Lists of Recordings for Belly Dancers
Featuring Songs Composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Table of Contents

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was a multi-talented artist. He was known as an actor, a singer, a composer, an oud player, and an innovator. This page lists songs that he composed, even though some of them such as "Fi Youm Wa Leyla" were popularized by other artists.

For cases where a song composed by Abdel Wahab is listed on a different page due to being performed by a different artist such as Oum Kalthoum or Abdel Halim Hafez, this table of contents links to the appropriate page.

Introduction    Ahleflak, Ahleflak Ahwak - goes to page for Abdel Halim Hafez Al Ward Gamil - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum Amal Hayati - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum Amar 14 - goes to page for mejances Ana We Habibi  Angham El Shabab  Aziza  Balad El Mahboub  Bint El Balad  Cleopatra  Daret Al Ayam - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum Ech El Bolbol  Eini Betref El Fen  El Henna  El Maddi  El Nar El Khaled  Enta El Hob - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum Enta Omri - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum  Fi Youm Wa Leyla Ghazal El Banat

Habibi El Asmar  Hadiyat el Eid  Ibn El Balad  Khai Khai  Khatwet Habibi  Layali Lubnan  Layali Ramadan  Leylet Hob - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum Mawkib El Nour  Min Gheir Leh  Min El Sharq  Nibtidi Mneen al-Hikaya - goes to page for Abdel Halim Hafez Ooli Amallak Eih Albi  Set el Habayib Ya Habiba  Tool Omri Ahebak  Wa Marret El Ayam - goes to page for Oum Kalthoum (see Daret el Ayam) Ya Msafer Wahdak  Zeina    Related Articles

Introduction

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was a prolific Egyptian composer of the 20th century. He was born in 1902 in the Bab El-Shaariyah neighborhood of Cairo, Egypt, where a statue now stands to honor him. He was a mentor to Abdel Halim Hafez, and composed many of Hafez' hit songs. Abdel Wahab was one of the innovators who created the big-orchestra sound of classical Egyptian music of the 20th century. He was a pioneer of Egyptian cinema, featured in the 1933 motion picture Al Warda Al Baida (The White Rose), which was the second Egyptian movie musical ever produced. Abdel Wahab was the first to compose for the "Oriental orchestra" that consisted of instruments from both Europe and the Middle East. In 1954 he introduced the European waltz rhythm into his composition "Al Gondol", and in 1957 he introduced a rock & roll rhythm into the song "Ya Albi Ya Khali" that he composed for Abdel Halim Hafez. Some of his personal belongings are housed in a museum at the Music Institute in Cairo. My music collection contains over 200 albums specifically intended for use by belly dancers. Among these albums, about 75 include danceable recordings of songs composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab. These contain more than 150 music tracks, mostly instrumental, featuring 53 of his songs. All of these tracks are listed on this page, organized by song. I've sorted them according to the length of the track, with shortest first, to make it easy for dancers to identify which tracks might fit the needs of a particular show or classroom playlist. There are translations elsewhere on my web site for a few of these songs. Where available, I've included a link to each song's translation.

Ahleflak, Ahleflak (احلفلك احلفلك)

• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original artist: Ahmad El Nay

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Mezdeke Volume 09	Mezdeke	Ahliflak	3:25
Masters of Bellydance, Volume 3	Setrak Sarkissian	Ahliflak	5:54
Setrak, Vol. 17, Belly Dance with Ranine	Setrak Sarkissian	Ahleflak, Ahleflak	7:28
Very Belly Dance	Setrak Sarkissian	Ahleflak, Ahleflak	7:30

Return to table of contents.

El Maadi (المنادي)

• Year: 1951
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Alternate ways to spell the song title include El Maddi or Al Maady.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Al Maddi	3:25

Return to table of contents.

Ana Wa Habibi (أنا و حبيبي)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Ana We Habibi	3:18
Rough Guide to Bellydance	Mahmoud Fadl	Ana Wehabibi	5:06

Return to table of contents.

Angham El Shabab (أنغام الشباب)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Angham El Shabab	3:05

Return to table of contents.

Aziza (عزيزة)

• Year: 1954
• Album: Sahra Moseqeya Maa El Doktor Mohamed Abd El Wahab
• Appeared in Motion Picture: Aziza
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Naima Akef did a dance performance to it in the film Aziza.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance from Lebanon	Omar Khorshid	Aziza	2:31
Gems of the Middle East, Volume 1	Mary Ellen Donald	Azizah	3:07
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Aziza	3:18
Baladi Blues	Guy Schalom	Aziza	3:29
Saroyan Sings An Oriental Bouquet	Harry Saroyan	Aziza	3:30
Beyond the Desert	Sami Nossair Orchestra	Aziza	3:50
Very Belly Dance	Sami Nossair Orchestra	Aziza	3:53
Sandstorm	Roger Abboud	Aziza	4:01
Music Saqra Likes	Mediterranean Raqs Band	Aziza	4:31
Masters of Bellydance Music, Volume 1	Salatin Tarab Orchestra	Aziza	4:36
10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know	Salatin Tarab Orchestra	Aziza	4:37
Best of Mohammed Abdul Wahab	Hossam Ramzy	Aziza	4:51
Middle Earth Ensemble	Middle Earth Ensemble	Azizza	6:24

Return to table of contents.

