Carol Samaha - Like a Dreamكارول سماحة - مثل الحلمMitl el HilmComme un rêve

Updated media and translation

Carol Samaha - Like a Dream Like a dream We were two unlike anyone The dream was lost And we split in two Waiting for a word

We are not thinking the same
We never agree with each other
Despite that from my heart I love you and you likewise

But your heart alone will not suffice for the whole journey
There's many things we don't agree on
Let's make a decision

كارول سماحة - مثل الحلم

مثل الحلم كنا اتنين ما بنشبه حدا
ضاع الحلم صرنا اتنين كلمة ناطرين

فكرك مش على فكري
دايما مختلفين
مع اني من قلبي بحبك وانت كمان

قلبك وحده ما بيكفي لكل المشوار
باشيا كتيرة ما اتفقنا خلتنا نختار

Haifa Wehbe - I am Haifaهيفاء وهبي - أنا هيفاءAna Haifa

The lyrics to this song might not seem to make sense, and believe me, they don't make much sense in Arabic, and they are not really intended to. It is just filler for Haifa to say her name and dance in my opinion. For some reason, there was a trend a few years ago in which all the different Arabic pop singing girls made songs where they inserted the word "ana (أنا)", ie the pronoun for "I" or "me", into all the songs like a hundred times. I honestly don't know if they were all written by the same guy or what the deal is. I suppose it is supposed to be sexy when they women say "ana" non-stop, because you don't hear this type of thing in songs performed by males. If you want to go deeper, I think that it is considered sexy because it makes the girls look completely dumb and shallow, and draw attention to themselves, which is definitely the marketing used with some of these female Arab pop artists.

Haifa Wehbe - I am Haifa I am Haifa Who but me? My heart is afflicted with beautiful eyes Dance me Spoil me Your darling is me, but who is she?

Don't play around go tell her, my darling
Me and everyone else know
I'll tell her, my darling
My nights are bliss
My darling is with me, but who are you?

هيفاء وهبي - أنا هيفاء

أنا هيفاء أنا
من غيري أنا
قلبي اللي ابتلى بعيون حلوين
رقصني أنا دلعني أنا
حبيبتك انا بس هي مين

ما تلعب جلا روح
قول لا إلها حبيبي
أنا والناس عارفين
يا بقلها أنا
أنا ليلي هناء
حبيبي معي بس انتي مين
من بيبي أنا
أنا هيفاء أنا
يابيبي أنا والناس عارفين
أنا هيفاء أنا
من غيري أنا
حبيبك أنا مين غيري مين

Selma with Ziad Rahbani - Suit Against Anonymousسلمى وزياد رحباني - دعوة ضد مجهولDaawa Didd Mejhoul

Updated translation

This is off an album sung by Selma and composed by Ziad Rahbani. It's one of the few examples of Arabic jazz that i've seen.

The lyrics of this song are difficult to translate, especially the insults, which I have tried to translate literally to convey the meaning in Arabic even if they sound awkward in English. دعوى is a lawsuit.

Selma - Suit Against Anonymous This is a suit against anonymous You fool you drunk The fool is racing, racing with what Racing with some unknown

Cmon catch up my dear
Cmon catch up my dear

This is a suit with no limits
You clumsy fool you limited person

This means you mean you're accused
Everything is here/present

What will you accomplish my dear?
What will you accomplish my dear?

This is a suit against...against...against

سلمى - دعوة ضد مجهول

هاي دعوى ضد مجهول
يا بهلة يا مسطول

البهلة ملاحق، شو ملاحق؟
ملاحق مجهول

تعا حصّل يا حبيبي
وتعا حصّل يا حبيبي

هاي دعوة مالها حدود
يا أخرق يا محدود

هاي يعني بتعني عم تتهم
كل شي موجود

شو حَ تنجح يا حبيبي!
وشو حّ تنجح يا حبيبي

هاى دعوى ضد.. ضد.. ضد.. ضد!

Lyrics transcription from Jablah.com

Kazem el-Saher - Love Schoolكاظم الساهر - مدرسة الحبMadrasat el-Hob

Updated media and translation

The lyrics are from a Nizar Qabbani poen. The original translation was very hastily done, but I've updated it now.

