Thread: 15 songs you should know - what others would you add?

I've been thinking about creating a music appreciation class/workshop of some kind and I've looked over the list on Dahlal's website many times - "15 songs you should know". It contains many familiar songs and some "classics" . I don't necessarily agree with every selection and the sections. . . opening, midsection, finales . . . what about an expansion on this? drum solo, pop, baladi, etc. The finales sections really gets shortchanged.

But I think it could use some updating . . . maybe more modern selections?

Anyone else have any ideas regarding essential songs we should know?

For restaurant show? 5-part show or however many parts?

For stage performance? or local hafla?

What is good about her list is that she has clips to listen to and shows the CDs where you can find the songs (and possibly purchase on her website :) . . .
https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=20.1

Dahlal's list:
1) Opening numbers:
Zay el Hawa
Aziza
Leylet Hob
Hani
Set el Hosen
Mashaal
Batwannes Beek
Tamr Henna
2) Midsection:
Hebbina
Hizzy ya Nawaem
Ah Ya Zein
Nour el Ain
Zeina
3) Finales:
Touta
Ayoub

Maybe this will help:

http://madisonbellydance.org/articlesongstoknow.html

A couple years ago when Bhuz had a general version of this conversation, I actually kept track of all the posts and counted which songs were recommended the most times. Yes, I am a geek.

But of course it is not broken out into types of music, so it doesn't go as far into detail... anyway, thought it would be useful.

Originally Posted by tigerb

Maybe this will help:

http://madisonbellydance.org/articlesongstoknow.html

A couple years ago when Bhuz had a general version of this conversation, I actually kept track of all the posts and counted which songs were recommended the most times. Yes, I am a geek.

But of course it is not broken out into types of music, so it doesn't go as far into detail... anyway, thought it would be useful.

Very useful . . . some of the same but many more that I would probably add and some I hadn't thought about.

I need to go to my playlist on my zen to give my list of favorites too. Of course, none of this is on my work laptop :) . . .

Hadouni, Hadouni is a favorite of mine....

I wrote an article about exactly this for our local OPA newsletter. I spent time locating what were the most well known (as in recorded many times by various groups) songs, who they were by, what the translation was (if I could find it) and some albums they were on. It's a bit more than 15! Hope it helps:
http://www.jamielynnbellydance.com/music-info.html

Originally Posted by tigerb

Maybe this will help:

http://madisonbellydance.org/articlesongstoknow.html

Originally Posted by jamielynn

Hope it helps:

http://www.jamielynnbellydance.com/music-info.html

Very useful! Thanks!

Originally Posted by cbarros

I've been thinking about creating a music appreciation class/workshop of some kind and I've looked over the list on Dahlal's website many times - "15 songs you should know". It contains many familiar songs and some "classics" . I don't necessarily agree with every selection and the sections. . . opening, midsection, finales . . . what about an expansion on this? drum solo, pop, baladi, etc. The finales sections really gets shortchanged.

But I think it could use some updating . . . maybe more modern selections?

Anyone else have any ideas regarding essential songs we should know?

For restaurant show? 5-part show or however many parts?

For stage performance? or local hafla?

What is good about her list is that she has clips to listen to and shows the CDs where you can find the songs (and possibly purchase on her website :) . . .
https://www.dahlal.com/default.aspx?n=20.1

Dahlal's list:
1) Opening numbers:
Zay el Hawa
Aziza
Leylet Hob
Hani
Set el Hosen
Mashaal
Batwannes Beek
Tamr Henna
2) Midsection:
Hebbina
Hizzy ya Nawaem
Ah Ya Zein
Nour el Ain
Zeina
3) Finales:
Touta
Ayoub

These were all very popular in the 80's. The list could definitely use some modernizing. But keeping in tune with the classics:

For openings, I would add, Nagwa and Sahara City.

Middle: Lessa Fakir, Gana El Howa, Neptidi M'neim el Hikaya.
I would classify Batwanees Beek as a middle song, not an opening. Same with Laylet Hob. Although Laylet Hob is faster, I prefer OK songs in the middle of the show, not the beginnning.

Definitely add some saidi/depke like Ai Eini ya Moulayetin or Tigi Neksim El Amar (I spelling off the top of my head here!) I do like Touta for a finale. Otherwise, a replay of the song that was the opening is good too if the music is appropriate.

I think if you are working with an ME audience you should be familiar with most Abdel Halim songs in general. So many have sections that are played for dancers, such as Mawood, Gana El Howa, Zay El Helwa, Sawah, Howel Tiftikerni, etc.

Here are a few more to add to the list--mostly standards that multiple singers have covered, pop songs that dancers would recognize, and pieces that are frequently choreographed.

"Helwa Ya Baladi" (Dalida)
"Efred" (Hakim)
"Assalamu Alaikum" (Hakim)
"Amarain" (Amro Diab)
"Al Hantour" (Amina)
"Al Enab" (Saad al Soghayer)
"Oul Tani Keda" (Nancy Ajram)
"Tigi Neksem Al Amar" (Walid Tawfiq)
"Mashkalni" (Rashed al Majed--hard to think of a Khaleeji song that everyone would recognize)
"Khusara Khusara" (originally Abdel Halim Hafez, but perhaps as well known for Jay-Z's sample of the Hossam Ramzy cover)
"Tablat Bassem" (Bassem Yazbek)
"Nova Raks" (Hassan Abou Al Seoud)
"Yearning" (Raul Ferrando)

Originally Posted by jamielynn

I wrote an article about exactly this for our local OPA newsletter. I spent time locating what were the most well known (as in recorded many times by various groups) songs, who they were by, what the translation was (if I could find it) and some albums they were on. It's a bit more than 15! Hope it helps:
http://www.jamielynnbellydance.com/music-info.html

You aren't kidding that it is more than 15!! Wow, lots of songs to go through to make up my own list, lol!!

