Soapkills was born when Zeid Hamdan and Yasmine Hamdan (although they share a surname they are not related) met each other in October 1997. The group's sound was initially dominated by a Roland MC-303 Groovebox, which Zeid had acquired to replace musicians after the dissolution of Lombrix, a rock band that he had founded in mid-1990s with Yasmine and others. A cult group in Lebanon, they represent the new electro scene currently blossoming in the Middle East. The band has released three studio albums to date, respectively Bater in 2001, Cheftak in 2002 and Enta Fen in 2005. Their music appeared on several compilations and was featured in many movies, theatre and dance productions, as well as in modern art installations. Elia Suleiman's cult movie "Divine Intervention" featured two of the band's tracks. In 2007, Soapkills was mentioned in Time magazine as part of a "small but artistically significant rock scene" in Beirut. A "best of" compilation of their music was released in 2015 digitally and on other formats, together with re-issues of their three records.
Yasmine Hamdan was born in Beirut in 1976. She spent her childhood abroad, escaping the Lebanese civil war, eventually settling in Greece. She returned to her hometown after the end of the war and has attended the Conservatory of Arabic classical song in Beirut, studied at the Variety Studio in Paris. Hamdan also holds a License in Psychology from Sorbonne university. Her other projects in the years of inactivity in Soapkills include Y.A.S., a duo with Mirwais, which was formed in 2007, and the release of her debut solo record, [album artist=Yasmine Hamdan[/artist]Ya Nass, in 2013 on Crammed Discs/Kwaidan.
Zeid Hamdan was born in Beirut in 1976 and spent his adolescence in Paris. He began his artistic trip acting in theatre and cinema. After returning to Beirut, he got involved in the local music scene, eventually working with or founding various bands and projects, including The New Government, Katibe 5, Shift Z, Kazamada and Zeid and The Wings. Zeid is regarded as one of the founding pioneers of the Lebanese underground indie scene.
Official blog: http://soapkills.blogspot.com/
Zeid's website: www.lebaneseunderground.com
Marra Fi Ghnina
Soap Kills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
دخلت مرة جنينة اشم ريحة الزهور
وسلّي نفسي الحزينة واسمع نشيد الطيور
بصيت لقيت على الغصون بلبل ويّا وليفته
واقف معاها بسكون انا فرحت لما شفته
وهو من حبه فيها غنلها لحن الأمان
وقال لها يا ملاكي اللي تعوزية اطلبيه
روحي وعقلي فداك حبيبك أوعي تسيبيه
وبعد مدة طويلة في شرب كاس الوصال
لقت حبيبته الجميلة زادت عليه الدلال
طارت ما سألتش فيه وخلفتله العذاب
مسكين يا روحي عليه قلبه من الوجد داب
سهر يعد النجوم والبدر شاهد عليه
طالت عليه الهموم وبس يصبر بإيه
واللي كمان زاد عذابه وليفته لافت بغيره
وزودتله مصابُه وساء يا روحي مصيره
خرجتِ صعبان علي حالتُه تبكّي الجماد
حفظ ودادها وهيّ خانت عهود الوداد
The lyrics of Soap Kills’ song Marra Fi Ghnina talk about the story of a lover who finds solace in the beauty of nature. The song begins with the singer describing their entry into a garden, where they smell the fragrances of flowers and hear the sweet songs of birds which soothe their sad soul. They then encounter a nightingale perched on a branch, who seems to be attending to his beloved.
The nightingale spreads his wings over his lover, attending to her tenderly, and sings a tune that conveys a sense of security and comfort. He tells his beloved to ask for whatever she desires, assuring her that his heart and soul belong to her alone, and not to abandon him. After an extended period of separation, his lover returns to him, and he is overjoyed at seeing her again. However, she ends up breaking his heart by betraying their relationship's loyalty, causing him immense pain and suffering.
The song's lyrics are deeply based on the Arabic poetic tradition, utilizing rich metaphors and similes in expressing the themes of love, loss, and heartbreak. The juxtaposition of natural elements such as flowers, birds, and celestial bodies against human emotions creates a melancholic and contemplative mood, as the singer reflects on the complexities of love and the transience of human experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
أسمهان - دخلت في مرة جنينة
Asmahaneh - I entered a garden once
دخلت مرة جنينة اشم ريحة الزهور
I once entered a garden, where I smelled the scent of flowers
وسلّي نفسي الحزينة واسمع نشيد الطيور
It comforted my sad soul, as I listened to the birds' song
بصيت لقيت على الغصون بلبل ويّا وليفته
I looked and found a nightingale with its mate on a branch
واقف معاها بسكون انا فرحت لما شفته
I stood there quietly, and was happy to witness their love
فارد جناحه عليها وبيراعيها بحنان
He spread his wings over her, and took care of her with tenderness
وهو من حبه فيها غنلها لحن الأمان
Out of his love for her, he sang her a song of security
وقال لها يا ملاكي اللي تعوزية اطلبيه
He said to her, 'My angel, ask me for whatever you need'
روحي وعقلي فداك حبيبك أوعي تسيبيه
My soul and mind are yours, my beloved, don't ever leave me
وبعد مدة طويلة في شرب كاس الوصال
After a long time of yearning, they finally shared the cup of togetherness
لقت حبيبته الجميلة زادت عليه الدلال
He found his beautiful lover, and her coquetry grew even stronger
طارت ما سألتش فيه وخلفتله العذاب
She left him without explanation, causing him great pain
مسكين يا روحي عليه قلبه من الوجد داب
Poor thing, his heart is restless with longing
سهر يعد النجوم والبدر شاهد عليه
He stayed up counting the stars, while the moon witnessed his pain
طالت عليه الهموم وبس يصبر بإيه
His worries went on and on, and he wondered how he could endure
واللي كمان زاد عذابه وليفته لافت بغيره
What added to his pain was seeing his mate with someone else
وزودتله مصابُه وساء يا روحي مصيره
His affliction grew worse, and his fate was sealed
خرجتِ صعبان علي حالتُه تبكّي الجماد
Difficult circumstances arose, where he wept in front of inanimate objects
حفظ ودادها وهيّ خانت عهود الوداد
He kept her love in his heart, while she broke their vow of love
Contributed by Jack L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@daveleafey9283
Love this song - it triggers emotions in a spiritual way