Thread: What are the songs a bellydancer should know?

Since I am working on improvising, I am getting a lot of suggestions to really know the music. What are your suggestions? I have over 100 songs in my media library and wanted to pick about 5 or 10 to graft onto my brain.

What are some good ones that I should know?

Well...I'd start with putting your player on random and seeing what comes out - what do you like? Improv is hard enough without adding a song you hate to the mix.

But you should also mix up the random list because improv also involves songs you don't know as well! :-)

I like Beats Antique and the BDSS CDs for a nice variety.

You should probably find a Zeina you like, there's tons of versions.

I tend gravitate toward westernized music with a mid-eastern flair, but I'll listen to just about anything (mizmar-heavy songs will get less of a listen though!).

Although I'm sure there's some disagreement about what songs should be on everyone's "must know" list, Dahlal has put one together:

https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=1&c=2&s1=0&s2=0 (scroll toward the bottom of the page)

And there's a CD called "10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know", available at emusic (and elsewhere):

10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know mp3s, 10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know music downloads, 10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know songs from eMusic.com

Dont over think this one...you want to really get "intimate" with the phrasing and the feeling over all. Random play is best. When you get ready to dance to it...map it on paper while sitting down.

My answer to this question would depend on which style of belly dance you are doing. I would give a different answer for American Classic style than I would for Egyptian style.

I have received amazing feedback from people about the 10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know. They love it!

10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know

I agree with Shira - I think it really depends on which style you are doing,

I am an omnivore when it comes to music (yo yo yo...I'm a music ho) I love all of it. E music is my best purchase ever -50 songs a month...cheap! I havent listened to western music for the last 7 years, except by accident. All my recreational listening is ME. I think that is what has helped me to become "fluent" relatively quickly...total immersion.

I have put together pages of many of the classic "should know" songs on BellydanceDownloads.com. I still have many more to add, but at least you can click through the links and explore the different versions what I already have on the site.

If you are going to perform with a live band, then you definitely want to be able to request songs from Umm Kalthoum, Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim, Farid Al Atrache, etc, such as Aziza, Alf Layla Wa Layla, Leylet Hob, Behlem Beek, Wahashtini, etc etc, (there are countless of them) because they all know it, songs from these artists are the best. But they will not know newer compositions that are made for dancing, such as Drama Queen, or Raks Nova, etc. (I love these songs, but if I told the musicians they would look at me funny).

even if you will only dance to cd, these songs are a must - in my opinion anyways.

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

Since I am working on improvising, I am getting a lot of suggestions to really know the music. What are your suggestions? I have over 100 songs in my media library and wanted to pick about 5 or 10 to graft onto my brain.

What are some good ones that I should know?

As Shira says, depends on the style you work with. If you are doing Egyptian I'd include a number of classics, newer orientale, plus some beledi.

However, if you are looking at doing improvisation, give yourself a large variety so you get the feel of how ME music moves about - like several versions of the same song which may not just change accents but include or drop whole choruses or verses. Playing the same song over and over sorta misses the point.

Originally Posted by ravenadesigns

I have received amazing feedback from people about the 10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know. They love it!

10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know

I agree with Shira - I think it really depends on which style you are doing,

Ravena, I got that cd (a free gift from you my dear w/ my skirt set) and I like it as well. Thanks again for it.

I like Classical Egyptian. (at least I think that's what I am being taught) I am in a rec. center type class so my instructor is trying to remain broad. We dance a lot to Morrocan Soul during warm up and now are learning the Karslima folk song (using traditional music)

At home which is where most of my dancing takes place..l;, and will most likely remain so, I do put my player on random. It's just that after awhile all the songs start to sound the same. Today I put a mix on and will try to learn these songs to start among them are:

Chiftitelli Bassem Yazbek
Raks Siretze George Abdo
Misrilou George Abdo (sort of know that tune from the Dick Dale version)
Nasam Alayna el Hawa George Abdo
Habibi Ya Enyi Mohamed Ali Ensemble
Warda BDSS disc
Alf eyla Wa Leyla Cairo Orchestra

