Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

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

عائشة
Aïcha

(Aisha)

 

 

This page contains a translation into English of the lyrics to the Algerian raï song "Aïcha" (عائش), which was popularized by Khaled. Also included is a transliteration of the French and Arabic lyrics into the Roman alphabet so you can sing along if you like.

  • Aïcha (Aisha), 1996
  • Song Title in Arabic: عائش
  • Album: Sahra
  • Lyricist: Jean-Jacques Goldman and Khaled
  • Composer: Jean-Jacques Goldman
  • Original Artist: Khaled (previously known as Cheb Khaled)

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 this Song

Khaled wrote the song "Aïcha" for his daughter. This song was such a major hit that a Turkish version was released a year after Khaled's original version, and three different versions with Greek lyrics were released in the years that followed!

It reached the #1 position on the charts in France and Belgium, and placed in the top 20 in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

The song has also been adapted in many other languages.

  • Cheb Khaled, 1996, bilingual in French and Arabic ("Aïcha") on the album Sahra
  • Dr. Mehmet Mutaf, 1997, in Turkish ("Ayşa")
  • Kostas Bigalis, 1997 in Greek ("M' Aresi")
  • Outlandish, 2002, in English ("Aicha")
  • Michalis Hatzigiannis, 2004, in Greek ("Krifa")
  • Stamatis Gonidis, 2006, in Greek ("Alithia Sou Leo")

About Khaled

Khaled is an Algerian raï musician who began singing in his teens, using the name Cheb Khaled, which means "Young Khaled" in Arabic. Later, he dropped the "Cheb" from his professional name, and now goes by simply "Khaled".

Khaled was born in Oran, Algeria in 1960. At age 14, he formed a band with his friends and began performing with them at nightclubs and weddings. In the 1980's, he embraced the emerging musical genre known as raï, and soon rose to national fame. Lieutenant-Colonel Hosni Snoussi, director of the state-supported arts and culture Office Riadh el Feth became interested in his artistic work and invited him to perform in a state-sponsored festival in 1985. The same year, he was crowned King of Raï at the first official raï festival in his home town of Oran.

In 1986, Khaled fled to Paris due to the rising violence in Algeria. He received several death threats, and several other raï musicians were murdered. He achieved his first big hit "Didi" in 1992, propelling him to international fame. He even appeared on The Tonight Show in the U.S. on February 4, 1993!

He achieved ten diamond, platinum, and gold albums, and his album 123 Soleils was the highest-selling Arab album in history. He has also won numerous awards throughout his career.

 

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

Lyrics

The original version of this song was entirely in French as a single. Khaled later released a version of "Aïcha" on the album Sahra. For the album version, part of the lyrics are in French and part in Arabic, with Khaled having written the lyrics for the Arabic part. This translation below includes the Arabic lyrics.

Original Lyrics

English Translation

   

French Section

French Section

Comme si je n'existais pas, As if I did not exist,
Elle est passée à côté de moi she walked right past me
Sans un regard, reine de Saba. Without a look, Queen of Sheba.
J'ai dit, "Aïcha, prends — tout est pour toi." I said, "Aisha, take this — everything is for you."
   
Voici les perles, les bijoux, Here are the pearls, the jewels,
Aussi l'or autour de ton cou, and also the gold around your neck.
Les fruits bien mûrs au goût de miel, The ripest fruits that taste of honey,
Ma vie, Aïcha, si tu m'aimes. My life, Aisha, if you love me.
   
J'irai où ton souffle nous mène, I will go wherever your breath takes us
Dans les pays d'ivoire et d'ébène. In the countries of ivory and ebony.
J'effacerai tes larmes, tes peines. I will erase your tears, your pain.
Rien n'est trop beau pour une si belle. Nothing is too much for one so beautiful.
   
Aïcha, Aïcha, écoute-moi. Aisha, Aisha, listen to me!
Aïcha, Aïcha, t'en va pas. Aisha, Aisha, don't go!
Aïcha, Aïcha, regarde-moi. Aisha, Aisha, look at me!
Aïcha, Aïcha, réponds-moi. Aisha, Aisha, respond to me!
   
Je dirai les mots, les poèmes. I'll recite the words, the poems.
Je jouerai les musiques du ciel. I will play the music of the heavens.
Je prendrai les rayons du soleil I will catch the rays of the sun
Pour éclairer tes yeux de rêve. to light up your dreamy eyes.
   
Aïcha, Aïcha, écoute-moi. Aisha, Aisha, listen to me!
Aïcha, Aïcha, t'en va pas. Aisha, Aisha, don't go!
   
Elle a dit, "Garde tes trésors. She said, "Keep your treasures.
Moi, je vaux mieux que tout ça. Me, I'm worth more than all that.
Des barreaux sont des barreaux, mêmes en or. Bars are bars, even [when made] of gold.
Je veux les mêmes droits que toi I want the same rights as you have,
Et du respect pour chaque jour. and respect every day.
Moi, je ne veux que de l'amour." Me, the only thing I want is love."
   

Arabic Section

Arabic Section

نبغيك عايشة ونموت عليك
ana abghik Aisha wanamut aleik
I want you, Aisha, and I would die for you!
هادي سيدة حياتي وحبي
hathi sayidt hayati wa hobbi
You are master of my life, and my love
انت عمري وانت حياتي
enti omri w enti hayati
You are my years, and you are my life,
تمنيت نعيش معك غير انت
tamaneyt 'n ma aaeesh maak gheir enti
I wish to live with no one else but you.
   
In French In French
Aïcha, Aïcha, écoute-moi. Aisha, Aisha, listen to me!
In Arabic In Arabic
عيشة عيشة أنا أبغيك
Aïcha, Aïcha, ana abghik
Aisha, Aisha, I want you.
In French In French
Aïcha, Aïcha, t'en va pas. Aisha, Aisha, don't go!
In Arabic In Arabic
عايشة عايشة نموت عليك
Aïcha, Aïcha, wanamut aleik
Aisha, Aisha, and I would die for you!
In French In French
Aïcha, Aïcha, réponds-moi. Aisha, Aisha, reply to me!
   
In French In French
Réponds-moi. Answer me.
In Arabic In Arabic
Ya leili! Oh night!

 

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

Translations of
Khaled's Songs On This Site

Translations on this web site of songs performed by Khaled (formerly known as Cheb Khaled) include:

 

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

Related Translations

Three different versions of this song exist with Greek lyrics, each entirely different from the others. The translations for all three of these versions are available on this web site, thanks to Panayiota Bakis.

 

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

About the Translator

This translation was created by Shira.

 

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

Copyright Notice

This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.

All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.

Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.

If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.

If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.

 

 

Explore more belly dance info:

Top >
Belly Dancing >
Middle Eastern Culture >
Index to Middle Eastern Music Section

 

Share this page!

On Facebook
 

 

 Top > Belly Dancing > Middle Eastern Culture > Index to Middle Eastern Music Section

| Contact Shira | Links | Search this Site |