Kazem el-Saher - Love School Loving you taught me how to be sad I've been in need for ages for a woman to make me sad For a women for me to cry in her arms like a sparrow For a woman to gather my pieces like shards of broken crystal Loving you, milady, taught me my worst habits It taught me to open my cup at night a thousand times And try herbal medicine and knock on the doors of fortune-tellers It taught me to leave my house to comb the sidewalks And follow your face with the rains in the headlights of cars The light of your eyes is millions of stars Oh woman, you made the world spin Oh my pain!

Loving you, milady, made me enter the cities of sadness
Cities of sadness that I had not entered before you
I didn't ever know that tears make you human
That someone without sadness is a vestige of a human

Loving you taught me to act like a child
To draw your face with chalk on the walls
Oh woman, you overturned my history
I've been cut up as sacrifice to you
From artery to artery
Loving you taught me how love can change the map of time
It taught me how when you love the world stops turning
Loving you taught me things that were never expected

I've read childrens stories and entered the castles of the kings of the Jinn
And I dreamed that the sultan's daughter (ie, her) would marry me
Her eyes were clearer than the water of the gulfs
Her lips were more crimson than pomegranate blossoms
And I dreamed that I took her like a knight
And I dreamed that I gave her bracelets of pearl and coral
Loving you, milady, taught me about delirium
It taught me how the years can pass without the sultan's daughter coming

كاظم الساهر - مدرسة الحب

علمني حبكِ ان احزن
وانا محتاج منذ عصور لامرأه تجعلني احزن
لامرأه ابكي فوق ذراعيها مثل العصفور

لامرأه تجمع اجزائي كشظايا البلور المكسور
علمني حبكِ سيدتي اسوأ عاداتي
علمني افتح فنجاني في الليله الاف المرات
واجرب طب العطارين واطرق باب العرافات
علمني اخرج من بيتي لامشط ارصفه الطرقات
واطارد وجهك بالامطار وفي اضواء السيارات
والملم من عينيكِ ملايين النجمات
ياامرأه دوخت الدنيا ياوجعي ياوجع النايات

ادخلني حبك سيدتي مدن الاحزان
وانا من قبلك لم ادخل مدن الاحزان
لم اعرف ابدا ان الدمع هو الانسان
ان الانسان بلا حزن ذكرى انسان
علمني حبك ان اتصرف كالصبيان
ان ارسم وجهك بالطبشور على الحيطان

ياامرأه قلبت تاريخي اني مذبوح فيكِ
من الشريان الى الشريان
علمني حبكِ كيف الحب يغير خارطه الازمان
علمني اني حين احب تكف الارض عن الدوران
علمني حبك اشياء ماكانت ابدا في الحسبان

وقرأت اقاصيص الاطفال دخلت قصور ملوك الجان
وحلمت بان تتزوجني بنت السلطان
تلك العيناها اصفى من ماء الخلجان
تلك الشفتاها اشهى من زهر الرمان
وحلمت باني اخطفها مثل الفرسان
وحلمت باني اهديها اطواق اللؤلؤ والمرجان
علمني حبك ياسيدتي ماالهذيان
علمني كيف يمر العمر ولا تأتي بنت السلطان

ادخلني حبك سيدتي مدن الاحزان
وانا من قبلك لم ادخل مدن الاحزان
لم اعرف ابدا ان الدمع هو الانسان
ان الانسان بلا حزن ذكرى انسان

Sara Al Hani - If I Had to Chooseسارة الهاني - لو خيرونيLaw Khayarouni

المتصفح الذي لديك لايدعم مشغل الأغاني. دبر حالك و روح نزل البرنامج أو .<A HREF="http://server5.sm3na.com/452/Sm3na_com_Law_Khayarouni.rm">اضغط هنا</A> لسماع الأغنية.

لو خیّرونی If I had to choose لو خیّرونی ما بین عیونی وبین هواک أسیب عیونی If I had to choose between my eyes and your love.. I'd give up my eyes اختار حبیبی أروح معاک الاحبیبی I would choose my love and go with you کل الانا عایزة من الدنیا لؤاک All I want in this life is to be with you

لو قالولک تبعد عنّی خلیها النهارده
If they told you to leave me.. Well you can do it today
عیّشنی اللیلادی حبیبی وانا بالیلة هارضة
Make my live for tonight.. and I will be satisfied with it
انا من امتی بحبک وانت ولا بحال
I've been in love with you for a long time, but you don't know how I feel
نفسی احکیلک عاللی ف قلبی واللی شاغللی بای
I wanna talk to you about my feelings and what I am thinking of

Mustafa Amar - Protect Meمصطفى قمر - خبينيKhabini

The verb خبى means "to hide" "to hold" or "to protect" or perhaps "to shield." Here I've used protect me, but know that it simultaneously means "hold me" in these sentences.

