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كل ده كان ليه
Koulli Da Kan Lih?

(Why Did All This Happen?)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Egyptian song "Koulli Da Kan Lih", which was popularized by Mohamed Abdel Wahab. Also included is a transliteration of the Arabic lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like.

  • Koulli Da Kan Lih (Why Did All This Happen?), 1953
  • Song Title in Arabic: كل ده كان ليه
  • Album: Koulli Da Kan Lih
  • Language: Arabic, Egyptian dialect
  • Lyricist: Mamoun el-Shennawi
  • Composer: Mohamed Abdel Wahab
  • Original Artist: Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Other ways to spell this song title include "Koul Da Kan Leih" or "Koli Da Kan Lyeh".

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

Transliteration

English Translation

كل ده كان ليه لمَا شفت عنيه Koull dah kan lih lamma shouft aanyeh Why did all this happen when I looked into her eyes?
حن قلبي اليه وانشغلت عليه hann albi ilyeh w enshaghalt aalyeh My heart desired her, and I became obsessed with her.
كل ده كان ليه كان ليه koull dah kan lih Why did all this happen?
     
قال لي كم كلمه يشبهوا النسمه في ليالي الصيف 'alli kam kilma yeshbahou ennesma fi layali es-seyf How many things she told me! They were like a breeze in summer nights.
فاتني وفقلبي شوق بيلعب بي وفي خيالي طيف Fatni we f'albi shouq yelaab bi we fi khayali teef She left me, and the longing is playng with my heart. A phantom in my imagination.
غاب عني بقى له يومين ما اعرفش وحشني ليه Ghab aani ba'a lou youmayn ma aarafsh wahashni lyeh She has been away from me for two days. I don't know why I miss her.
احترت اشوفه فين وان شفته اقول له ايه ahtart ashoufou fen w inn shouftou a'oul lou lyeh I am confused, where will I see her? And what will I tell her if I see her?
     
كل ده كان ليه كان ليه koull dah kan lih Why did all this happen?
     
اللي حيرني واللي غيرني واللي فاتني فحال Elli hayarni w elli ghayarni w elli fatni fihal She who confused me , changed me, and left me alone
نام وسهرني والا فاكرني والا مش عالبال Nam we saharni walla fakerni walla moush aabal Did she sleep and keep me awake? Does she think about me or not?
صبحني ف هم وويل من طول ما بفكر فيه Sabahni f hamm w wayl min toul ma bafakar fieh Sorrow and affliction woke me up when I thought about her.
نساني انام الليل خلاني ابات اناجيه Nasani anam ellayl khallani abat ana gyeh She made me forget how to sleep and spend the night whispering to her.
     
كل ده كان ليه كان ليه koull dah kan lih Why did all this happen?
     
ليه بيحرمني من سؤال عني وافضل استناه lih byharimni min sual eaniy wa'afdal aistanah Why is she making me incapable of doubting myself?
لو يكلمني كان يطمني ع اللى بتمناه law yukalimuny kan yatmani e allaa bitamnnah If she spoke to me, she would reassure me about what she wanted.
يا شاغلني ليل ونهار بغرام ما اقدرش اداريه ya shaghalni layl wanahar bigharam ma aqdrsh adaryh Oh, my concerns, day and night, I cannot love.
شوف قلبي وشوف النار اللى انت قايدها فيه shawf qalbi washawf alnaar allaa 'ant qayidaha fih Look at my heart, and look at the fire you have ignited in it.
     
كل ده كان ليه كان ليه koull dah kan lih Why did all this happen?

 

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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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About the Translator

This translation was created by "gbasfora" at allthelyrics.com

 

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