Balad El Mahboub (بلاد المحبوب)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Balad El Mahboub	2:59

Return to table of contents.

Bint El Balad (بنت البلد)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Bent El Balad	2:56

Return to table of contents.

Cleopatra (كليوباترا)

• Year: 1944
• Language: Modern Standard Arabic
• Lyricist: Ali Mahmoud Taha
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Lyrics translation

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Zürefa Kol Live at Sunriver	Zürefa Kol	Cleopatra	1:45
Belly Dancing with Amira Mor	Amira Mor	Cleopatra	2:41
Gems of the Middle East, Volume 2	Mary Ellen Donald	Cleopatra	3:01

Return to table of contents.

Ech El Bolbol (عش البلبل)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Ech El Bolbol	3:15

Return to table of contents.

Eini Betref (عيني بترف)

• Year: 1949
• Language: Egyptian dialect of Arabic
• Lyricist: Hussein al-Sayed
• Appeared in Motion Picture: Ghazal al-Banat
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artists: Leila Murad and Naguib el-Rehani, as a duet
• Lyrics Translation

Another way to transliterate the song title is "A3yni Bet Rif" or "Einy Betreff".

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Rough Guide to Bellydance	Ahmed Mneimneh	Aini Bet Ref	4:04

Return to table of contents.

El Fen (انشودة الفن)

• Year: 1945
• Language: Arabic, Egyptian dialect
• Lyricist: Saleh Gawdat
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Wash Ya Wash Volume 3	Mohamed Ali Ensemble	El Fen	3:26

Return to table of contents.

El Henna (الحناء)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	El Henna	3:27

Return to table of contents.

El Maadi (الماضى)

• Year: 1946
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Lyrics Translation

Alternate ways to spell the song title include El Maddi or Al Maady.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Al Maddi	3:25
World Wide Wahab	Tabadoul Orchestra	Al Maady	3:43

Return to table of contents.

El Nar El Khaled (النهر الخالد)

• Year: 1954
• Lyricist: Mahmoud Hassan Ismail
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Language: Classical Arabic

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Musica Arabe Instrumental Volume 07	Mario Kirlis	Nar el Jaled	5:36

Return to table of contents.

Fi Youm Wa Leyla (في يوم وليلة)

• Year: 1978
• Lyricist: Hussein al-Sayed
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Warda
• Lyrics translation

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance with Warda and Abdel Halim Hafez	Setrak Sarkissian	Fi Youm wa Lila	4:16
Belly Dance Nightclub	HMC	Fi Youm wa Leyla	6:00
Jalilah's Raks Sharki 3: Journey of the Gipsy Dancer	Hossam Shaker and his Ensemble	Fi Yom wi Leyla	6:56
Oriental Fantasy Volume 06: Flowers of the Orient	Ali Saad	In a Day and a Night	6:56

Return to table of contents.

Ghazal El Banat

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Ghazal El Banat	3:08

Return to table of contents.

Habibi El Asmar (حبيبي الأسمر)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Habibi Al Asmar	3:13
Jalilah's Raks Sharki 5: Stars of the Casino Opera	Ihsan al-Mounzer	Tahia's Dance: Habibi Ya Asmar	4:35

Return to table of contents.

Hadiyat el Eid (هدية العيد)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance! Spectacular Rhythms from the Middle East	Ziad Rahbani	Hadiyat el Eid	4:07

Return to table of contents.

Ibn El Balad

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Ebn El Balad	3:13

Return to table of contents.

Khai Khai

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Best of Mohammed Abdul Wahab	Hossam Ramzy	Khai Khai	10:49

Return to table of contents.

Khatwet Habibi (خطوة حبيبى)

• Year: 1953
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Khatwet Habibi	3:02

Return to table of contents.

Layali Lubnan (ليالي لبنان)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Layalli Loubnan	3:01
Musica Arabe Instrumental Volume 4	Mario Kirlis	Lai Ali Lebnan	4:34

Return to table of contents.

Layali Ramadan

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Best of Mohammed Abdul Wahab	Hossam Ramzy	Layali Ramadan	5:36

Return to table of contents.

Mawkib El Nour (موكب النور)

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Maouakeb El Nour	3:08
Best of Mohammed Abdul Wahab	Hossam Ramzy	Mawkib Ennoor	6:25

Return to table of contents.