المتصفح الذي لديك لايدعم مشغل الأغاني. دبر حالك و روح نزل البرنامج أو .<A HREF="http://music.6arab.com/amar..5abbeeni.ram">اضغط هنا</A> لسماع الأغنية.

Mostafa Amar - Protect Me Protect me from the cold of night Hold me in your embrace and keep me warm Protect me from everyone, it doesn't matter where you take me

Let's escape from the fear of the nights
Let's forget the universe around us
Protect me, protect me

I see in your eyes dreams calling me
And when your eyes take me
I dream with you and get lost in your love
When I'm just standing in place

مصطفى قمر - خبيني

خبينى من برد الليل واحمينى فى حضنك دافينى
خبينى من برد الليل واحمينى فى حضنك دافينى
خبينى من كل الناس ولا حسبا لفين هتودينى
خلينا نهرب من خوف ليالينا
خلينا ننسى الكون من حوالينا
خبينى خبيني
خلينا نهرب من خوف ليالينا
خلينا ننسى الكون من حولينا
شايف فى عينك احلام تناديك وعينيك
وخدانى احلم وياك واتوه فى هواك
وانا واقف فى مكانى
خلينا نهرب من خوف ليالينا
خلينا ننسى الكون من حولينا
خبيني خبينى

Lyrics transcription from La7oon.com

Ragheb Alama - When I'm With Youراغب علامة - وأنا وياكWana Wayak

Ragheb Alama - When I'm With You When I'm with you, my darling, it's like I'm in heaven I found more than I could have wished for in you I'm in another world when I'm with you I love you and I couldn't live out my days without you I'd never forget you

My darling, I have nothing in this world but you
I want the years of life to pass with you
I love you so much that nothing I could say to you could describe
My darling, you made this world worth living
And you've given me more than I ever dreamed of
It's like the life I lived before you never happened

Since I've been with you, I've found all my dreams came true (literally: in my hands)
You've cared for me more than anyone else in this world
Life is worth nothing in my eyes without you
Believe me, you're closer to me than anyone
I'll say it as loud as I can
I love you

راغب علامة - وأنا وياك

و أنا وياك حبيبي كأني في الجنة
لقيت يا حبيبي فيك أكثر ما بتمنى
بعيش دنيا غير الدنيا و أنا وياك
متطمن انا بهواك و مش ممكن أعيش أيامي من غيرك ولا انساك

حبيبي ماليش من كل الدنيا إلا انت
و نفسي تفوت سنين عمري معاك انت
بحبك مهما اقولهالك ده ما يكفيش
حبيبي انت اللي بيك الدنيا صالحتني
و اكتر من اللي بحلم بيك انا اديتني
انا عمري اللي كان قبلك كأنو ماكان

و أنا وياك لقيت أحلامي في ايديا
يا اكتر قلب خاف في الدنيا دي عليه
ما تسواش حاجة في عينيا الحياة بعديك
صدقني يا أقرب لي انا مني
بقولها بأعلى صوت ليا انا بهواك

Lyrics transcription from here

Tamer Ashour - It Looks Like It's Goneتامر عشور - باينه ضاعBaynu Daa

Tamer Ashour - It Looks Like It's Gone I'm afraid to get close Someone listening is coming from afar Coming to shatter our beautiful hopes And I'll live alone afterwards Today is the day that we had never considered Whenever our eyes meet I go back in time And I remember the word that made us fall in love and tenderness I feel sorry for myself, my heart's torment is increasing

Oh, we dreamed of everything, except we never dreamed of this
We never once said that our love might someday be lost
The dream that's beginning was I love you's end turns out to be goodbye
We said that throughout our days all the other loves would be jealous of us
My dream was that I would die beside after many years
But that dream in a moment changed, or it looks like it's gone

