Above the Palm Trees/I've Got a Friend Up Thereفوك النخل\فوق إلنا خلFoug El Nakhel/Foug Ilna Khill

We've translated many an Arabic folk song here on the blog performed by various artists, but the discussion on this song is so massive and the versions so numerous that it deserves its own post. "Fog al-Nakhel (فوق النخل)" is one of the most famous Arabic songs. It originated in Iraq and quickly spread throughout the Arabic world with the advent of radio and television. One of the earliest versions was performed by Nazem al-Ghazali, but there are others by Sabah Fakhri, Ilham al-Madfai, Kazem el-Saher and many others. Of course, the verses seem to be infinite.

I've always tried to understand the song, which eventually led me to discussion forums discussing the lyrics and meaning. That's when I discovered the open secret that the lyrics are not actually فوق النخل, or "above the palm trees," but rather فوق إلنا خل, ie "I've got a friend above/up there" however you want to translate it. According to a discussion among posters in this forum here, the original composers had intended the song to be فوق النا خل (Fog ilna khell). The story behind the song is that there is a poor young man in love with a girl that belongs to a rich family, after seeing her on their big house's balcony and exchanging glances. The song became "Foq al-Nakhel (فوق النخل)" because even though it makes the meaning quite strange, the audiences liked it better, according Sabah Fakhri and others. This explains the lyrics:

I've got a friend above
I don't know if that's the shine of your cheek or a shine above (ie the moon)
I swear I don't even want her
It's ruining me/It's causing me a problem

فوق إلنا خل فوق يابا فوق النا خل فوق
مدري لامع خدك يابا مدري لامع فوق
ولله ما ريده باليني بلوة

That is pretty much the standard chorus and after that the versions diverge greatly. I'll try to add as many versions as I can here, hopefully with the help of the readers, since lyrics are surprisingly scarce.

First and foremost is the Nazem al-Ghazali (ناظم الغزالي) version:

ناظم الغزالي - فوق النخل (فوق إلنا خل)

I have no hope for my soul, you're still my beloved
Everyone gets to be with you and my destiny is to be abandoned by you
I swear she's torturing me and she has no interest in me

مالي امل بالروح يبا بعدك حبيبي بعدك حبيبي
وصلك صفى للناس يبا هجرك نصيبي
والله معذبني وماعنده امروه

Here's the version by Sabah Fakhri (صباح فخري), the legendary Syrian singer hailing from Aleppo. I haven't included the lyrics for "albulbul nagha", which he usually performs alongside "foug al nakhel".



It contains this additional verse:

Oh river, go say hi to them for me
The separation is hard for me
I miss them

بالله يا مجرى الماي يابا سلم عليهم
صعبان الفرقه علي يابا اشتقنا إليهم

Here is the Kazem el-Saher version I found on youtube.com. I'd like to point out that Kazem days no say "yaba" rather he uses "3ayni" which means about the same thing: nothing.



Here is an Ilham al-Madfai (إلهام المدفعي) version. Note the excessive palm trees in the video.



Here's some new verses, I'll do my best:

Your cheek shined, my love, and lit up the country
I can't make my soul patient or bear this separation
I swear she's torturing me with her beautiful eyes

All the faces pass, and my eyes are only on yours
May the lord give you my love
I swear she's torturing me and she has no interest

خدك لمع ياهواي وأضوى على البلاد
مقدر أصبر الروح واتحمل البعاد
والله معذبني بعيونه الحلوة

كل البلام تفوت يابه عيني على بلمك
ومن الهوى والروح ربي يسلمك
والله معذبني وما عنده مروة

There's more versions available, but I don't really have lyrics for them.

Here is a stupid version by Dania (دانيا)



Here is George Wassouf (جورج وسوف)



Here is Palestinian band Zaman (زمان) with a flamenco version

Mayada el-Hennawi - Never Againميادة الحناوي - توبةToba

Mayada el-Hennawi is a Syrian singer born in Aleppo, but in this song she is singing in the Egyptian dialect.

"Toba توبة" is an exclamation that expresses regret and the lack of desire to repeat an action used to swear off an undesirable behavior so as to say "I'll never do it again" or "I swear it's the last time." Of course, Mayada begins the song by saying "never again, never again," only to explain that she doesn't believe in "never again." A song with the same title and similar theme was popularized earlier by Abdel Halim Hafez.



Mayada al-Hennawy - Never Again

Never again, never again, never again, never again
So many people have said "I'll never love again," only to go back and write love poems and songs once more
I want to be in love this once
My life and my destiny are awaiting me

I want to sing for joy for once
I want to be happy tomorrow
At least I'll have lived
No matter how much I regret or feel sorrow

So what am I afraid of?
What am I afraid of?
I can hear my heart calling him
Why am I afraid of falling in love when it's my destiny (literally "written on my forehead")
I'll be with him, fall in love, adore him, and feel for him

Who has ever encountered love without drowning in it?
Who has ever been burned by love, swore it off and never came back to it? (meaning they always come back)
Who? Who?

