NGONGE Posted May 1, 2013 The title of the thread is a song by the late Egyptian singer Abdul Halim Hafez. It tells a story of two friends walking in some unknown street when a pretty girl happens to walk past and smile at them both. The narrator describes the scene, the girl and his feelings at that moment in time. It’s a story, in a song. There are lots of songs (or poems) in many languages and cultures that probably talk of similar stories of fleeting meetings or chance encounters (Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” is one of those). However, what attracted me to this song more than most are the actual atmosphere and time when it was performed. In the 40s and 50s of the last century, there was no such thing as MTV or music clips. Singers and performers used to arrange huge concerts that everyone who was anyone in the Arab world would try to book tickets for. Whenever any of these performers (Abdul Halim, Um Kalthum, Fareed Al Atrash or Abdul Wahab) had a new song to publicise they would arrange a concert and play the song at that venue. Most of these songs would last up to an hour each (and sometimes more). They lasted that long because the musical composition of each of these songs required an entire orchestra to play it and was lavishly full of tune and melody. At this point, you’re probably asking yourself why am I bothering to share this “Carab Naag” art with you! Well, it’s not the song that I am trying to share but rather the feelings and thoughts that such a thing conjures up. If you bear in mind that this was done at a time when people didn’t watch much TV and drama was only found in movies and theatres, you can then imagine how a song that tells a story would have felt to such people. In addition, the use of the orchestra, the dramatic music, strategic pauses and the performer’s acting added to the magical atmosphere such songs created. Now, as you read the lyrics of the song below try to put yourself in the shoes of the story-teller (singer) or, imagine being a member of the audience whilst picturing your own ebb and flow of orchestral sounds (or I’ll post a clip of the song if you like). Is it him she smiled at or was it his friend? Did she really smile at them or did he imagine it? How does the story end, do we find out? If you were a member of the audience, are you starting to tense up as you memorise the words so that you can go home and repeat them to everyone in your local maqaaxi ala “ way ag martay, markaasay o qososhay daeetana way garan waayeen ciday o qososhay.....”? Here are the words of the song (the repetition is to help the maqaaxi people to remember). She walked past us, walked past me and him. She smiled at us, smiled at me and him. I answered, and kept answering till she left Forgot myself, woke up, and she left with the sun. And I kept thinking, and before I thought too much I asked myself a question that puzzled me Why am I thinking? Why am I puzzled? How do I know that she wants me, not him? How do I know that the smile was for me, not him? And why me? Why me? Why not him? Another time, another coincidence I and he were on our way Another time, another coincidence I and he were on our way We saw a sweet walk coming, and a third shadow A third shadow, racing us, racing us I turned and it was her, I turned and it was her It's unbelievable, it was her, her. I started to listen, in my heart, in my heart to a melody of love, melody of love A melody of love that's new to me. I listened to a few words of hers Words she never said. But I felt, I felt, and for the first time, I did And for the first time, I live and feel. And found myself melting, melting in her whisper In her silent whisper. She smiled again, the same smile and she left Like life, comes once and leaves in a second. I looked at my friend, found him in another world. He wanted to say a word that my heart said. I wanted to ask him: did he feel her, did he think? Did he, too, feel her and did he think? Did he? And I said again.. I said again. Why am I thinking? Why am I puzzled? How do I know that she wants me, not him? How do I know that the smile was for me, not him? And why me? Why me? Why not him? I went home, went home. Went home, didn't know what's wrong. Didn't know what happened to me, what happened? I was happy, wanted to laugh. I was sad, wanted to cry. Happy, wanted to laugh.. Sad, wanted to cry. Can't reach my tears, can't reach my tears. Nor can I find a shoulder to cry on. I fell in love with her. Yes, I did. I can't forget her laugh. Could she be the joy of my life that I've finally found? Where has this day been? Where? God bless her and her laugh. Two days later, my heart woke up from joy Asked me: when can we see her & I ask where? The nights, they tortured me, my mind and thoughts. The ghost of jealousy was drawn before my eyes. Whenever I find my friend happy, I think: She must have met him. And if I see sorrow in his eyes, I think: She must have left him. I found no way to rest from the torture But to search and ask, and get an answer from her. And I found a way to her, I found one. I sent a couple of words.. Not more than two lines. Told her, have mercy, tell me, where am I? And I got the answer.. I got it. I got the answer, got it, found her waiting for me She said: I've been smiling at you, dark-skinned one, Oh, dark-skinned one! It's me, me, yeah me, me. Me me me not him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maaddeey Posted May 1, 2013 He sang in English?. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted May 1, 2013 ^^ No. Arabic. I found the translation online (wouldn't have bothered otherwise). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