Men Gheir Leh (من غير ليه)

• Year: 1989
• Lyricist: Morsi Gamil Aziz
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Language: Arabic, Egyptian dialect
• Lyrics translation

In 1975, Abdel Halim Hafez and Mohamed Abdel Wahab agreed to work together on another song, and engaged Morsi Gamil Aziz to write the lyrics. The plan was for Hafez to perform it in his spring concerts. Aziz finished the lyrics, and send them to Abdel Wahab to compose the music to go with them. However, Hafez and Abdel Wahab wanted changes to some of the lyrics, and the issue dragged on for two years.

Tragically, Hafez died in March 1977, without ever recording the song. In 1989, Abdel Wahab surprised the public by returning from retirement to perform this song, and he achieved overwhelming success.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Setrak, Vol. 17, Belly Dance with Ranine	Setrak Sarkissian	Men Gheyr Leh	4:53

Return to table of contents.

Min El Sharq

Mohamed Abdel Wahab was both the composer and the original artist for this song.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Min Al Sharq	3:32

Return to table of contents.

Ooli Amallak Eih Albi (قوللى عملك ايه قلبى)

• Decade: 1950's
• Lyricist: Hussein al-Sayed
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Other ways to spell this song title include "Olli Aamallak Eih Albi" and "Kolly Amalek".

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Arabian Legends	Cairo Orchestra	Ooli Amallak Eh	4:39
Best of Mohammed Abdul Wahab	Hossam Ramzy	Olli Amallak Eih Albi	6:54

Return to table of contents.

Set el Habayib Ya Habiba (ست الحبايب ياحبيبه)

• Year: 1959
• Lyricist: Hussein al-Sayed
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Fayza Ahmed
• Language: Arabic, Egyptian dialect

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Best of Mohammed Abdul Wahab	Hossam Ramzy	Set Elhabayib Ya Habiba	7:32

Return to table of contents.

Tool Omri Ahebak (طول عمرى أحبك)

• Year: 1956
• Lyricist: Anwar Abdullah
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Original Artist: Nagat al-Saghir

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Aheb Masr	Yasmina of Cairo	Toul Omri Ahebak W'ashkeelak	5:25

Return to table of contents.

Wa Marret El Ayam (ومرت الأيام)

• Year: 1970
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Lyricist: Mamoun El Shennawi
• Original Artist: Oum Kalthoum
• Language: Arabic, Egyptian Dialect

The musical introduction for this song consists of 3 parts. The first part prominently features guitar. The second part contains part of the Libyan song "Yazahra Al-Jasmine". The third part leads up to the vocals.

This is the same song as Daret el-Ayam. See the page of song listings for Oum Kalthoum for a list of tracks with this song.

Return to table of contents.

Ya Msafer Wahdak (يا مسافر وحدك)

• Year: 1942
• Appeared in motion picture Mamnou'a el Hob
• Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Lyricist: Hussein El-Sayed
• Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
• Lyrics translation 

 

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Oriental Fantasy Volume 11: Enchanted Gardens	Unidentified	Travelling Alone / Ya Msafer Wahdak (Vocal)	4:31
Oriental Fantasy Volume 11: Enchanted Gardens	Unidentified	Travelling Alone / Ya Msafer Wahdak (Instrumental)	4:31
Wash Ya Wash Volume 2	Ahmed Abdel Fatah	Ya Msafer Whadek	4:31
Cairo Nights, Volume 8	Dr. Samy Farag	Ya Mesafer Wahdak	4:37
Arabian Legends	Cairo Orchestra	Ya Msafir Wahdak	6:20

Return to table of contents.

Zeina

This song was composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab. There are two entirely different famous songs titled "Zeina". The one in this listing is the one composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab and sung by Houreya Hassan. Samia Gamal danced to it in the movie Zannouba.

The other one was composed by Farid El Atrache and sung by Shadia.

Album Title	Album Artist	Name of Track	Length
Jalilah's Raks Sharki 5: Stars of the Casino Opera	Ihsan al-Mounzer	Samia's Dance (Medley): Not Labeled	1:23
Bellydance Oasis	Cairo Orchestra	Zaffa Medley: Zeina	1:53
Jalilah's Raks Sharki 5: Stars of the Casino Opera	Ihsan al-Mounzer	Samia's Dance (Medley): Zeina	3:15
Belly Dance, The Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab	Unidentified	Zeina	3:48
Belly Dance Fantasy	Unidentified	Zeina	4:33
10 Songs Every Bellydancer Should Know	Cairo Orchestra	Zeina	4:37
Aziza Raks	Cairo Orchestra	Zeina	6:24

Return to table of contents.

Related Articles

These lists of recordings for belly dancers can help you find tracks of your favorite songs to meet the needs of a particular show or classroom playlist:

Songs Catalogued By Original Artist Songs by Abdel Halim Hafez  Songs by Fairouz  Songs by Farid al-Atrache  Songs by Mohamed Abdel Wahab  Songs by Oum Kalthoum

Other Music Mejance Compositions  Songs from Iraq  Taqasim, Mawawil, and Drum Solos