Banna was born in Nazareth, where she graduated from Nazareth Baptist School. She lived in Nazareth with her three children.
She died on 24 March 2018, aged 51, in a hospital in her hometown of Nazareth, Palestine following a lengthy and brave battle with breast cancer, which she openly shared with her numerous fans through social media. She met her husband, Ukrainian guitarist Leonid Alexeyenko, while studying music together at the Higher Music Conservatory in Moscow and they married in 1991, and divorced in 2010.
Banna first achieved popularity in the early 1990s, after recording her own versions of traditional Palestinian children's songs that were on the verge of being forgotten.
Banna also composed her own songs and set Palestinian poetry to music. Her message is often focused on the suffering of Palestinians. Her music is described as "haunting, emotional, at times bordering on kitsch." She described her music as a means of cultural self-assertion:
A part of our work consists of collecting traditional Palestinian texts without melodies. So that the texts do not get lost, we try to compose melodies for them that are modern, yet inspired by traditional Palestinian music.
In this way, Banna does more than mimic the traditional techniques and representations of the pieces she interprets. She blends them with modern singing styles because,
Oriental singing techniques are mostly ornamental… But my voice is more two-dimensional, thicker. I try to write songs that fit my voice. I want to create something new in every respect. And that includes bringing people elsewhere closer to the music and soul of the Palestinians.
She performed live in the West Bank and she reached audiences in Gaza through live webcasts. She performed her first concert in Syria on 8 January 2009 and also performed in Tunisia on 25 July 2011. Her first concert in Beirut took place on 22 March 2012.
Banna's popularity in Europe began after Norwegian music producer Erik Hillestad invited her to participate on the CD Lullabies from the Axis of Evil (2003) and Norwegian singer Kari Bremnes, who also took part on this production in a duet with Rim Banna, invited her to Oslo. Banna accepted the invitation, and the two artists did a show together.
The album, dubbed "a musical antiwar message to U.S. President Bush from female singers in Palestine, Iraq, Iran, and Norway," brings these women together with others from North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Afghanistan, to sing traditional lullabies from their lands in duet form with English-language performers whose translation allows the songs to reach a Western audience.
The Mirrors of My Soul, which was dedicated to all the Palestinian and Arab political detainees in the Israeli prisons, is a stylistic departure from her previous body of work. Produced in cooperation with a Norwegean quintet, it features "Western pop styling" fused with Middle Eastern modal and vocal structures, and Arabic lyrics.
Although the style differs from previous recordings, the subject matter has basically remained constant. The album includes "songs of despair and hope" about the lives of "a struggling people, and even a song about late Palestinian leader and PA president Arafat in a way that is both thoughtful and subtle".
Discography
Jafra (1985)
Your tears Mother (1986)
The Dream (1993)
New Moon (1995)
Mukaghat (1996)
Al Quds Everlasting (2002)
Krybberom (2003) Rim Banna & SKRUK
Lullabies from the Axis of Evil (2003 – Various female artists)
The Mirrors of My Soul (2005, Valley Entertainment)
This was not my story (2006) Rim Banna & Henrik Koitz
Seasons of violet (2007)
Songs across Walls of Separation (2008 – Various artists from the Middle East, Africa, Central America, North America, and Europe)
April Blossoms (2009) an album for children, was dedicated to the children martyrs in Gaza
A Time to cry (2010), was recorded in one of the houses in Sheikh Jarrah under constant threat of eviction from the part of their house (with three Palestinian singers)
"Tomorrow" (Bokra) 2011, a single song of the American legend composer Quincy Jones, who chose Rim Banna to represent Palestine in this project which will be released in an Album and a video clip in September 2011
Revelation of Ecstasy and Rebellion (2013); produced by Bugge Wesseltoft
Songs from a Stolen Spring (2014, Valley Entertainment/Kirkelig Kulturverksted - Various Artists), featuring "Break Your Fears"
Ya Jammal
Rim Banna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
عندما اختار الرحيل.
قلت ياجمال صبرا...
قال كل الصبر عيل
قلت يا جمال قصدك
قال صحراء الجنوب
قلت ماذا ضم حملك
قال علكا وطيوب
قال شوقا للحبيب
قلت هل زرت طبيبا
قال تسعين طبيب
قلت يا جمال خذني
قال لا حملي ثقيل
قلت يا جمال امشي
قال لا دربي طويل
قلت امشي الف عام
خلف عينيك اسافر
قال يا طير الحمام
حنضل عيش المهاجر
The lyrics of Rim Banna's song "Ya Jammal" depict a conversation between the singer and a camel. In the song, the singer expresses her admiration for the beauty of the camel, but also asks questions about its journeys and experiences. The song seems to be a metaphor for the human experience of longing for connection and meaning in a world full of challenges and uncertainties.
The singer asks the camel about the hardships it has endured, such as traveling through the desert and carrying heavy loads. She also asks about the camel's desires and aspirations, such as the longing for a loved one. At the same time, the camel seems to represent an elusive and mysterious force, with the singer unable to fully understand its motivations or ways of being.
