Thread: Lebanese Hits

I am fortunate enough to be going to a REAL Lebanese Hafli this weekend. Yes, not put on by dancers, but the Lebanese community here.

Live band, food, dancing the whole thing.

But when I go to think about it, what are some really well-known lebanese songs?

Amity

The Lebanese like Abdel Halim Hafez - Zaye el Hawa is always a good one, or Sawah. Pretty much any Arab classics are good choices. Set el Hosen will work as well.

i believe the famous dabki "chant of dahloona" fits your bill too!

definitely ask for a debke! Everyone will get up and dance!

LOTS of ME pop stars are Lebanese, you may dance to some of them and not even realize it.

Nancy Ajram
Rahgeb Alamah
Haifa Wehbe (naughty pop!)
Najwa Karam (my fave)
Nawal Zoughby
Katia Harb (I love her voice, but haven't found a song I'm crazy about yet)


Feirouz was also Lebanese.

Is Sabah not Lebanese? Now that I ask, I'm not so sure... ..c::

Where is the Hafla, Amity? Is this the one you were telling us about at class last week in Waterville?
L

She certainly is. She's a Lebanese icon. Anything by Sabah or Fairuz would please a Lebanese crowd. There's alot of dabkes sung by Sabah, and Fairuz has a really nice version of el bint el shalabeya with different lyrics. Just don't play the syrian version in a Lebanese gathering.

Regards
Priscilla

Originally Posted by wigglewhiz

Is Sabah not Lebanese? Now that I ask, I'm not so sure... ..c::

Yes Maam...I got table #1 right next to the band....$40 for meal, live band, dancers, and dancing!

Originally Posted by jessedan

She certainly is. She's a Lebanese icon. Anything by Sabah or Fairuz would please a Lebanese crowd. There's alot of dabkes sung by Sabah, and Fairuz has a really nice version of el bint el shalabeya with different lyrics. Just don't play the syrian version in a Lebanese gathering.

Regards
Priscilla

I agree with Miss Priscilla in that Lebs LOVE dabke. Lebanese have a ton of folkloric songs that most American dancers know little about. A good Sabah song is Ya Dalaa ya dalaa, Zay el Assal and Shoo Ismak. Feyrouz does a great version of el bint el shalabeya but I don't have it...but I do have the Syrian version haha...it talks about Damascus...the lebanese will shoot you though ..cr.:

Other good folkloric Lebanese music include anything by Georgette Sayegh, like Dalloni or Yaba Yaba leh by Tony Hanna. Both are technically dabke songs that are perfectly good for shar2i or cane.

Make sure to bring your cane and make sure it isn't the thick kind, they prefer the thinner ones!

Isn't it shar9i? Even when people who don't pronounce the 9 spell it, they spell it right

Why don't you tell us about these folkloric songs that most American dancers don't know about?

http://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n...1=1185&s2=1185

Lebanese Nightclub is a great congomleration of Lebanese hits. Sound like you're in a nightclub.

Lol thanks. I am not the dancer of the night, but I might bust a few debke steps out. Maybe I'll just have to add hobbling in with a thin silver cane.

Wow, your going to have a great time! Yep get your debke shoes on, haha!

BTW Although it may not be a good idea to play the Syrian version of a song at certain parties, not all Lebanese hate Syrians and visa versa. You wont get shot,lol.

Originally Posted by habibiyaeini

Wow, your going to have a great time! Yep get your debke shoes on, haha!

BTW Although it may not be a good idea to play the Syrian version of a song at certain parties, not all Lebanese hate Syrians and visa versa. You wont get shot,lol.

It always depends on the audience you are dancing for. But generally don't dance to Syrian music if your audience is Christian. This rule tends to deal with songs that are explicity pro-Syrian like Ya Mal Es'Sham or Ya Teira Tiri.

The uber hot Syrian dabke song, Samra el Hasoudi by Ali el Deek is a good choice because it's politically neutral in nature.

If there's an Arab band there, they'll know what's appropriate to play and what's not. I'm confused by the posts, though - Amity are you performing or just attending this function as a spectator?