Showing posts with label Bassam Bitar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bassam Bitar. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Debke of the Syrian Coast

Debke of the Syrian Coast Podcast
دبكة الساحل السوري




Click play to hear the podcast

Click here to download

Debke is a kind of folk music native to Arabic countries of the Levant. It's accompanying dance resembles the folk dance of most countries, people dance in a circle holding hands to specific steps. Each region has its own particular songs and dances that it is known for.

However the modern state of debke is not a timeless tradition as shown in the above picture. In Lebanon for example debke has been adapted to modern pop conventions and utilized by the likes of Melhem Zaen and Fares Karam as well as countless others, neatly packaged and marketed for Lebanese consumers. In other countries such as Palestine, debke is considered a piece of Arabic cultural heritage and history, tied to identity and pride. Nonetheless, each Arabic community has its local modern performs, and Syria is no exception. Most of the debke being recorded there is lo-fi, sometimes live performances from concerts and parties, with recordings often being distributed on unorganized, poorly labeled MP3 CDs and cassettes.

Normally debke songs can be quite long, 10 minutes or longer, with long org (electric keyboard) solos and plenty of repetition. In order to maximize space, this podcast presents recent debke and itaba (عتابا) in one long mix that serves as one continuous performance. The songs in this mix all represent music of the Syrian coast with a very broad meaning, including basically all cities West of Deir Ezzor (that's another story).

1. Saria al-Sawas - Just Listen What I Say (translation available)
سارية السواس - بس اسمع مني

This is one of the biggest hits to come out of the Syrian Debke scene in the past year. See song page for more

2. Mohamed Nour - Drive Me Crazy (4:24)
محمد نور - جنني

Can somebody confirm the artist for this, there is some confusion?

3. Mohamed Nour - A,B Boobaye (7:23) (translation available)
محمد نور- ألف باء وبوبايه

This song features a little rhyming game, where the singer announces a letter, the sings a rhyming line utilizing that letter. To hear the full song see song page for more


4. Saleh el-Sheikh - Tattoo (10:13)
صالح الشيخ - تاتو

A song about a girl that drives him wild. At one point he says, "There's not a married man who's seen you whose wife hasn't yelled at him."

5. Ali Dyoub - Get Up and Dance Girl (13:38)
علي ديوب - قومي تندبك ولدة

This is a Bedouin style debke, telling a girl to get up and debke to make everyone else at the gathering get up and celebrate as well.

6. Fariha al-Abdullah (17:25)
فريحة العبدلله

Don't know the title, any help?

7. Jelal Hamade - Heater (21:19)
جلال حمادة - صوبا

The song starts out describing people sitting around a heater, the kind that burns fuel or wood not an electric heater.

8. Ozeina al-Ali - If Only (24:53) (translation available)
أذينة العلي - يا ريتك

This song has an air of melancholy and longing, yet still contains some great org solos. He's saying "if only you would come to me." To hear the full song see the song page for more

9. Bassam Bitar - Under Her Howdah (28:51) (translation available)
بسام بيطار - تحت هودجها

This is a modern take on a well-known Syrian folk song. For the full song see song page for more

10. Mayada al-Ali - Don't Remind Me (31:41)
ميادة العلي - لا تذكرني

11. Mounir Hamade - The Gardens (35:40)
منير حمادة - كروم التينة

He's singing for a girl he really loves, telling her to come back.

12. Ali al-Deek - Abu Shahade (38:10) (translation available)
علي الديك - أبو شحادة

Ali al-Deek is one of the most famous Syrian artists performing Debke. This song is a plea to a stubborn father that won't let the singer marry his daughter. Many consider him to be the lamest figure in contemporary Syrian culture, Ali al-Deek that is, not the father. For the whole song and more info see the song page.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Bassam Bitar - Under Her Howdahبسام بيطار - تحت هودجهاTaht Howdijha

This is part of our Syrian Debke Podcast

A modern take on an old Syrian folk song. For more see the Sabah Fakhri version



Bassam Bitar - Under Her Howdah

Under her howdah
While we fought
Swords were drawn
Oh woe is me
Oh woe is me
They took my love and went north
They went afar, went afar
How can I fly when I have no wings


بسام بيطار - تحت هودجها(يا ويل حالي)

تحت هودجها
وتعالجنا
صار سحب سيوف
ياويل حالي
ياويل .... ياويل حالي
أخذو حبي وراحو شمالي
راحوا لبعيد .... لبعيد راحوا
كيف بدي أطير وجناح مالي
ياويلي ... ياويل حالي

Friday, June 12, 2009

Bassam Bitar - By the Springبسام بيطار - حد العينHadd Al Ain

Bassam Bitar - By the Spring

I waited for you by the spring
And my daydream made our meeting more beautiful
But you broke your promise and didn't come
And wounded the heart that loves you
You broke your promise and didn't come
And you scorched my heart

And in my sleep I see you've come
And I dream that I'm living together with you

You didn't come when you were supposed to
Why didn't you come?
Why is your heart distancing itself from me?
Why have you become so cruel?

May the past refresh your memory if you're forgotten me
May your heart calm you down if you're upset

Oh, no no, I would have given my eye for you
And you've forgotten the one who loves you

I pray that God will bring us together and never drive us apart
If only you would live with me and we would never part

Wonderful days that we've lived, I haven't forgotten
And so many nights we stay up late together

Oh, no no, Good lord you're so beautiful

بسام بيطار - حد العين

حد العين انطرناكي
و الحلم يجمل ملقاكي
نسيتي الوعد و ما جيتي
و اجرحتي القلب اليهواكي

نسيتي الوعد و ما جيتي
كويتيلي قلبي كويتي

و بنومي عم شوفك جيتي
و احلم عايش انا و اياكي

ماجيتي ع الموعد .. ليش ما جيتي
ليش قلبك عم يبعد ... ليش قسيتي

خلي الماضي يصحيكي لو نسياني
خلي القلب يراضيكي لو زعلاني

يا با اوووووف برمش العين فديناكي
وانت نسيتي اللي بيهواكي

بدعي ل الله يجمعنا و لا يفرقنا
يا ريت تعيشي عنا و لا يفرقنا

ايام حلوة عشناها و ما مننساها
ياما ليالي سهرناها انا و اياها

يابا اووووووووووف اووف سبحان الله وما حلاكي

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