Warda - My Lettersوردة (الجزائرية) - جوباتيJawabati

Warda has been called the “heir to Oum Kalthoum’s throne” (Oum Kalthoum, “the star of the East,” is the most popular Arabic singer in history. She died in 1975; her funeral was bigger than Nasser’s.) because her roots are in Oum Kalthoum’s traditional style of Arabic song. She has an amazing voice and emotional range. She is Algerian in origin (also known as Warda al-Jaza’iriyya) but sings in the Egyptian dialect. This is a deeply moving ballad; I especially like the rhythm and tempo changes.

Warda - My Letters Don’t return my letters, unless you give my life back with them. And my hope, and my soul, and my heart… and my tears and smiles. All of those together you took; Either you give them all back or you leave them as they are. Don’t return my letters. My hope used to make the memory beautiful, not difficult and bitter. My hope used to make our separation easier by far than what is happening now. But you’ve chosen not to speak to me, and not one day do you return my greetings. You’ve started to live your days to waste mine. See… See, how even in separation I still live our passion! And you try to save yourself from it, as though it were fire that burns us. My letters – don’t dare return them, with their smiles and tears. And if I love again one day, forget me and tear them up.

وردة (الجزائرية) - جوباتي

ماترجعليش جوباتي إلا ومعاها حياتي
و أمالي وروحي وقلبي ودموعي وابتسماتي
دول مع بعض انت واخدهم
ياترجعهم ياتسيبهم
ماترجعليش جوباتي

كان أملي تخلي الذكرى حلوه مش صعبه ومره
كان أملي تخلي فراقنا أسهل قوي م اللي بيجرى
بس انت اخترت خصامي ولا يوم بترد سلامي
وبدأت تعيش أيامك و انت مضيع أيامي

شوف...شوف حتى إزاي في فراقنا أنا لسه بعيش أشواقنا
و انت بتتخلص منها وكأنها نار بتحرقنا
جوباتي إوعى ترجعها بابتسامتها ودموعها
وان يوم حبيت من تاني أبقى إنساني وقطعها