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

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the song "Wana Maali", which was recorded by Warda. Also included is a transliteration of the Arabic lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like.

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 Warda El Gaza'iriya

Warda El Gaza'iriya was an Algerian singer who achieved fame in Egypt. Her name meant "Warda, the Algerian", but she was also often referred to as simply "Warda", which means "Rose". She was born in Paris to an Algerian father and a Lebanese mother, and began her music career there in the 1950's.

Her father ran a cabaret named the TAM-TAM which featured prominent artists such as Farid al-Atrache. After the Algerian war of independence began in 1956, her family needed to leave Paris due to her father being caught aiding the rebellion. They moved to Lebanon, where Warda began singing in the nightclubs of Beirut.

In 1959, Warda met the composer Mohamed Abdel Wahab, who began to train her in the classical style of singing. This led to an introduction to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, whosuggested she be cast in a pan-Arab opera.

This opened more doors, and she moved to Egypt to pursue a career there in music and cinema. There she achieved great success, working with the great composers of her time. Her repertoire included 300 songs, and her records sold tens of millions of copies.

Arabic Lyrics

English Translation

Naasya hina naasya,  ayaam kanait aasya.

Naasya hina naasya,  ayaam kanait aasya.

To me, Tahseen was so much more than a contributor to my web site. Even though we lived far apart, I saw Tahseen and Kathe several times over the years. I always appreciated their warmth and generosity. I first "met" Tahseen online back in 1997 on the med-dance list on the Internet, where he periodically posted messages. I knew he was in Lawrence, Kansas, so when a business trip arose requiring me to travel to the Kansas City area, I emailed him to say I'd be in the neighborhood. He and Kathe came to Kansas City for an evening get-together at Tasso's restaurant, and they invited several local dancers to join us. I saw them on follow-up visits to Kansas City. They vended at Rakkasah for several years, and it was always a pleasure to greet them there in the anteroom off to the left of the main stage. I also enjoyed encountering them in Egypt at the Ahlan wa Sahlan festival.

Tahseen will be missed by many.