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!
Shaghalouni
Soumaya Baalbaki Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ساعة أبكي . وساعة يبكي علي حالي
ليالي ليالي . عهد وغالي مهما جرى لي
كان الجمال عندي . زهرة وبتعدي مابين خيال العين
أعشق جمالها يوم . ويفوت عليها النوم أنساها بعد يومين
إيه اللى خلى الفكر يروح . ويقابله من غير ما يقولي
مين اللى قال لعيون الروح . تعشق هواه وتشوفه قبلي
ياللي هواك جاني . وماكان على بالي مكتوب لي إيه وياك
عاهدني تشغل قلبي عليك . وتنشغل اكثر مني
أوعدني لما اشتاق لعينيك . ما تجيش فى يوم وتغيب عني
The song "Shaghalouni" by Soumaya Baalbaki depicts the intensity of unrequited love where the singer pleads with the person she loves to occupy her thoughts and keep her from sleeping while also being consumed by thoughts of them. The lyrics convey a sense of helplessness on her part as one moment she is crying over the situation and the next she is crying out of sheer love for this person. The singer reflects on the beauty of the person she loves, a beauty that is overwhelming and goes beyond what she can imagine. She asks the question of what has caused her mind to be so taken over by this person, and wonders who it was that told her soul to love him before she did. The song portrays the singer's deep yearning for the love of this person, and her fear that this love will be lost or not reciprocated. She requests that he promise to keep her heart occupied with thoughts of him and to never disappear from her sight, even if she is overcome by longing for him.
Overall, the song "Shaghalouni" by Soumaya Baalbaki is a representation of the phenomenon of unrequited love, where the intensity of the love can consume the person and leave them feeling helpless and powerless. The song is a beautiful portrayal of the complexity and depth of emotions involved in such a situation.
Line by Line Meaning
شغلونى . وشغلوا النوم عن عيني ليالي
Keep me busy so that I don't have to think of sleep at night.
ساعة أبكي . وساعة يبكي علي حالي
Sometimes I cry and sometimes I make others cry for my situation.
ليالي ليالي . عهد وغالي مهما جرى لي
Nights and nights, a commitment that means a lot to me no matter what happens.
كان الجمال عندي . زهرة وبتعدي مابين خيال العين
Beauty was with me, a flower that passes between the imagination of the eye.
أعشق جمالها يوم . ويفوت عليها النوم أنساها بعد يومين
I love her beauty one day, but after two days I forget her because sleep overtakes me.
إيه اللى خلى الفكر يروح . ويقابله من غير ما يقولي
What made my thoughts go away and meet others without me telling them to?
مين اللى قال لعيون الروح . تعشق هواه وتشوفه قبلي
Who said to the eyes of the soul, 'Love his love and see him before me'?
ياللي هواك جاني . وماكان على بالي مكتوب لي إيه وياك
You who came to me with your love, and I never thought about what was written for me and you.
خايف يهون حبي . ويهون عليك قلبي والقى الدموع تهواك
I'm afraid my love will diminish, and my heart will be disheartened towards you, and tears will fall for you.
عاهدني تشغل قلبي عليك . وتنشغل اكثر مني
Promise me to occupy my heart with you, and to be more occupied with you than myself.
أوعدني لما اشتاق لعينيك . ما تجيش فى يوم وتغيب عني
Promise me, when I miss your eyes, not to disappear from me at any moment.
Contributed by Colton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.