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

Here are a few more to add to the list--mostly standards that multiple singers have covered, pop songs that dancers would recognize, and pieces that are frequently choreographed.

"Helwa Ya Baladi" (Dalida)
"Efred" (Hakim)
"Assalamu Alaikum" (Hakim)
"Amarain" (Amro Diab)
"Al Hantour" (Amina)
"Al Enab" (Saad al Soghayer)
"Oul Tani Keda" (Nancy Ajram)
"Tigi Neksem Al Amar" (Walid Tawfiq)
"Mashkalni" (Rashed al Majed--hard to think of a Khaleeji song that everyone would recognize)
"Khusara Khusara" (originally Abdel Halim Hafez, but perhaps as well known for Jay-Z's sample of the Hossam Ramzy cover)
"Tablat Bassem" (Bassem Yazbek)
"Nova Raks" (Hassan Abou Al Seoud)
"Yearning" (Raul Ferrando)

Oh, yeah, i think I have copies of almost all of these . . . I had a huge "pop" phase and boogied to many at home. "Tigi Neksem Al Amer" . . . never have performed to it but will one day!!

Originally Posted by norma

These were all very popular in the 80's. The list could definitely use some modernizing. But keeping in tune with the classics:

For openings, I would add, Nagwa and Sahara City.

Middle: Lessa Fakir, Gana El Howa, Neptidi M'neim el Hikaya.
I would classify Batwanees Beek as a middle song, not an opening. Same with Laylet Hob. Although Laylet Hob is faster, I prefer OK songs in the middle of the show, not the beginnning.

Definitely add some saidi/depke like Ai Eini ya Moulayetin or Tigi Neksim El Amar (I spelling off the top of my head here!) I do like Touta for a finale. Otherwise, a replay of the song that was the opening is good too if the music is appropriate.

I think if you are working with an ME audience you should be familiar with most Abdel Halim songs in general. So many have sections that are played for dancers, such as Mawood, Gana El Howa, Zay El Helwa, Sawah, Howel Tiftikerni, etc.

Good stuff!! and I agree about Batwannes Beek and Laylet Hob being more "middle".

What I like about some of the current crop of CDs from Yasmina, Leila and Outi is that they include opening and a short finale that is a reprise of the opening. And you could make a complete show with all the other songs depending on what you want to slap in there.

I've only been dancing for a year but I'm really into classical things and learning about the culture. Thanks to listening to this list I've found out that my dance class might get to dance to Zeina soon - that'd be so great! I love classical pieces much more than Amr Diab or Nancy Ajram. (Although I like them too.)

Thanks for giving me a lot to work through!

Originally Posted by Kjesta

I've only been dancing for a year but I'm really into classical things and learning about the culture. Thanks to listening to this list I've found out that my dance class might get to dance to Zeina soon - that'd be so great! I love classical pieces much more than Amr Diab or Nancy Ajram. (Although I like them too.)

Thanks for giving me a lot to work through!

This is so nice to hear!

Love all the suggestions and advice above, great thread.

I would add that any serious dancer know pretty much ALL of Oum Kalthoum's songs. This might be more important if you are dancing to a live band, but I think its a good idea in general to know them since her music is so important to Arab culture. (I know her music wasn't made to be belly dance music, but because it has become a big part of what we do I think its important to know). And please listen to the original first with her voice!! - and read the translation of each song. It is powerful music. Then go find some danceable versions you like :)

Originally Posted by MellyBelly

Love all the suggestions and advice above, great thread.

I would add that any serious dancer know pretty much ALL of Oum Kalthoum's songs. This might be more important if you are dancing to a live band, but I think its a good idea in general to know them since her music is so important to Arab culture. (I know her music wasn't made to be belly dance music, but because it has become a big part of what we do I think its important to know). And please listen to the original first with her voice!! - and read the translation of each song. It is powerful music. Then go find some danceable versions you like :)

I'm absolutely in love with her music and only through endless listening to it did I surprisingly discover that I was starting to "get" ME music. Before I discovered Oum Kalthoum I truly liked only the saiidi, zar and modern Lebanese sound. I totally agree with this suggestion, in the right venue of course. And thanks for all the other suggestions. I love these types of inquiry as it always gives me something new to follow up on.

I do have a lot of those CDs with long versions on Oum Kalthoum's songs. And Farid El Atrach (singer in some of Samia Gamal's movies).

Another singer to consider is Faiza (Fayza) Ahmed. She sang in some of those old Egyptian movies . . . one in particular is Tamr-Henna . You can find some of her songs/excerpts from old movies on youtube. One of my particular favorites (other than Tamr-Henna) is "Ya Ma Al Amar" and the vid has the lyrics.

I would add the song "Taht el Shebek" is one to know too :)

Flames of Araby by George Abdo. *swoon* So classy and pretty yet it has guts.

Ya Gameil (sp?) by the same is also a classic.

Am I missing it or did "Miserlou" somehow escape this list?