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PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

From the Site

Arab Song Translations

By Lennie Clark

Lennie

From Lennie Clark's Web Site:

Salamet-ha Umm Hassan
(Salametha, Mother of Hassan)

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the popular shaabi song "Salamet-ha Umm Hassan", which was sung by Ahmed Adawiyya. His name is sometimes spelled as Adaweya.

According to an article in Al Ahram Weekly, this song refers to Egypt after its humiliating defeat in its 1967 war with Israel, a defeat which took its toll on the mood of the nation. The song wishes Mother Egypt (um-Hassan, i.e., "mother of Hassan") a speedy recovery and expresses hope that the evil eye which has struck her son Hassan (the Egyptian soldier) will let him be. The references in the lyrics to burning incense and playing the drum next to her ear are references to the zar ceremony. The lyrics are saying that she tried to do a zar but it didn't work, so she should quit wasting her time on superstitions.

The song title is written in Arabic as سلمتها ام حسن. Alternate transliterations for the song title include "Salametha Om Hassan", "Salamatha Om Hassan," and "Salamit-ha Oum Hassan".

Music: Farouk Salamah

Ahmed Adawiyya

 

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Lyrics

Note from Shira: Two different translations of this song have been contributed to this web site. I have decided to make both available. Song lyrics are poetry, and it can be challenging for a translator to communicate nuances of meaning. By having two translations to use, you can explore two different people's ideas on how to convey these nuances.

 

Translation by Adel Abdallah

"Umm Hassan is a woman who thinks that she is possessed and wants an exorcist so that she can be healed", writes Adel, the translator.

 

Get well, Umm Hassan,
Recover from the evil eye
Recover, all our loved ones, from the eye of envy

She was hit by the mental illness
And she could not sleep
You can not blame her

Get well, Umm Hassan...

She burned incense but it did not help
They played the drums loud to her ear like a bullet
But it did not help

Wake up, Umm Hassan
You know better that all that incense and drums
And all the hocus pocus do not help

Get well, Umm Hassan

 

Translation by Nicole Ibrahim, Provided by Linda Grondahl

This translation was done by Nicole Ibrahim, from whom Linda took Arabic singing classes for about eight years during the 1980's.

Arabic Transliteration

English Translation

Verse 1:

Verse 1:

Salamit-ha Oum Hassan God bless her Hassan's mother
Meil ein weil meil Hassad (bis) From the evil eye and from envy
Wei Salamtak ya Hassan And God bless you, oh Hassan
Meil reim sheilee Hassad From the lash that envied you
Salameit-ha Salamit-ha God bless, God bless,
Salamit-ha Salamit-ha Oum Hassan God bless her Hassan's mother
   

Chorus: Same as Verse 1

Chorus: Same as Verse 1

   

Verse 2:

Verse 2:

Galha Toureilei mashee The passing bull came to her
Weil toor ma nay eimhashee (Bis) And the bull didn't put her to sleep
Weil ein ma saybahashee And the eye not leaving her alone
Mahsouda Oum Hassan Someone envied Hassan's mother
Salameint-ha Oum Hassan God bless you, Mother of Hassan
Meil ein wei meil Hassad From the lash that envied you
   

Chorus

Chorus

   

Verse 3:

Verse 3:

Malbouja leh malbouj Why is she so preoccupied
Meil feikr galha doja From so much thinning she got sick
Hare-eit shaba wei fasouja She burned incense and a pickle fish
Ma raeitsh Oum Hassan She didn't recover, Hassan's mother
Salamit-ha Oum Hassan God bless you, Mother of Hassan
Meil ein wei meil Hassad From the lash that envied you
   

Chorus

Chorus

   

Verse 4:

Verse 4:

Amaloulha zar latash-ha They made a zar too powerful for her
We kaino eiyar da washa It seemed like too strong for her
Yareit kan had hash-ha Too bad no one rescued her
Ma-zoura Oum Hassan She has got her excuse, Hassan's mother
Salamit-ha Oum Hassan God bless you, Mother of Hassan
Meil ein we meil Hassan From the lash that envied you
   

Chorus

Chorus

   

Verse 5:

Verse 5:

Gara-eh yam Hassan Laimeeha weig ghalee What's happening Hassan's mother, Behave and get your act together
La tour wala zar beiyenfa-a Not a bull nor a zar is working out, wake up and be wise
Salmit-ha Oum Hassan God bless you, Mother of Hassan
Meil ein we meil Hassad From the lash that envied you

 

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Where to Get Recordings of this Song

La Danse Oriental CD Cover

 

Artist: John Bilezikjian
CD Title: La Danse Orientale

Dantz Records - John Bilezikjian
P.O. Box 2434
Laguna Hills, CA 92654-2434
U.S.A.

Telephone: (+1) (949) 581-5664

Web Site: www.dantzrecords.com

 

---------------

Translations of
Ahmed Adawiyya's Songs on this Site

 

---------------

Acknowledgements

About the Translator of the First Version

Adel Abdallah is an Egyptian who resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. If you are traveling to that great city, he invites you to stop by the Cafe Picasso, located at 3401 Chartres (on the corner of Chartres and Desire, in the Bywater). The cafe serves delicious Middle Eastern food, and offers shiisha smoking. They are open daily except for Sundays, from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. (Deliveries until 10 P.M.) The phone number is (504) 948-6881.

The translation summary was done by Adel at Lennie Clark's request. Muchisimas gracias to Kruz, (whose Morocco to India ethnic boutique, located in the historic French Quarter, is not-to-be-missed) for suggesting Adel as a translator.

About the Person Who Provided the Second Video

Linda Grondahl's background is that of a devoted lover of Arabic music and dance. She danced with Amina and the Aswan Dancers for many years. She took Arabic percussion with Mary Ellen Donald, Su Su Pampanin, George Dubai, Vince Deldado, and Tony Lammam. She took Arabic singing from Nicole Ibrahim, Mimi Spencer, Georges Lammam. On the oud, she studied under Nazir Latouf, Mimi Spencer, Abdullah Kdough. She was a member of the Aswat Arab-American Choir under the direction of Elias Lammam. She is now a member of the El Ashaab dance troupe, and Tahneen, the all-girl, all-American Middle eastern music ensemble. They have played for Arab and American events, and for many years at the Rakassah festival.

"I just saved whatever I could get my hands on, for years", writes Linda, "and really don't know why. It was always so dificult to get music, so I just kept on saving."

Linda lives in San Francisco, California. Her favorite color is any shade of purple.

About the Source

This article originally appeared on Lennie Clark's web site, "Arabic Song Translations." Lennie created this web site in 2002 as a response to discussion on the Internet regarding incidents of dancers who performed inappropriate sensual dances to religious music. Lennie's web site resided on a free web hosting service known as Geocities.

When the planned October 2009 closure of the Geocities web hosting service was announced, Lennie and Shira agreed to move the contents of Lennie's site to Shira.net. To explore all the articles and song translations that once appeared on Lennie's Geocities site, visit Lennie's portal page here on Shira.net.

Lennie Clark

 

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