NND's take on Lebanese Music

jennypaul2009 · 01-26-2010, 03:51 AM

I had never heard it before ....dis is amazing

NumberNineDream · 02-14-2010, 10:14 PM

I thought I'd bump this.

So, Mashrou' Leila, a band I talked about previously, has released its first music video... I liked it, very "ethnic" lol. I haven't posted that song before, and this time, the video is official (and not composed of a single photo).

Here's their single, Raksit Leila, off their self-titled album, released in 2009.

Enjoy.

NumberNineDream · 03-26-2010, 06:48 PM

I just stumbled on this video few minutes ago, but I just had to post it, as kind of a homage to Lhasa de Sela that tragically died few months ago, succumbing to breast cancer.

Lhasa is from Lebanese origins, so she lately started to sing in her concerts one of the most typically Lebanese songs, by Fairuz, and lyrics by another great Lebanese artist, Gubran Kahlil Gubran.

That song, worked greatly with Lhasa's voice, and the song itself is awe-inspiring.

Enjoy.
Cheers.

NumberNineDream · 05-18-2010, 01:03 PM

Wadih el-Safi

Wadih El Safi (born Wadih Francis in 1921, and still alive and healthy at the age of 89) is a Lebanese Folk and Tarab singer, often referred to as "The Voice of Lebanon", and known for his very powerful vocal range filled with warmth and sensibility, always accompanied by his own oud playing.

He started his musical career after winning a contest on the national radio at the age of 17. After that, he began composing and singing his own songs, and appearing in the Lebanese musicals made popular in the 50s and 60s and in the usual musical plays, alongside the biggest names in the business (in Lebanon & Egypt anyway), and composing to names like Fairuz and Sabah.

He sang his country and sang for love, with heartbreaking Mouwals (a kind of slow emotional improvisation introducing the song) and his own heartfelt lyrics. So here are the usual youtube vids. I tried putting a bit of variety, so there are two sad songs and the other two are a bit more jovial.

The Saddies:

Rah halfak bel ghoson ya 'asfour (I will make you swear by the branch, O bird) - Walaw ( I don't think there's a word for it in English, it's if Caesar was Lebanese and he got stabbed in the back by Brutus, he would've turned to him and said "Walaw? Thou too, Brutus?")

The Jovials:

Al laylou ya layla (The night, O Layla) ------ Andak bahriyya ya Rayess (You got sailors Chief)

I just noticed something in the guy's style of writing. Seems like all the poems he writes are a kind of Mounajat, a style in Arabic literature used to write a conversation, or monologue, to an object or a person.

NumberNineDream · 05-18-2010, 01:21 PM

Just two extra videos I felt I should include in a second post.

Here's an example of one of el-Safi's songs in a play entitled "Ahwet Ayn el-May" (as in Café Ayn el-May) - the costumes were hilarious.

Yamma ana wa al layl (When I'm with the night)

Another thing to add to this review/article, is the collaboration of Wadih el-Safi with Andalusian gypsy singer Jose Fernandes in late 90s, which revived el-Safi's career and widened his already vast popularity. Many of el-Safi's classics got redone with Flamenco style, to give us this:

Jannat (Paradise gardens)

Description (from youtube): This videoclip is of Wadih el-Safi and Jose Fernandez performing Jannat. Wadih is celebrating his 79th birthday on this day at Casino du Liban on 31-Oct.-1999. That is his son, Georges el-Safi, on the violin. Wadih's wife and daughter are in the crowd. Proof that he can still rock no matter what's his age.

Enjoy!

01-26-2010, 03:51 AM	#21 (permalink)
jennypaul2009 Groupie Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5	I had never heard it before ....dis is amazing __________________ Link removed by Moderator - no promotions allowed.

02-14-2010, 10:14 PM	#22 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	I thought I'd bump this. So, Mashrou' Leila, a band I talked about previously, has released its first music video... I liked it, very "ethnic" lol. I haven't posted that song before, and this time, the video is official (and not composed of a single photo). Here's their single, Raksit Leila, off their self-titled album, released in 2009. Enjoy. __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge

03-26-2010, 06:48 PM	#23 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	I just stumbled on this video few minutes ago, but I just had to post it, as kind of a homage to Lhasa de Sela that tragically died few months ago, succumbing to breast cancer. Lhasa is from Lebanese origins, so she lately started to sing in her concerts one of the most typically Lebanese songs, by Fairuz, and lyrics by another great Lebanese artist, Gubran Kahlil Gubran. That song, worked greatly with Lhasa's voice, and the song itself is awe-inspiring. Enjoy. Cheers. __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge

05-18-2010, 01:03 PM	#24 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	Wadih el-Safi Wadih El Safi (born Wadih Francis in 1921, and still alive and healthy at the age of 89) is a Lebanese Folk and Tarab singer, often referred to as "The Voice of Lebanon", and known for his very powerful vocal range filled with warmth and sensibility, always accompanied by his own oud playing. He started his musical career after winning a contest on the national radio at the age of 17. After that, he began composing and singing his own songs, and appearing in the Lebanese musicals made popular in the 50s and 60s and in the usual musical plays, alongside the biggest names in the business (in Lebanon & Egypt anyway), and composing to names like Fairuz and Sabah. He sang his country and sang for love, with heartbreaking Mouwals (a kind of slow emotional improvisation introducing the song) and his own heartfelt lyrics. So here are the usual youtube vids. I tried putting a bit of variety, so there are two sad songs and the other two are a bit more jovial. The Saddies: Rah halfak bel ghoson ya 'asfour (I will make you swear by the branch, O bird) - Walaw ( I don't think there's a word for it in English, it's if Caesar was Lebanese and he got stabbed in the back by Brutus, he would've turned to him and said "Walaw? Thou too, Brutus?") The Jovials: Al laylou ya layla (The night, O Layla) ------ Andak bahriyya ya Rayess (You got sailors Chief) I just noticed something in the guy's style of writing. Seems like all the poems he writes are a kind of Mounajat, a style in Arabic literature used to write a conversation, or monologue, to an object or a person. __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge

05-18-2010, 01:21 PM	#25 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	Just two extra videos I felt I should include in a second post. Here's an example of one of el-Safi's songs in a play entitled "Ahwet Ayn el-May" (as in Café Ayn el-May) - the costumes were hilarious. Yamma ana wa al layl (When I'm with the night) Another thing to add to this review/article, is the collaboration of Wadih el-Safi with Andalusian gypsy singer Jose Fernandes in late 90s, which revived el-Safi's career and widened his already vast popularity. Many of el-Safi's classics got redone with Flamenco style, to give us this: Jannat (Paradise gardens) Description (from youtube): This videoclip is of Wadih el-Safi and Jose Fernandez performing Jannat. Wadih is celebrating his 79th birthday on this day at Casino du Liban on 31-Oct.-1999. That is his son, Georges el-Safi, on the violin. Wadih's wife and daughter are in the crowd. Proof that he can still rock no matter what's his age. Enjoy! __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge Last edited by NumberNineDream; 05-18-2010 at 01:32 PM.