Plus a couple drum solos from Hosam Ramzy and the Morgador Band (from Jenn's dvd) I am hoping to really learn the music so I can not think so much about what part of the song is coming next. I have Warda and Alf Leyla Wa Leyla down pat because I learned choreos to those so I can sort of dimly see what it means to really know your music. What do you all think of the above list? Is it right for Classical Style? Most of the songs sound classical to me, but what do I know..l;,

Originally Posted by Marianna

If you are going to perform with a live band, then you definitely want to be able to request songs from Umm Kalthoum, Abdel Wahab, Abdel Halim, Farid Al Atrache, etc, such as Aziza, Alf Layla Wa Layla, Leylet Hob, Behlem Beek, Wahashtini, etc etc, (there are countless of them) because they all know it, songs from these artists are the best. But they will not know newer compositions that are made for dancing, such as Drama Queen, or Raks Nova, etc. (I love these songs, but if I told the musicians they would look at me funny).

We just got 5 books of music in from Egypt featuring these artists. Currently we know Enta Omri, Leylet Hob, Nassam Alayna El Hawa, Ayazein, Ya Salaam and a few zurna tunes.

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

Chiftitelli Bassem Yazbek
Raks Siretze George Abdo
Misrilou George Abdo (sort of know that tune from the Dick Dale version)
Nasam Alayna el Hawa George Abdo
Habibi Ya Enyi Mohamed Ali Ensemble
Warda BDSS disc
Alf eyla Wa Leyla Cairo Orchestra

Plus a couple drum solos from Hosam Ramzy and the Morgador Band
<snip>
What do you all think of the above list? Is it right for Classical Style? Most of the songs sound classical to me, but what do I know..l;,

I don't know these but when I think of classical I think of things by Mohamed Addel Wahab or Faid el Atrache or pieces by Um Kholthoum. Chiftitelli sounds like it would just be a rhythm piece.

My Top 40 Classic Belly Dance Songs

1. Ah Ya Zein (Oh Beautiful)
2. Ala Baladi Elmhboub
3. Ala Hesh Wedad Galbi (It All Depends Where My Heart Takes Me)
4. Ala Nar (On Fire)
5. Alf Leyla We Leyla (1001 Nights)
6. Aziza
7. Bahlam Beek (Dreaming of You)
8. Batawans Beek (You’re Always With Me)
9. Bir Demet Yasemen (A Bunch of Jasmine)
10. El Gamal Wel Gamal
11. El Hiyah Hilwa
12. Enta Omri (You Are My Life)
13. Gamil Gamal (Such Beauty or Beautiful Dancer)
14. Ghannili Sheway Sheway
15. Habibi Ya Eini (Love, Oh My Eyes)
16. Habina (Love Us)
17. Lailet Hob (Night of Love)
18. Lama Bada
19. Lissa Fakir (Do You Still Remember)
20. Luxor Baladna
21. Mastika
22. Miserlou (Egyptian Girl)
23. Mustapha
24. Rampi Rampi
25. Salamat (Greetings)
26. Salamat Ya Om Hassan
27. Sallam Allay (She Greeted Me)
28. Samra Ya Samra (Black Eyed Girl)
29. Sawah (Vagabond)
30. Shick Shak Shok
31. Ta Mavra Matia Sou (Your Black Eyes)
32. Tahtil Shibbak (Under the Window)
33. Uskudar
34. Wahashtini
35. We Daret El Ayam (Days Are Passing)
36. Ya Gameel
37. Ya Rayah (The Traveler)
38. Ya Tamr Henna (Henna Flower)
39. Yesilim
40. Zeina

That's a very nice list! I would also add: Ana Fi Intizarak, Zay Al hawa, Gana al Hawa, Musafir, Fog Il Nahal, Min Ebtedi Al hakiya, Sit El Hosny and Al toba.

Originally Posted by Marianna

That's a very nice list! I would also add: Ana Fi Intizarak, Zay Al hawa, Gana al Hawa, Musafir, Fog Il Nahal, Min Ebtedi Al hakiya, Sit El Hosny and Al toba.

Thanks! With your additions Marianna, it becomes the belly dance top 48..g.:

Thanks Ladies I actually printed off a compiled list (dork, I know) now will run off to search library.....l;,

This is a great list (I also printed off a copy!). I'd add Hizzi ya Nawwaim and Shuty y Dinne (pardon the spelling).

Nice list. I'll have to print that too!