 3liha (x2)
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Bah terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima (x2)
(Refrain)
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lkaress
Bah terkeb 3lih lala taouess (x2)
(Refrain)
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lima x3
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima
Hna, elhih, ehna khir melhih
Tale3 fel3ogba ounnar cha3la fih (x2)
(Refrain)
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli ldjamou
Bah terkeb 3lih lkayda hmamou
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Bah terkeb 3lih lala taouess
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lama
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda hmama
Hna, elhih, ehna khir melhih
Tale3 fel3ogba ounnar cha3la fih (x2)
(Refrain)
The lyrics of Orchestre National De Barbès's song "Dor biha" are written in Algerian Arabic and speak about the struggles and experiences of a group of young men in Algiers. The phrase "dour biha" means "turn it up" or "play it louder" and is repeated throughout the song. The song is mainly focused on the character of "Serdjouli", who is a driver of a shared taxi or "Louage" in Algiers. The song narrates the various adventures of Serdjouli and his passengers, as they navigate their way through the busy streets of Algiers.
The song's first verse talks about Serdjouli's passengers requesting him to turn up the music or "dour biha". The lyrics suggest that Serdjouli is often hailed by young people and asked to play music that they can dance to. The second and third verses describe some of Serdjouli's experiences, such as being stopped by the police for having too many passengers in his taxi or "Terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima" and the excitement and joy of his passengers at specific locations.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli" or "Serdjouli come and get me" and urges him to take the passengers to their destination. The final verse describes how Serdjouli and his passengers challenge societal norms and expectations as they enjoy their lives and dance to the music in the taxi.
Line by Line Meaning
Dour biha ya chibani dour biha
Go around it, oh young man, go around it
Dour biha tekhdem 3lik wa 3liha (x2)
Go around it and work on yourself and on it
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and tell me
Bah terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima x2
And I will mount it with a gentle step
(Refrain)
Repeat refrain
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lkaress
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and show me love
Bah terkeb 3lih lala taouess x2
And I will mount it with a beautiful style
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli ldjamou
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and gather
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda 3damou
So I can mount it with a firm step
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lama
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and with me
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda 3dama
So I can mount it with a decisive step
Dour biha ya chibani dour biha
Go around it, oh young man, go around it
Dour biha tekhdem 3lik wa 3liha (x2)
Go around it and work on yourself and on it
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and tell me
Bah terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima (x2)
And I will mount it with a gentle step
(Refrain)
Repeat refrain
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lkaress
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and show me love
Bah terkeb 3lih lala taouess (x2)
And I will mount it with a beautiful style
(Refrain)
Repeat refrain
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lima x3
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and why
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima
So I can mount it with a gentle step
Hna, elhih, ehna khir melhih
Here, this is better than that
Tale3 fel3ogba ounnar cha3la fih (x2)
Come climb aboard, there is a light in it
(Refrain)
Repeat refrain
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and tell me
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda hlima
So I can mount it with a gentle step
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli ldjamou
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and gather
Bah terkeb 3lih lkayda hmamou
And I will mount it with a hot step
Ya serdjouli 3awdi wa3touli muma
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and tell me
Bah terkeb 3lih lala taouess
And I will mount it with a beautiful style
Serdjouli 3awdi wa3toulou lama
Oh my coachman, give me a ride and with me
Bach terkeb 3lih lkayda hmama
So I can mount it with a hot step
Hna, elhih, ehna khir melhih
Here, this is better than that
Tale3 fel3ogba ounnar cha3la fih (x2)
Come climb aboard, there is a light in it
(Refrain)
Repeat refrain
Writer(s): Salim Halali
Contributed by Liliana J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.