Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

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

Ya Bahiyya
O Bahiyya

 

This page contains the translation to the song lyrics of "Ya Baheyya". There is more than one song that uses this title. One is a traditional folk song that can be heard in Upper Egypt, and the other is a classical piece composed by Baligh Hamdi. These are entirely different pieces of music. The one used for this translation is the traditional folk song.

Maqam: Saba
Rhythm: Iqa Saidi
Music: Traditional

 

Explore belly dancing! Learn all about bellydance!

Listen to MP3 Clips of this Song

Note Sung by the Abu Zariya Band on the album Music of the Fellahin produced by Aisha Ali
Note From the album Cairo Caravan Belly Dance with Dina by Hollywood Music Center. This exact same version also appears on the album Very Belly Dance by Maha.
Note From the album I Remember Egypt

Explore belly dancing! Learn all about bellydance!

Lyrics

Arabic Lyrics

English Lyrics

Chorus:

Refrain:

Ya Baheyya khabberini ya buya, 'Ale gatal Yasin O Baheyya, tell me who killed Yasin
Gataluh-es-sud 'eneyya ya buya, Men fog dahr-el-hagin (2) (She said) My black eyes as I was riding the camel.
   

Verse 1:

Verse 1:

Ya-khawati roddo 'aleyya Ana mali-w-mal Yasin (2) O brothers answer me, what have I to do with Yasin
Di suretha meyya-l-meyya Fi galbi men senin Her picture was a hundred percent in my heart for years.
   

Verse 2:

Verse 2:

'Atshan (w) ma saguni We gulalhom malyanin (2) I was thirsty and they gave me no water though their jars were full.
We-bnar-esh-shog kawuni Mehtar aruh le-min With the fire of love they burned me with a hot iron. To whom shall I turn for help?
   

Verse 3:

Verse 3:

El-wa'de ya buy ramani We-msattar 'ag-gebin (2) I am a victim of a false promise, it is written on my forehead
We Baheyya-msaharani Ma'a lel-el-ashegin And Baheyya is keeping me awake. I am experiencing the sleepless night of the lovers.
   

Verse 4:

Verse 4:

Ya Baheyya-na asli sa'idi O Baheyya, I am Upper Egyptian,
Wen-nas goddamek shahda And the people around you are witnesses.
We-nhafez 'ala mawa'idi I keep my promises,
Wet-toba aslaha wahda And repentance happens only once.
Ana tayeb wen-nabi tayeb I am repenting, O by the Prophet I am repenting
Khallina-shab we habayeb (2) Let us remain friends and lovers.
We monaya-ttem-el-farha My hope is that happiness is complete
Ma'a-buki-w-ne'ra-l-fatha That I get a verbal agreement from your father.
We madad ya Genawi nazra O, (Saint) Genawi, help me get a look
We 'aleh nehlef yamin. On you I shall take an oath.
   

Verse 5:

Verse 5:

'Abd-er-Rahim ya Genawi O (Saint) 'Abd-al-Rahim, O (Saint) Genawi,
Mahsubak men senin (2) I have been your obedient follower for years.
'Al-fatha w Allah-na nawi Shellah Sedna-l-Hosen By God, I intend to get the verbal agreement, O our master al-Husayn, Help!

 

Explore belly dancing! Learn all about bellydance!

Where to Get Recordings of this Song

Music of the Fellahin Album Cover

Note

Listen to Clip

Publisher: Aisha Ali
CD Title: Music of the Fellahin

Amazon Store: U.S.

Cairo Caravan - Belly Dance with Dina

Note

Listen to Clip

Artist: Cairo Caravan
CD Title: Belly Dance with Dina

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.

 

Explore belly dancing! Learn all about bellydance!

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 of the board of directors for Dance Ontario.

 

Explore belly dancing! Learn all about bellydance!

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 Google+
 

On Facebook
 

 

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

| Contact Shira | Mailing List | Links | Search this Site |