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!
Sehertou Menhou Allayali
Soumaya Baalbaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
إن صد عني حبيبي فلست عنه بسالي
إن صد عني حبيبي فلست عنه بسالي
يطوف بالحب قلبي
يطوف بالحب قلبي، فراشة لا تبالي
لا تبالي، لا تبالي، لا تبالي
آه الحب، الحب فيه بقائي
الحب، الحب فيه بقائي
الحب، الحب فيه زوالي
قلب بغير غرام جسم من الروح خالي
أما رأيت حبيبي، في حسنه كالغزالِ
ربي كساه جمالاً ما بعده من جمال
أنظره كيف تهادى من رقة ودلال
قل للأحبة رفقاً بحالهم وبحالى
يبدون صداً ولكن هم يضمرون وصالي
ما أقصر العمر حتى نضيعه في النضال
في النضال، في النضال، في النضال
آه الحب، الحب فيه بقائي
الحب، الحب فيه زوالي
الحب، الحب فيه بقائي
الحب، الحب فيه زوالي
قلب بغير غرام جسم من الروح خالي
The lyrics of Soumaya Baalbaki's song "Sahertou Menhou Allayali" convey themes of love, longing, and the endurance of love. The singer expresses her dedication and devotion to her beloved, even if he distances himself from her. She compares her heart, which is constantly filled with love, to a butterfly that remains unaffected by any obstacles.
The chorus emphasizes the power and significance of love in the singer's life. She believes that love gives her purpose and meaning, and that without it, she would be lost. She acknowledges the transient nature of love, understanding that it can fade away, but also recognizes its ability to endure and persist.
In the second verse, the singer describes the physical beauty of her beloved, comparing him to a graceful gazelle. She believes that God has blessed him with unparalleled beauty. However, she also warns others to be gentle in their judgments of others, as people often hide their true feelings and emotions. She reflects on the brevity of life and how she does not want to waste it in conflicts and struggles.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sahertou Menhou Allayali" encapsulate the complex emotions associated with love, including devotion, longing, and the existential importance it holds for the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
سهرت، منه الليالي مال الغرام ومالي
I stayed up, the nights full of love and mine
إن صد عني حبيبي فلست عنه بسالي
If my beloved turns away from me, I won't ask about him
يطوف بالحب قلبي
My heart circles in love
يطوف بالحب قلبي، فراشة لا تبالي
My heart circles in love, like an uncaring butterfly
لا تبالي، لا تبالي، لا تبالي
Don't care, don't care, don't care
آه الحب، الحب فيه بقائي
Oh love, in it lies my existence
الحب، الحب فيه زوالي
Love, in it lies my vanishing
قلب بغير غرام جسم من الروح خالي
A heart without love is an empty body of the soul
أما رأيت حبيبي، في حسنه كالغزالِ
Have you seen my beloved, in his beauty like a gazelle
ربي كساه جمالاً ما بعده من جمال
God adorned him with beauty that surpasses all beauty
أنظره كيف تهادى من رقة ودلال
Look at how he moves gracefully with tenderness and charm
قل للأحبة رفقاً بحالهم وبحالى
Tell loved ones to be kind to themselves and to me
يبدون صداً ولكن هم يضمرون وصالي
They show coldness, but they secretly desire my companionship
ما أقصر العمر حتى نضيعه في النضال
Life is too short to be wasted in struggle
في النضال، في النضال، في النضال
In the struggle, in the struggle, in the struggle
قلب بغير غرام جسم من الروح خالي
A heart without love is an empty body of the soul
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Hussein Ahmed Shawki
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind