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


Sallam Alay
(She Greeted Me)

 

"Sallam Alay" is a traditional Egyptian folk song.

Rhythm: Fallahi (Peasant) 4/4 and Saidi (Upper Egyptian) 4/4

 

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Listen to MP3 Clips of this Song

Note Performed by Sirocco
Note Performed by Hossam Ramzy & Rafat Misso
Note On the album titled I Remember Egypt

 

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Lyrics

Arabic Lyrics

English Translation

Chorus:

Chorus:

Sallam 'alay, sallam 'alay, (S)he greeted me, (s)he greeted me,
Lamma gabalni w-sallam 'alay When (s)he met me, and greeted me,
Waladi ya waladi sallam 'alay. Oh boy, oh boy, (s)he greeted me.
   

Verse 1:

Verse 1:

Fayta l-arusa fi gnena The young girl walking in the garden
Wel-ward-e allaha ya zena The flowers said to her, O Beautiful,
Lon el-khudud zahi 'alena The color of her cheeks brightened us,
W-habibi. O my beloved.
   

Verse 2:

Verse 2:

In gah habibi yendahli If my beloved calls me
Ansa habaybi wa-fut ahli I would forget about my friends and family
W-afrah bi-orbo 'ala mahli I would be happy being close to her, and take my time
W-habibi. O my beloved.

 

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Where to Get Recordings of this Song

Ahlamy Album Cover by Hossam Ramzy

Note

Listen to Clip

Artist: Hossam Ramzy & Rafat Misso
CD Title: Ahlamy

Amazon Store: U.S. Canada U.K.

I Remember Egypt Album Cover

Note

Listen to Clip

Artist: Not Identified
CD Title: I Remember Egypt

Amazon Store: U.S.

Sirocco Volume 2 CD Cover

Note

Listen to Clip

Artist: Sirocco
Album Title: Sirocco Volume 2

U.S.

 

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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.

 

 

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