Thread: need some good Arabic pop suggestions

Okay, in general pop music bores the hell out of me and I avoid it like the plague.

But I need one or two tracks for a wedding gig -- the guests will be Arabs and Americans.

It needs to be classy, hopefully a romantic love song (since its a wedding), upbeat, and hopefully with some kind of interesting danceable structure to it (accents, drum breaks, whatever. something to work with).

I like Shereen''s Habibi ya Aini. Is this "so last year"??

this is just to remind myself to come back to this thread.

okay I'm back.

For the fun audience participation portion of weddings I often like to have an updated classic (lately I've been using more modern versions of Hafez's ana kouli ma gouli al toba), that gives the older generations of Arabs something to sing along with as well as the younger and they are just as happy to get up and dance to that then to something contemporary. Tahtil Shebbak might also be fun choice. Or what about Bahlem Bik or Bitwaness Bik?

Then I do put in something newer. Something old, something new...Here are a few pop songs I've saved in the last year as "wedding possible":

Ana Yally - Nancy Ajram
Ahla Menhom - Ehab Tawfik (used this one a couple o times- its a good party song)
Lawn Oyounak - Nancy Ajram
Am Bemzah Maak - Najwa Karam
Longa V - Vanessa Nassar - no lyrics, has a slow start, but quite nice

I toyed with using some Saad - He does have a couple of wedding-y songs Zai Elsokkar and Mabrouk (zeffa-shaabi) but the pace was a little slower than I like personally.

Thanks Shems!

If you want a song off this album, I like "Dawwabony Aynee" better. It has a little more variation in texture and a couple of interesting breaks. "Ahla Menhom" is the kind of song I think, "Ihab, seriously--you got a doctorate in music and this is the best you can do?" Arabic Song Lyrics and Translation: Ehab Tawfiq - His Eyes Melted Meايهاب توÙ�يق - دوبوني عينيهDawwabony Aynee Here's the soap opera video, in case the link in the blog doesn't work: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1leqgmrXbgc]YouTube - ‫دوبونى عينيه نور Ùˆ مهند ايهاب توÙ�يق‬‎[/ame]

If you can get over the fact that Amro Mostafa's songs sound a lot better when they're coming out of Amro Diab's mouth, he always has a lot of non-heartbreak love songs. I know you were looking for fast, but here's a really pretty slow one:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdxUwOBVvvA]YouTube - Amr Mostafa 2008 Helmt Beek عمرو مصطÙ�Ù‰ Ø*لمت بيك[/ame]
And a really funky, westernized one that generated a lot of buzz when it came out:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTphsiuj5xY]YouTube - Amr Mostafa - Sar7t Feek - English Translation[/ame]
And a more up-tempo one, if you can edit out or develop a zen-like acceptance of the desperate plea for attention that prompted him to stick his name at the front of the song:
يشهد عليا عمرو مصط�ى - طرب - طرب توب
The lyrics to all three are here: http://www.allthelyrics.com/forum/ar...tml#post385202

If you don't mind a little frantic Lebanese disco, "El Hob El Kibeer " by Ragheb Alama was a huge hit (it's a little old, but the crowd should definitely recognize it) and the lyrics are nice for a wedding. Arabic Song Lyrics and Translation: Ragheb Alama - My Great Loveراغب علامة - الØ*ب الكبيرEl Hob El Kibeer The video link in the blog is broken, but it's here: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ2lBuzch9c]YouTube - Ragheb Alama - El Hob El Keber[/ame]

In going through the songs I know, it's hard to find good wedding songs that are up tempo. Usually if you're singing your heart out about how much in love you are, apparently, you do it at a slower speed for "mood music."