Do you hear my heart begging to you stay here with me?
My hunger for you would never die
What should we do?
Our farewell is knocking at the door, my darling, it's calling us
Try to get used to it and I'll adjust
Don't you dare forget me
Please remember that I'll remember you every day
Take care
Our fate is to be separated
It's our destiny

تامر عشور - باينه ضاع

خايف قرب جاي علينا سامع من بعيد
جاي يكسر احلي امالينا واعيش بعده وحيد
هو اليوم اللي احنا حبيبي ما عملناش حسابه
كلما عيني تيجي في عينك برجع بالزمان
وافتكر الكلمة اللي مالتنا بالشوق والحنان
ترجع تصعب نفسي عليا قلبي يزيد عذابه

أة حلمنا بكل حاجة الا ده ما حلمنا بيه
عمرنا في مرة ما قلنا ان شوقنا تروح عليه
والحلم اللي بدايته بحبك تبقي نهايته وداع
قلنا هنفضل طول ايامنا حاسدنا العاشقين
كان حلمي اني اموت وانا جنبك بعد سنين جايين
بس الحلم في لحظة اتغير ولا باينه ضاع

سامع قلبي بيطلب منك تبقي قصاد عنيه
انا عمري ما بشبع منك بس هنعمل ايه
والله وداع بيدق علي بابنا حبيبي ينادينا
عود نفسك وانا هتعود واياك تنسي يوم
خليك فاكر ان انا فاكرك دايما كل يــــــــــوم
خد بالك منك ده نصيبنا فراق مكتوب علينا

Somaya - Beating Around the Bushسمية - لف ودورانLiff wa Dawaran

Leff wa Dawaran لف ودوران is an Arabic expression that means the equivalent of "beating around the bush" or not directly saying what you want to say.

المتصفح الذي لديك لايدعم مشغل الأغاني. دبر حالك و روح نزل البرنامج أو .<A HREF="http://dc150.4shared.com/download/123416402/dace5439/somaya-lf-wdwran.rm?tsid=20090806-183414-a86ec668">اضغط هنا</A> لسماع الأغنية.

Somaya - Beating Around the Bush What's with you man Let me go No matter what you say I won't come back to you You're causing a problem for me Do you remember me saying that I would come back?

I don't wanna beat around the bush
I know that your eyes wander (meaning, he's looking at other girls)
So you think that when you try to trick me I'll be happy with you

Frankly, you're fooling yourself
If you're gonna lie, lie well
Go act and try to fool somebody else
I feel sorry for you

As far as I'm concerned, I've removed you from my mind
Actually, what happened to me with you was too hard for me to forget
Oh my God, you're coming back again
Saying insincere sweet nothings and I don't understand them

This is how I feel
Stop talking nonsense
Wake up my darling and listen to me
Why are you making this into an ordeal?
Stop doing this with me and go, it's enough
Oh, spare me

Are you seriously coming to try to make me feel sorry for you?
I'm standing here before you stunned
How can you think that so easily I'll cave and soften towards you
You're lying to yourself
And I'm more than capable of repelling you and keeping up with you
I know all your words in full
So let's go, you poor boy

سمية - لف ودوران

مالك خيالتني ياعم حلني ده مهما قولتلي
مش هسمع
عامل لي مشكلة متهدى مش كده فاكرني قال كده
قال انا هرجع
لف ودوران انا مش عايزة انا عارفة ان انت عنيك زايغة
ومفكر لما هتخدعني انا هفرح بيك
بتضحك على شكلك بصراحة
اكدب بس اكدب بنصاحة
روح مثل واضحك على غيرى
انا صعبة عليك

انا بالنسبالي شيلتك من بالي
اصل اللى جرالي معاك اصعب من اني انساه
اه منك ياني راجع من تاني بتقول لي كلام حلو مزوق وانا مش فهماه
مالك خيالتني ياعم حلني ده مهما قولتلي
مش هسمع

انا قلبي هيدادي بلاش كلام فاضي اصحالي ياحبيبي
واسمعني
عاملها ليه حكاية بلاش كده معايا وروح كده كفاية
اه وارحمني
جاي بتتمسكن معقولة
انا واقفة قصادك مذهولة
ومفكر قال ايه بسهولة هضعف وهلين
تبقي انت بتكدب على نفسك
وانا قادرة اصدك وانافسك
ده انا حافظة كلامك بالملي يلا يا مسكين

