Above the Palm Trees/I've Got a Friend Up Thereفوك النخل\فوق إلنا خلFoug El Nakhel/Foug Ilna Khill

We've translated many an Arabic folk song here on the blog performed by various artists, but the discussion on this song is so massive and the versions so numerous that it deserves its own post. "Fog al-Nakhel (فوق النخل)" is one of the most famous Arabic songs. It originated in Iraq and quickly spread throughout the Arabic world with the advent of radio and television. One of the earliest versions was performed by Nazem al-Ghazali, but there are others by Sabah Fakhri, Ilham al-Madfai, Kazem el-Saher and many others. Of course, the verses seem to be infinite.

I've always tried to understand the song, which eventually led me to discussion forums discussing the lyrics and meaning. That's when I discovered the open secret that the lyrics are not actually فوق النخل, or "above the palm trees," but rather فوق إلنا خل, ie "I've got a friend above/up there" however you want to translate it. According to a discussion among posters in this forum here, the original composers had intended the song to be فوق النا خل (Fog ilna khell). The story behind the song is that there is a poor young man in love with a girl that belongs to a rich family, after seeing her on their big house's balcony and exchanging glances. The song became "Foq al-Nakhel (فوق النخل)" because even though it makes the meaning quite strange, the audiences liked it better, according Sabah Fakhri and others. This explains the lyrics:

I've got a friend above
I don't know if that's the shine of your cheek or a shine above (ie the moon)
I swear I don't even want her
It's ruining me/It's causing me a problem

فوق إلنا خل فوق يابا فوق النا خل فوق
مدري لامع خدك يابا مدري لامع فوق
ولله ما ريده باليني بلوة

That is pretty much the standard chorus and after that the versions diverge greatly. I'll try to add as many versions as I can here, hopefully with the help of the readers, since lyrics are surprisingly scarce.

First and foremost is the Nazem al-Ghazali (ناظم الغزالي) version:

ناظم الغزالي - فوق النخل (فوق إلنا خل)

I have no hope for my soul, you're still my beloved
Everyone gets to be with you and my destiny is to be abandoned by you
I swear she's torturing me and she has no interest in me

مالي امل بالروح يبا بعدك حبيبي بعدك حبيبي
وصلك صفى للناس يبا هجرك نصيبي
والله معذبني وماعنده امروه

Here's the version by Sabah Fakhri (صباح فخري), the legendary Syrian singer hailing from Aleppo. I haven't included the lyrics for "albulbul nagha", which he usually performs alongside "foug al nakhel".



It contains this additional verse:

Oh river, go say hi to them for me
The separation is hard for me
I miss them

بالله يا مجرى الماي يابا سلم عليهم
صعبان الفرقه علي يابا اشتقنا إليهم

Here is the Kazem el-Saher version I found on youtube.com. I'd like to point out that Kazem days no say "yaba" rather he uses "3ayni" which means about the same thing: nothing.



Here is an Ilham al-Madfai (إلهام المدفعي) version. Note the excessive palm trees in the video.



Here's some new verses, I'll do my best:

Your cheek shined, my love, and lit up the country
I can't make my soul patient or bear this separation
I swear she's torturing me with her beautiful eyes

All the faces pass, and my eyes are only on yours
May the lord give you my love
I swear she's torturing me and she has no interest

خدك لمع ياهواي وأضوى على البلاد
مقدر أصبر الروح واتحمل البعاد
والله معذبني بعيونه الحلوة

كل البلام تفوت يابه عيني على بلمك
ومن الهوى والروح ربي يسلمك
والله معذبني وما عنده مروة

There's more versions available, but I don't really have lyrics for them.

Here is a stupid version by Dania (دانيا)



Here is George Wassouf (جورج وسوف)



Here is Palestinian band Zaman (زمان) with a flamenco version

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Ali El Aisawi - Forgive Meعلي العيساوي - سامحينيSamheeni

Sorry I don't have words for the mumbling poetry interspersed in this song.