Through its poetic and evocative lyrics, "Ya Jammal" offers a powerful meditation on the human condition, reminding us of the beauty and complexity of life, and the need to keep searching for meaning and connection in a world that can often seem harsh and unforgiving.
Line by Line Meaning
عذب الجمال قلبي.
My heart is fascinated by your beauty.
عندما اختار الرحيل.
When you decided to leave.
قلت ياجمال صبرا...
I said, 'Oh beauty, have patience...'
قال كل الصبر عيل
He said, 'All the patience has run out.'
قلت يا جمال قصدك
I said, 'What do you mean, oh beauty?'
قال صحراء الجنوب
He said, 'The southern desert.'
قلت ماذا ضم حملك
I said, 'What did you carry with you?'
قال علكا وطيوب
He said, 'Almonds and jujube.'
قلت ما دائك قلي
I said, 'What is wrong with you?'
قال شوقا للحبيب
He said, 'Longing for my beloved.'
قلت هل زرت طبيبا
I said, 'Have you seen a doctor?'
قال تسعين طبيب
He said, 'Ninety doctors.'
قلت يا جمال خذني
I said, 'Oh beauty, take me with you.'
قال لا حملي ثقيل
He said, 'No, my load is heavy.'
قلت يا جمال امشي
I said, 'Oh beauty, let's walk.'
قال لا دربي طويل
He said, 'No, my journey is long.'
قلت امشي الف عام
I said, 'Let's walk for a thousand years.'
خلف عينيك اسافر
I'll travel behind your eyes.
قال يا طير الحمام
He said, 'Oh pigeon...'
حنضل عيش المهاجر
'I yearn for the life of a migrant.'
Writer(s): leonid alexeienko, rim banna, traditional
Contributed by Liam W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@al-helal4690
عذّب الجمّال قلبي ، يوم نوى عَالرحيل ..
قلتله: جمّالي بمشي ، قال: أنا دربي طويل !
قلتله: جمّالي بركب ، قال: أنا حملي ثقيل !
قلتله: جمّالي خذني ، قال: أنا حملي ثقيل !
قلتله: أول حمولك ؟ قال: قهيوة وفناجين ..
قلتله: ثاني حمولك ؟ قال: صبايا مبروزين ..
قلتله: ثالث حمولك ؟ قال: شباب معنقين ..
قلتله: رابع حمولك ؟ قال: عجائز طباخين ..
-------------------
يا رايحين عَ حلب.. حبّي معاكم راح
يا محملين العنب تحت العنب تفاح
كل مين وليفُه معو وأنا وليفي راح
يا ربي نسمة هوى ترد الوِلف ليّ
عَ الروزانا عَ الروزانا كل الهنا فيها
شو عملت الروزانا الله يجازيها
@user-ly1rx6kv3n
إضافة تعليق...
سعي
عذب الجمال قلبي
عندما اختار الرحيل
قلت ياجمال صبرا
قال كل الصبر عيل
قلت يا جمال قصدك
قال صحراء الجنوب
قلت ماذا ضم حملك
قال علكا وطيوب
قلت ما دائك قلي
قال شوقا للحبيب
قلت هل زرت طبيبا
قال تسعين طبيب
قلت يا جمال خذني
قال لا حملي ثقيل
قلت يا جمال امشي
قال لا دربي طويل
قلت امشي الف عام
خلف عينيك اسافر
قال يا طير الحمام
حنضل عيش المهاجر
عذب الجمال قلبي عندما اختار الرحيل
كلما خلف دمعا فوق خديا يسيل
@yasermousa7398
2022
سأظل أزورك يا ريم فلك في قلبي مكانة ليس بوسع الزمن سلبها.
@engosamadawood
عذب الجمال قلبي عندما اختار الرحيل قلت ياجمال صبرا قال كل الصبر عيل قلت يا جمال قصدك قال صحراء الجنوب قلت ماذا ضم حملك قال علكا وطيوب قلت ما دائك قلي قال شوقا للحبيب قلت هل زرت طبيبا قال تسعين طبيب قلت يا جمال خذني قال لا حملي ثقيل قلت يا جمال امشي قال لا دربي طويل قلت امشي الف عام خلف عينيك اسافر قال يا طير الحمام حنضل عيش المهاجر عذب الجمال قلبي عندما اختار الرحيل كلما خلف دمعا فوق خديا يسيل
@swayslay2070
شكراً أسامة .. الله يرحمها 😔
@god-moon886
غذبت ريم قلبي عندما اختارت الرحيل
@zofmejri6140
لن ننساك ابدا😢
لروحك السلام
@randyblackwell5016
لروحك السلام 🖤
R.i.P 🖤❤️💔
@oscarfix4891
From indonesia 🙏❤
@dalell7506
و أنت كم عذّبتِ قلوبنا برحيلكِ اليوم يا ريم! ريموش الحبيبة!
@lailamaree1751
لك السلااااااام يا ريم
@user-on1vb8ke4o
ريم الله يرحم روحك