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PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California. |
Billadhi Askara
(The Intoxicating Beloved)
This page contains the translation to the song lyrics of "Billadhi Askara" a muwashaha (Arab art song) that has been recorded by many artists, including Fairuz around 1960. Her name is often alternately spelled as "Feiruz".
Maqam: Bayati
Rhythm: Iqa Darij (3/4) or Iqa Yuruk (6/8)
Listen to MP3 Clips of this Song
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Instrumental performance by Jordi Savall |
Lyrics
Arabic Lyrics |
English Translation |
| Billadhi askara min 'arf el-lama | The one who intoxicates by the scent of her dark lips |
| Kulla ka'sin tahtasihi wa habab | Each cup she sips, and the pearl-like teeth |
| Walladhi kahhala jafnayka bima | The one who has darkened your eyelids with kohl |
| Sajada-ssehru ladayhi wa-qtarab | Magic bowed down toward him and got close |
| Walladhi ajra dumu'i andama | And the one who made my tears flow like red dye |
| Indama a'ratta min ghayri sabab | When you shunned me for no reason |
| Di 'ala sadri yayumnaka fama | Put your right hand on my breast |
| Ajdara-l-ma'a bi-itfa el-lahab | It is more suitable than water to put out the flames. |
Where to Get Recordings of this Song
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Artist: Jordi Savall Amazon Store: |
Translations of
Feiruz' Songs On This Site
About the Translator
This translation was done by Dr. George Sawa for Yasmina Ramzy of Arabesque Academy of Toronto, Canada. I'd like to thank Yasmina for permission to share these song lyrics with you via my web site.
Dr. George Sawa was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1947, where he completed his undergraduate studies in Western music and Classical Arabic music. In 1970, after immigrating to Canada, he completed graduate work at the University of Toronto, obtaining an MA in musicology and ethnomusicology at the Faculty of Music, and a PhD in Arabic historical musicology at the department of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Since 1972, when he founded the Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble with Ebrahim Eleish, he has directed and performed with the ensemble all over North America, in both concert venues and in lecture demonstrations at universities and colleges. As a soloist, Dr. Sawa has also performed in Europe, in concerts and radio broadcasts. As well, he is frequently invited to international conferences for presentations and lectures on various aspects of medieval and modern Arabic music. At present he is directing the Centre For Studies in Middle Eastern Music.
Yasmina Ramzy has been performing, teaching, and choreographing Middle Eastern dance since 1981. She has toured extensively throughout Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Greece, England, Mexico, the United States, and Canada as a soloist and with her company, sometimes performing for royalty and heads of state in many of these countries. She is the Artistic Director of Arabesque Academy, School of Culture-Specific Dance and the Arabesque Dance Company. Although Yasmina has dedicated her life to Middle Eastern dance, she also produces Gypsy and Dancenet which are culture-specific dance and music events with an educational slant. She is also a member of Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists and serves on the board of directors for Dance Ontario.