Ali El Aisawi - Forgive Me Forgive me Accept my apology Time wants us to be apart It's not my decision

Time wants us to be apart
It's not my decision
Your tears rained on me
But the rain did not put out my fire

Your tears rained on me
But the rain did not put out my fire
If only you would become for a me a candle to light up my home

But the days order that we separate
And the order is in effect
Time called me and said "today I want my revenge"

It's not easy for me to hate you
And when I left you it wasn't my choice
I can't believe I've found you after waiting so long

علي العيساوي - سامحيني

سامحيني اتقبلي مني اعتذاري
الزمن رايد نبتعد لا مو قراري

الزمن رايد نبتعد لا موقراري
ادري بدموعك مطر
بس المطر ماطفا ناري

ادري بدموعك مطر
بس المطر ما طفى ناري
ريتك تصيرين اليا شمعة وتنورين داري

لكن الأيام حكمت نفترق والحكم جاري
ثاري يطلبني الزمان وقال اريد ليوم ثاري

انتي مو سهل اعوفك وابعدت مو باختياري
انا ما مصدق لقيتك بعد ما طال انتظاري

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Kazem al-Saher - It Burned my Soulكاظم الساهر - حرقت الروحHaragt al Rooh

To see the original version of this song performed by Afifa Iskender click here.

Kazem al-Saher - 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

I bid them farwell as 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 my affection as a keepsake
I've experienced every kind of affliction

كاظم الساهر - 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

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Ali El Aisawy - A Scorpion Stung Me in My Chestعلي العيساوي - عقرب بصدري لسعنيAqrab Bisadri Lisaani

For me, this was a really difficult song, and if anyone has any additional information on it, that would be greatly appreciated. As far as I can tell, it is based on an old Arabic folk song native to either Syria or the wider area of Sham that includes Iraq as well. This version sung by Ali El Aisawy is adapted for an Iraqi audience.

As to the story of behind the song, I don't know. But from the words, it seems like there is a guy who is down on his luck out in the desert or in the country, maybe with his family or relatives, and they are making him doing work and not letting him hang out with girls. Any of your guesses would be as good as mine though.

Ali El Aisawy - A Scorpion Stung Me in My Chest A scorpion stung me in my chest, oh woe is me How do the stung sleep? I'm afraid my nemesis will hear me, oh woe is me, and put out my candles with his hands (i translated "3aadhil" as nemesis cuz it's a person who is jealous and hates you and wants you to fail so he can enjoy it)

They made me carry wood and sent me out with their sheep
They didn't let me stay up late and hanging out with the girls

God build you (make you live long, same word) oh Baghdad
Building on top of building
With pretty girls dressed in gowns (these gowns of course are those full body black gowns)

Stung oh I'm stung
I'm stung my friend and there's a fire in my side
I didn't close my eyes but my tears are falling

علي العيساوي - عقرب بصدري

عقرب بصدري لسعني يا ويلي
شلون ينام الملسوعي
خوفي العاذل يسمعني يا ويلي
وبايديه يطفي لي شموعي

وحملوني العصايا سرحوني بغنمهم
حرموني من سهر الليل ومعاشرة الصبايا

الله يعمرك يا بغداد بناية فوق بناية
بيك بنات حلوات ملبسات العبايا

ملسوع انا ملسوع
ملسوع يا صاحبي والنار بضلوعي
ما غمضت بس تنزل دموعي

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Ilham al-Madfai - Like a Raindropإلهام المدفعي - كقطرة المطرQatrat al Matar

Updated media and translation

This is a poem in standard Arabic performed by Iraqi musician Ilham al-Madfai.

Ilham al-Madfai - Like a Raindrop Like a raindrop I was alone darling Alone, my darling Like a raindrop

Don't be sad
Tomorrow I will buy you the moon and a morning star
And a garden of flowers

Tomorrow, if I return from my journey
Tomorrow, if leaves sprout in my ribs of stone
But today I'm alone my darling
Alone my darling like a raindrop

إلهام المدفعي - قطرة المطر

كقطرة المطر كنت وحيدا ياحبيبتي
وحيدا ياحبيبتي كقطرة المطر

لاتحزني
سأشتري غدا لك القمر ونجمة الضحى
وبستانا من الزهر

غدا إذا عدت من السفر
غدا إذا أورق في ضلوعي الحجر
ولكنني اليوم وحيدا ياحبيبتي
وحيدا ياحبيبتي كقطرة المطر

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