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قلبى بيقولى كلام
Albi bi Olli Kalam

(My Heart Tells Me One Thing)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Egyptian song "Albi bi Olli Kalam", which was popularized by Mohamed Abdel Wahab.

Other ways to transliterate the song title include "Qalbi Biqoulli Kalam", "Kalby Bykoly", "Alby Beoly Kalam", and "Alby bi Olli Kalam".

  • Albi bi Olli Kalam (My Heart Tells Me One Thing), 1954
  • Song Title in Arabic: قلبى بيقولى كلام
  • Language: Egyptian dialect of Arabic
  • Lyricist: Hussein al-Sayed
  • Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
  • Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Song lyrics are provided for educational purposes. If you like the song, please purchase either the album or a download from an authorized source.

About Mohamed Abdel Wahab

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 became known as the "Musician of the Generations" because his career spanned over half a century, creating new hit songs for each successive generation to enjoy.

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 Al Warda Al Baida (The White Rose), which was the second Egyptian movie musical ever made (the first was Ounchoudat al-Fouad).

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.

Abdel Wahab was a mentor to Abdel Halim Hafez, and composed many of his hit songs. He also composed ten songs for Oum Kalthoum, including "Enta Omri". In 1976, he composed for Nagwa Fouad the first mejance, "Amar 14".

Some of his personal belongings are housed in a museum at the Music Institute in Cairo.

 

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Lyrics

Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes that appear at the bottom of the translation.

Arabic Lyrics

English Translation

قلبى بيقولى كلام وانت بتقولى كلام My heart tells me one thing and you say another,
وعينيا شايفة كلام والناس بيقولوا كلام My eyes see one thing, but people are saying something else.
احترت اصدق مين ؟ I was confused, whom should I believe?
واحترت اكدب مين ؟ Whom should I call a liar?
قلبى بيقولى My heart tells me.
   
انت بتحلفلى انك ليا وعينيك بتكدب حلفانك You swear that you are mine, but your eyes reveal your deceit.
بيخبوا وبيداروا عليا وكلامهم مش زى كلامك They hide and they conceal from me, and their words are not the same as yours.
   
احتارت ما بين قلبى وبينك .. والحيرة عذاب I was confused between [the words of] my heart and you, and the confusion torments me.
ما اعرفش الصادق مين فيكم .. ومين الكداب ؟ I don't know which of you are truthful, and which are liars.
   
قلبى بيقولى كلام وانت بتقولى كلام My heart tells me one thing and you say another,
وعينيا شايفة كلام والناس بيقولوا كلام My eyes see one thing, but people are saying something else.
احترت اصدق مين ؟ I was confused, whom should I believe?
واحترت اكدب مين ؟ Whom should I call a liar?
قلبى بيقولى My heart tells me.
   
فاكر يوم قلبى ما شكالك ؟ Do you remember that day when my heart complained to you?
وسألتك عن راحة قلبى And I asked you to set my heart at ease.
فى القرب داريت عنى جوابك In my nearness, you concealed the answer from me,
وف بعدى رديت على حبى and when I was distant you answered my love.
   
احتارت ما بين قلبى وبينك .. والحيرة عذاب I was confused between [the words of] my heart and you, and the confusion torments me.
ما اعرفش الصادق مين فيكم .. ومين الكداب ؟ I don't know which of you are truthful, and which are liars.
   
قلبى بيقولى كلام وانت بتقولى كلام My heart tells me one thing and you say another,
وعينيا شايفة كلام والناس بيقولوا كلام My eyes see one thing, but people are saying something else.
احترت اصدق مين ؟ I was confused, whom should I believe?
واحترت اكدب مين ؟ Whom should I call a liar?
قلبى بيقولى My heart tells me.
   
تضحك .. ف عينيا .. You laugh, in my eyes,
والفرحة تاخد من قلبى وتجاوبك and joy takes from my heart and responds to you.
وابص الاقى .. Wake up!
عينيك سارحة .. Your eyes are distracted
مع حاجة تانية بتندهلك by another need that shocks you.
   
احتارت ما بين قلبى وبينك .. والحيرة عذاب I was confused between [the words of] my heart and you, and the confusion torments me.
ما اعرفش الصادق مين فيكم .. ومين الكداب ؟ I don't know which of you are truthful, and which are liars.
   
قلبى بيقولى كلام وانت بتقولى كلام My heart tells me one thing and you say another,
وعينيا شايفة كلام والناس بيقولوا كلام My eyes see one thing, but people are saying something else.
احترت اصدق مين ؟ I was confused, whom should I believe?
واحترت اكدب مين ؟ Whom should I call a liar?
قلبى بيقولى My heart tells me.

 

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Translations of
Mohammed Abdel Wahab's Songs on this Site

Translations on this web site for songs performed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab include:

 

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