Summary
The expression of feelings and emotions via music is a common theme in popular Arabic music.
Regional musicians have continually sought new methods to express about love, whether it be via the spacious and majestic compositions of Umm Kulthum or the current pop sounds of Amr Diab.
The Emirati singer Mehad Hamad used the phrase “a house enshrined in light” to describe love. The Egyptian singer Abu compared its effect to the beating of the drum. His compatriot Abdel Halim Hafez said love can make you forget about life itself. The Syrian singer Asmahan warned how it can bring joy to life but also rob life of its joy.
Listed here, in no particular sequence, are ten songs spanning a century’s worth of musical history that explore this enduring feeling.
1. Umm Kulthum’s Enta Omry (in Arabic: ). (1964)
This is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written by the Egyptian musician. The lyrics translate to “you are my life.”
Umm Kulthum developed longer and shorter versions of the same song, which she originally recorded and released as a 40-minute piece with many sections.
The forthright lyrics written by Ahmed Kamal, which investigate the many facets of love, are the most memorable parts of the song, even more so than the catchy musical portions that are easy to hum along with.
In one of her most impressive performances, Umm Kulthum manages to conjure up the full force of a range of feelings, from the anguish of yearning to the excitement of a new love being called “the beginning of my existence.”
2. Ahwak by Abdel Halim Hafez (1953)
Ahwak (I Love You), which was recorded in the early stages of Hafez’s career as an esteemed Egyptian singer and was given the nickname The Black Nightingale, is an excellent example of Hafez’s thunderous voice.
The lyrics written by Hussein El Sayed avoid using metaphors in favour of speaking straight to the listener’s emotions.
The first line of the song is, “I adore you, and I hope that if I ever forget you, I also lose my soul with you,” and it goes on to say that. “And if it goes lost, it is fine if you have forgotten about me,” the message said.
3. Mohammed Abdel Wahab’s Ashek El Roh, cited as Ashek El Roh (1949)
We owe Mohammed Abdel Wahab our gratitude for being a forerunner in the incorporation of an orchestral sound into both traditional and contemporary forms of Arabic music.
Ashek El Roh is characterised by its conversational lyrics and the rhythmic employment of strings and mandolins. The name of this genre translates to “lover of the soul.”
The subject matter, in which Abdel Wahab begs his girlfriend to be emotionally open to him, contributes to the tension by saying things like, “I’m a guest to her world, like dawn and night/While everything has occurred while you’re forgetting about me and I am next to you.”
4. Eina el-Layali by Asmahan (1932)
Syrian singer Asmahan asks, “where did the wonderful nights go?” in this wistful song about unrequited love.
She bares her soul as she describes a love that has the power to both wound and mend while being accompanied by oud.
5. Sallimleh Alayh, a poem written by Fairouz (1999)
One of the most emotionally charged songs performed by the Lebanese artist.
The words of the song may be seen as either a sweet dedication to a well-established relationship or the melancholy that results from love that isn’t returned. The song’s title means “say hey to him.”
The first line of the song is “Say hello to him.” “Say hello to him and let him know that you got it from me. You are the only one who understands him, so kiss his eyes and tell him that I kiss his eyes.
6. El Hob El Kebir by Ragheb Alama (2004)
Ragheb Alama, a Lebanese musician known for his passionate balladry, reflects on “the great love of his life” in the song El Hob El Kebir.
The song is a popular choice for Valentine’s Day as well as for weddings because of the thoughts it expresses of a love that is solid and long-lasting, despite the fact that it is presented in an energetic pop format.
7. Shafaqat Bareq Lelah by Mehad Hamad (2018)
This tune is a beguiling combination of traditional Emirati folk and blues, and a loose translation of its title gives it the meaning “blistering lightning.”
Mehad Hamad’s weathered tones sing about being hit by Cupid’s arrow and how love “is the medicine for the injured” and “it is a mansion ensconced in light.” Mehad Hamad’s lyrics are a testament to the power of love.
8. Daqat No. 3 by Abu featuring Yousra (2017)
This upbeat summertime favourite proves that a love song does not always have to be a sombre ballad to be effective.
The clever lyrics, which were written by Abu and another Egyptian actress named Yousra, make a comparison between falling in love at first sight and the growing beats of a song: “When I saw her, my heart beat three times; the drum entered in my head playing with the things inside; when the riq [a hand percussion instrument] entered in my heart, I fell in love.” “When I saw her, my heart beat three times; the drum entered in my head playing with the things inside; when the riq entered in my heart, I What options do I have? I started to sing.”
The song was an immediate success, with more than 125 million views on YouTube in the first three months after it was posted online for streaming and download.
Amr Diab’s Tamally Maak is number 9 on the list (2000)
This is one of the most moving works by the Egyptian pop musician, and the title of the song translates to “always with you.”
As Diab reflects on a once-in-a-lifetime connection, the melancholy atmosphere of nostalgia permeates Tamally Maak, which combines guitars from the Mediterranean with wistful strings.
He adds, “Even if you are far away from me, know that I am with you.” “I carry your love in my heart always.”
El Bint El Awiye, written by Wael Kfoury (2021)
Because he walks a fine line between love, heartbreak, and sarcasm in this song, it has become one of Kfoury’s most popular songs.
Kfoury abandons the wistful vocals that have been his signature in favour of a more fun staccato delivery, and the song is filled with flashes of flamenco guitar.
During one point in the song, he says, “If you ever leave me and stop loving me, I vow I will make my eyes go blind.”
“If you were to ever go, everything in my life would fall apart. What kind of harm would I inflict upon myself? I am unable to say.”
Is this a serious statement of love, or are you making a joke about it? Who cares when everything sounds like such a jolly good time?