Wael Jassar - All the Words in the Worldوائل جسار - كلام الدنيا كلهKalam El Donya Killo

Wael Jassar - All the Words in the World All the words in the world could not express my love for you If I lived my whole life for you, it would still be less than you deserve My heart, my soul, and my eyes They don't get week for anyone, but they get weak for you

My darling I love you so much it's killin me
And I don't want it to end
This moment with you alone, so long as I'm seeing you here with me
Made me care about living, so that you can stay with me, my darling

The most beautiful moment in my life
While I'm beside you, in your arms
I don't know what my life would be if one day I didn't live for you
Your heart is good and caring, as if my soul was in it
Before I ever knew you

وائل جسار - كلام الدنيا كله

كلام الدنيا كله مايكفيش حبي ليك
لو اعيش لك عمري كله برضه قليل عليك
قلبي وروحي وعنيا
ما بيضعفوش لحد .. ومعاك بيضعفو
يا حبيبي بحبك حب قاتلني منيش بعرفله نهاية
اللحظة معاك بالدنيا بحالها .. مادام شايفك ويايا
خلتني أخاف على عمري عشان تفضل يا حبيبي معايا

أجمل لحظة في حياتي .. وانا جمبك بين اديك
معرفش انا ايه حياتي .. لو يوم مابقتش ليك
قلبك طيب حنين .. كأن نفسي فيه أنا
من قبل ما اعرفه

يا حبيبي بحبك حب قاتلني منيش بعرفلو نهاية
اللحظة معاك بالدنيا بحالها .. مادام شايفك ويايا
خلتني أخاف على عمري عشان تفضل يا حبيبي معايا

Lyrics transcription from here

Wael Jassar - Kalam El Donya

Kalam El Donya Kolo
Maykfeesh Hoby Leek
Lao 23shlak 3omry Kolo
Bardo 2olyl 3aleek
Alby We roo7y We 3nya
Mabyd3foosh L7d
We M3ak Byd3fo

Ya Habeeby Ba7bak
Hob Atelny Maleesh 23rflo Nehya
Del La7za M3ak Bl Donya Ba7lha
Madam Shayfak Wayaya
5altny A5af 3ala 3omry 3ashan
Tefdal ya Habibi Ma3aya

Agmal La7za Fe Hayaty
Wana Ganbak Be2edeek
Ma3rfshy Ana Eih Hayaty
Lao Youm Mab2tshy Leek
Albak Tayb Henyn
Kan Nefsy Feeh Ana
Mn Abl Ma3rfo

Ya Habeeby Ba7bak
Hob Atelny Maleesh 23rflo Nehya
Del La7za M3ak Bl Donya Ba7lha
Madam Shayfak Wayaya
5altny A5af 3ala 3omry 3ashan
Tefdal ya habibi Ma3aya

Wahida Khalil - Who Are You Blaming, My Heart?وحيدة خليل - عليمن يا قلب تعتبAlayman Ya Galob Taeteb

You'll notice an exceedingly high percentage of the accompanying musicians wearing dark sunglasses. This is because in Baghdad there was a music school for the blind in the large Baghdad Jewish community, which produced scores of talented musicians and composers.

Wahida Khalil - Who Are You Blaming? Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming Who was it that you loved and tried and believed in Love is not faithfulness, only abandonment and betrayal Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming

Stop blaming and quit criticizing
Did you think you were in love with an angel (???)
Remember this shock and consider
You loved him and he loved you
And you were faithful to him and he was not faithful to you
Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming

Stop blaming he who is gone
He gave me sorrow while I gave him pureness
I started to reach him but he rejected me and cut me off
He cut the chord of love, that guy that I had loved
Who are you blaming, oh heart, who are you blaming

وحيدة خليل - عليمن يا قلب تعتب

عليمن يا قلب تعتب عليمن
هويت وجربت وامنت بيمن
ماللحب امانه .. بس هجر وخيانه
عليمن يا قلب تعتب عليمن

لا تعتب بعد واترك عتابك
اظن ملوّك هل كانوا احبابك
اذكر صدمتك واحسب حسابك
هويته وكان يهواك .. وفيت وما وفى وياك
عليمن ياقلب تعتب عليمن

لا تعتب بعد منهو اللي يوافي
سقاني الكدر وانا اسقيته صافي
بديت وصله وهو يصد ويجافي
قطع حبل المودة .. ذاك اللي كنت اوده
عليمن يا قلب تعتب عليمن

Lyrics transcription from here

Lamea Tawfiq - This Boyلميعة توفيق - هذا الحلوHatha al Halew

So here I have translated "helw (حلو)" "pretty" or "pretty person" as "boy" because it is a woman singing. However if a man were to sing this song, and it seems to be written from the persona of a man, it should be translated as "girl" I think.