Originally Posted by shems

Lawn Oyounak - Nancy Ajram

I like this one for weddings, because the lyrics are perfect and video features Nancy as a bride (and a belly dancer with assaya getting the crowd pumping).
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igMMnZ-KXAY&feature=PlayList&p=5F2D4608604B4DF5&playnext= 1&playnext_from=PL&index=15]YouTube - Nancy Ajram (Lawn Eiounak (English))[/ame]

yeah ahla menhom is cheezy as all get out, but I think that's part of it's appeal as a party song.

Hi,

Next to belly dancing I am dj of world music for an mixed public (european, arabic, iranian, afghan, ...)

There always some songs when I put them everybody loves them, arabic and non-arabic

There is indeed Nancy Ajram, but classicers are always the best ('cause everybody nows them)

-Khaled (Didi-el harba wine-...)
- Sidi mansour (it's the name of the song, there different performers for this song)
- and off course Amr Diab (all his songs you can use, but the top is the classicer habibi ya nour al ayn) This last one is also 'the' arabic love song.

sille

ps if you need more, tell me...I have a lot.

Hi Sedonia,

I haven't been able to get lyrics yet for Najwa Karams 2009 CD titled, "Khalini Shoufak", but I love it. There are lots of clips on Youtube. Maybe you could have someone you know listen and give you pointers. I'm in LOVE with this CD, lots of Debaki and Khaliji sounds.

*sigh*. More. New. Music. It seems like these pop songs get worn out at the restaurant I dance at long before anyone comes out with something new, but you can't get audiences up to dance to classical music too often. I stick with classics for my shows, but then need to get people up to dance to pop stuff. Anybody know some fairly new stuff that has just hit the charts?

Originally Posted by Sonja2

*sigh*. More. New. Music. It seems like these pop songs get worn out at the restaurant I dance at long before anyone comes out with something new, but you can't get audiences up to dance to classical music too often. I stick with classics for my shows, but then need to get people up to dance to pop stuff. Anybody know some fairly new stuff that has just hit the charts?

If you want the latest and greatest, you have to go to sites that cater to fans of Arabic music, not dance sites. By the time dancers come across a "new" song, it may be a couple of years old. If you don't want to invest a lot of effort in the process, the easiest way is to get on Maqam's or Rashid's customer mailing list. They send periodic e-mails to let customers know when new releases are in stock.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

If you want the latest and greatest, you have to go to sites that cater to fans of Arabic music, not dance sites. By the time dancers come across a "new" song, it may be a couple of years old. If you don't want to invest a lot of effort in the process, the easiest way is to get on Maqam's or Rashid's customer mailing list. They send periodic e-mails to let customers know when new releases are in stock.

I'm on Maqam. I think I'm always worried the song will have *naughty* lyrics...

Originally Posted by Sonja2

I'm on Maqam. I think I'm always worried the song will have *naughty* lyrics...

Most singers don't sing "naughty" lyrics, however you do have to watch out for the occasional other types of songs that wouldn't be suitable for belly dance performances, like Eid songs (non-Quranic, but still somewhat religious in content) or political songs (usually involving Palestinian, Lebanese, or Iraqi themes). Most big hits by top-name singers will have lyrics online, and it isn't too hard to avoid the inappropriate songs. If nothing else, you can often find videos of the songs on YouTube, and tell from the content there whether it would be safe to use for dancing.

I don't know if you are interested but there are some good Khaleeji pop songs out there now that have a more pop sound but retain the essential Khaleeji elements.

Myriam Fares: Makanoh Wein ("Where is his place?")

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPJAcFFAht4]YouTube - Myriam Fares - Moukanoh Wein / ميريام �ارس - مكانه وين[/ame]

Love this song for Khaleeji, especially the "kholkhal" instrumental section.

For something more Egyptian, Haifa Wehbe has a new song out called Tesmahli Adda3lak (Will you let me spoil you?)

The lyrics are kinda dumb but I like the part when she says "ya laziz" or "oh delicious!".

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH910aw2mlU]YouTube - Haifa Wehbe "Tesmahli" (Will U Let Me) English subtitles هيÙ�اء وهبي تسمØ*لي[/ame]