In … Read Full Bio ↴Re Soumaya Baalbaki's album "Arabtango*" (by Francisco Vázquez):
In one sentence, Arabtango shows that the Latin American lovers' expressive sadness (of which tango is the utmost accomplishment) goes along well with Arabic, a language that has at least 3 different words for the expression "passionate love". In Arabtango, Soumaya Ba'albaki adapts classic Arabic tango songs like اطلب عيني, giving them new life and making it available for the new generations.
Every melody combines Soumaya's tearing voice with an unconventional mix of "sad" music played in "happy" tones. The final result is not necessarily tango, but it is really good. In other words, if you think that Andrés Calamaro perverted and destroyed tango in "Tinta Roja", do yourself a favor and refrain from listening Arabtango.
[In this album] Soumaya Ba'albaki speaks in the Lebanese dialect, which means that she does not pronounce some letters, not to mention that she does not care about the grammatical rules. In fact, the cd includes a curious explanation about why she decided to use her country's dialect instead of the formal standard Arabic. The explanation has to do with the need to express her feelings in a common language, which goes with the Latin American spirit of tango.
Some non-Arabic speakers who have listened to the cd have found it expressive, powerful and passionate despite the language barrier.
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* Original edited down for general use. Any references may require factual verification.
ps: if anyone has a real description of Soumaya Baalbaki's actual biography, please be kind enough to share it here. thx!
Ahwak
Soumaya Baalbaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
وانسى روحي وياك
وان ضاعت يبقى فداك لو تنساني
وانساك وتريني بانسى جفاك
واشتاق لعذابي معاك
والقى دموعي فاكراك ارجع تاني
في لقاك الدنيا تجيني معاك
وساعتها يهون في هواك طول حرماني
أهواك واتمنى لو انساك
وانسى روحي وياك
وان ضاعت يبقى فداك لو تنساني
وانساك وتريني بانسى جفاك
واشتاق لعذابي معاك
والقى دموعي فاكراك ارجع تاني
في لقاك الدنيا تجيني معاك
ورضاها يبقى رضاك
وساعتها يهون في هواك طول حرماني
والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري
واراعيك واصحى من الليل اناديك
وابعت روحي تصحيك
قوم ياللي شاغلني بيك جرب ناري
والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري
واراعيك واصحى من الليل اناديك
وابعت روحي تصحيك
قوم ياللي شاغلني بيك جرب ناري
والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري
والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري
The song "Ahwak" by Soumaya Baalbaki expresses a love that is so strong that the singer wishes to forget it but is unable to do so. The lyrics are full of longing, sadness, and confusion. The first stanza talks about how the singer still loves the person even though they wish they could forget that person. The singer is willing to sacrifice everything for the person they love, even if that person forgets them. The second stanza talks about how the singer wishes to forget the person who hurt them but is unable to do so. Instead, they find themselves remembering the pain and longing for that person.
The third stanza talks about how the singer is consumed by thoughts of the person they love. The singer sees the person they love everywhere and is reminded of their presence through the words of others. The singer is always aware of the person they love and cannot escape their thoughts. The final stanza talks about how the singer is pleading with the person they love to pay attention to them. They want the person to feel the same way they do and to understand the depth of their feelings.
Overall, the song "Ahwak" is a powerful expression of the complex emotions that come with love. It shows how love can consume a person's thoughts and feelings, even if they wish to forget it.
Line by Line Meaning
أهواك واتمنى لو انساك
I love you and I wish I could forget you
وانسى روحي وياك
Forget my soul with you
وان ضاعت يبقى فداك لو تنساني
Even if I am lost, I’ll be your sacrifice if you forget me
وتريني بانسى جفاك
You make me see as if I forget your cruelty
واشتاق لعذابي معاك
But I miss the pain of being with you
والقى دموعي فاكراك ارجع تاني
And I find my tears reminding me of you, come back again
في لقاك الدنيا تجيني معاك
In meeting you, the world comes to me with you
ورضاها يبقى رضاك
And its satisfaction remains your satisfaction
وساعتها يهون في هواك طول حرماني
And then the length of my deprivation becomes easy in your love
والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
When I find you busy, you occupy my mind
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
And my eyes meet yours
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري
And their gossip remains with you while you hide it
واراعيك واصحى من الليل اناديك
I think of you and wake up in the middle of the night calling you
وابعت روحي تصحيك
And I send my soul to wake you up
قوم ياللي شاغلني بيك جرب ناري
Wake up, who has occupied me with you and try my fire
Contributed by Asher M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.