Lamea Tawfiq - This Boy This boy is killing me auntie I love him so much and I want to tell him So how can you not understand me, auntie? My whole soul is with him Oh auntie, auntie

This boy is killing me and I want him
My heart has suffered while my soul is his hands
I can't bear being far from him
So how can I give my heart patience (to bear it)
When the fire of passion is burying it
My whole soul is with him
Oh auntie, auntie

He's inflicted me with sadness
His light is much more beautiful than the moon
I'm lost in my love, auntie
So how can I give my heart patience
When the fire of passion is burying it
My whole soul is with him
Oh auntie, auntie

Oh woe is me, oh the pain of my love
I've been so sleepless over him
The color has fled from my face, I've run out of strength
So how can I give my heart patience
When the fire of passion is burying it
My whole soul is with him
Oh auntie, auntie

لميعة توفيق - هذا الحلو

هذا الحلو قاتلني يا عمة
فدوه شقد احبه واريد اكلمه
وانتي شلون عمتي
بيه ما افتهمتي
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة يا عمة

هذا الحلو قاتلني واريده
عذب مهجتي والروح بايده
ومااصبر بعد عنه بعيدة
وقلبي شلون اصبره
ونار العشق قبره
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة ياعمة

هو بالحزن باليني بلوة
احلى من القمر وشويه اضوه
توه بالعشق يا عمة توه
قلبي شلون اصبره
ونار العشق قبره
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة ياعمة

اه من العشق منه يا ويلي
يما عالولف سهران ليلي
عمة انخطف لوني انهدم حيلي
وقلبي شلون اصبره
نار العشق قبره
وروحي كلها يمه
يا عمة يا عمة

Lyrics transcription from here

Afifa Iskender - It Burned my Soulعفيفة إسكندر - حرقت الروحHaragat al Rouh

Afifa Iskender - It Burned my Soul It burned my soul when we parted I cried and drowned them in my tears What did my heart say when we parted It burned my soul when we parted As I bid them farewell I say how can I forget them My heart, for God's sake go with them I would rather die than us be apart

I want those who left me to come back from the journey
I want to give them part of my soul as a keepsake
I've experienced every kind of affliction

عفيفة إسكندر - حرقت الروح

حرقت الروح لمن فارقتهم
بكيت ومن دموعي غرقتهم
إيش قال القلب لمن ودعتهم
حرقت الروح لمن فارقتهم
اْودعهم واْقول إشلون اْنساهم
ياقلبي لخاطر الله روح وياهم
اْريد الموت اْنا وماريد فرقاهم
اْريد اللي فارقوني بعد مشوار
اْريد اْنطيهم الدلال تذكار
واْنا بكل المصايب جربتهم

Lyrics transcription from here

Salima Murad - You Branch of Basilسليمة مراد - يا نبعة الريحانYa Nebaet al Rihan

This is a hard song to decipher for me for a lot of reasons, but I've done my best here to convey the meaning. The phrase "branch of basil (نبعة الريحان)" refers to the beloved of the poet, and this is intended to mean that she is pretty and sweet-swelling, basil being a sign of perfume in Iraq. In addition, basil is known to be a cure-all of sorts, and I think in calling the lover a branch of basil, the poet is demanding a cure for his love, describing himself as "walhaan (ولهان)" a word meaning in love with the connotation of being mad or sick in love. Of course, the cure for this sickness is to be with his love, the branch of basil.

Interestingly, the song, written by Abdel Karim al Alaf (عبد الكريم العلاف), is being sung from the persona of a man, even though the original performer, Selima Murad, is a woman.

Selima Murad or "Selima Pasha" herself is a unique figure in Arabic music history, as she was one of the early great figures of Iraqi music and also Jewish. However, unlike most of Iraq's formerly large Jewish population, she did not leave Iraq in 1948 after the founding of Israel and remained in Iraq until her death in 1975. The composer of this song, Shalekh (Saleh) al Kuwaiti (صالح الكويتي) was also an Iraqi Jew. Selima Murad was married to the great Iraqi singer, Nazem al-Ghazali.

Selima Murad - You Branch of Basile You branch of basile, take pity on the one who's infatuated with you My body has become emaciated, my soul has melted, and my bones are showing I no longer know what to do about this sickness inside of me My condition is difficult and there's not a person who knows the cure

The day I loved I went crazy
I've been confused, I don't know what my crime was

I haven't committed any crimes except loving the loved
It's not a crime for me to repent from and ask for forgiveness

سليمة مراد - يا نبعة الريحان

يا نبعة الريحان حني على الولهان
جسمي نحل والروح ذابت وعظمي بان

من علتي اللي باحشاي ما ظل عندي راي
دائي صعب ودواي ما يعرفها انسان

يوم الذي حبيت يا منيتي جنيت
حاير انا تميت ما ادري ذنبي أيش كان

ما عندي كل ذنوب إلا هوى المحبوب
لاهو ذنب لاتوب واتجبر الرحمن

Nazem al-Ghazali - Coming Out of Her Father's Houseناظم الغزالي - طالعة من بيت أبوهاTalia Min Bayt Abua

This is a song about a guy flirting with a very pretty girl who is flirting back by rejecting him arrogantly

Nazem al-Ghazali - Coming Out of Her Father's House Coming out of her father's house on her way to the neighbor's house She passed by and didn't say hi to me Perhaps this pretty girl is upset

I told her, "my dear, give me some water I'm thirsty"
She said, "go away you poor boy, our water does not quench the thirsty"

I told her "my dear, then show me your height" (meaning her pretty stature)
She told me "go away my poor boy, my height is a branch of basile" (I know this makes sense, I can't figure out how to translate it a way that makes sense. Basile was once warn by women as a perfume, although less so today, in Arabia. This line means she is tall, pretty and sweet, and not for him)

I told her "my dear, then show me your eyes"
She told me "go away my poor boy, my eyes are as pretty as the gazelle's"

ناظم الغزالي - طالعة من بيت أبوها

طالعة من بيت ابوها رايحة لبيت الجيران
فات ما سلم عليا يمكن الحلو زعلان

قلت لها يا حلوة ارويني عطشان مي اسقيني
قالت لي روح يا مسكيني مينا مايروي العطشان

قلت لها ياحلوة ارويني على طولك فرجيني
قالت لي روح يامسكيني طولي نبعة ريحان

قلت لها يا حلوة ارويني على عيونك فرجيني
قالت لي روح يا مسكيني عيوني عيون الغزلان

Abdel Halim Hafez - I Love Youعبد الحليم حافظ - اهواكAhwak

Abdel Halim Hafez - I Love You I love you And if I forget you I hope I forget my soul And if I lose it you can keep it If you forget me

So I forget you and forget your cruelness
Only to miss my torment with you and find my tears remember you
And then I go back to you again

When you come to me the whole world comes with you
And it's wish is your wish
And at that time my deprivation from your love might end

And I'll find you thinking of me and I of you
And our eyes meeting once again
And their words will be all over you even though you try to hide it (meaning she won't be able to hide her feelings)

And I'd take care of you
And awake in the night calling out to you
And send you my soul to wake you up
Get up, oh you who's preoccupied me, and experience the hell I've been through

عبد الحليم حافظ - أهواك

أهواك واتمنى لو انساك
وانسى روحي وياك
وان ضاعت يبقى فداك لو تنساني

وانساك وتريني بانسى جفاك
واشتاق لعذابي معاك
والقى دموعي فاكراك ارجع تاني
في لقاك الدنيا تجيني معاك
ورضاها يبقى رضاك
وساعتها يهون في هواك طول حرماني

والاقيك مشغول وشاغلني بيك
وعيني تيجي في عينيك
وكلامهم يبقى عليك وانت تداري

واراعيك واصحى من الليل اناديك
وابعت روحي تصحيك
قوم ياللي شاغلني بيك جرب ناري

Lyrics transcription from here