ميادة الحناوي - توبة

وتوبه ...توبه توبه .... توبه توبه ...
ياما قالوا من الحب توبه
و رجعوا تانى قالوا فيه شعر و أغانى
بس اعيش الحب نوبه يا زماني و قسمتى مستنيانى

نفسى أغنى للفرح مرة
نفسى يجى هنايه بكره
اسمي عشت مهما ندمت ولا حزنت
اسمى عشت اسمي عشت

طيب خايفة ليه ؟
انا خايفة ليه ؟
سامعه قلبى يناديه
خايفه ليه من الهوى و الجبين مكتوب عليه
انى اقابله و ادوب فى حبه و اعشقه و احس بيه

وهو مين صادفه الهوى فى دنيته ما غرقش فيه
و لا مين جرحه الهوى و حلف يتوب ما رجعش ليه
مين ؟ مين ؟

Fouad Ghazi - I'll Plant You a Rose Gardenفؤاد غازي - لزرعلك بستان ورودLazraa lik Bustan Wuroud

Updated lyrics, translation and info

Fouad Ghazi is a Syrian singer from the Hama province. He was very popular during the 1980s and was known for his distinctly "mountain (jabali)" style of singing typical of the Syrian coast. Although he withdrew from the spotlight during the nineties, his music remains popular today. "Rose Garden (بستان ورود)" is arguably his most famous work.

Fouad Ghazi - I'll Plant You a Rose Garden I'll plant you a rose garden And a little tree to give you shade And spin for you from the light of the sun A bracelet to adorn your hand

And I'll bring you from the farthest sea
The prettiest pearl you can find
And I'll steal for you from around the full moon
The most beautiful star and keep it

And I'll build you a lofty palace
And carry you on my wings
And spin for you from the light of the sun
A bracelet to adorn your hand

If you want pearls and corals
I'll bring you a whole chest-full
And if you want the hat of a fairy
I'm not gonna tell you no, no no

And if you want, oh willow branch
I'll hide you in my eyes (meaning he'll watch over her)
And spin for you from the light of the sun
A bracelet to adorn your hand

My beauty, there's a secret in your eyes
Enchanting me and melting me (i.e. making me fall in love)
Words stronger than pearl
My love for you is always keeping me up

Being near you is bitter and so is being close
And so is the myrrh tree in your eyes (I think referring to the tree in keeping with the theme of nature imagery)
I'll spin for you from the light of the sun
A bracelet to adorn your hand

فؤاد غازي - لأزرعلك بستان ورود

لزرعلك بستان ورود
وشجره صغيرة تفييكي

واغزلك من نور الشمس
اسواره تزين ايديكي

و رح جبلك من ابعد بحر
احلا درة بلائيها
و اسرئلك من حول البدر
اجمل نجمة و خبيها

و عمرلك بالعالي قصر
و عجناحاتي وديكي
واغزلك من نور الشمس
اسواره تزين ايديكي

لو بدك لولو ومرجان
راح اجيبلك خزنه بحالها
ولو بدك طاقية الجان
ماني راح اقولك لا لا لا

ولو بدك ياغصن البان
جوه عيوني بخبيكي
واغزلك من نور الشمس
اسواره تزين بايديكي

يا حلوة بعيونك سر
ساحرني ومدوبني
كلماتك اقوى من الدر
وحبك دوم مسهرني

قربك مر وبعدك مر
ومر المر فى عنيكي
لغزلك من نور الشمس
اسواره تزين بايديكي

Lyrics transcription from here

Lena Chamamyan - Before Dinnerلينا شماميان - قبل العشاQabl El Isha

Lena Chamamian - Before Dinner Not before dinner sir After dinner yes, yes With who can I send my greetings to you With my soul (literally "apple of the eye") or my heart?

Oh lighting send them my regards whenever you strike

When you were far away I used to hear your news
Now that you're close I can't stop looking at you

I won't die, no I won't die even if they bring the burial shroud I won't
I'll go down to the Straight Street market and have a coffin made
One nail made of silver and gold and the other nail of ruby
The people will be amazed when they see us both in the coffin

You have a apricot tree in your house and we have a peach tree in ours
The apricot tree has leaned towards the peach tree (it makes a little more sense in Arabic, but to lean towards someone means to like them so it's a play on words)
Quit coming and going
Oh lord give us some rain, the Earth is longing (also a metaphor)

لينا شاماميان - قبل العشا

قبل العشا لا يا سيدي وبعد العشا ايه وايه

مع مين ومع مين ارسلك سلام مع مين
يامهجة العين ويا كبد الحشا مع مين

يا برق سلم عليهم كل ما تلمع
كنتو بعيدين و باخبار إلكم نسمع
صرت قريبين وما تطليع ما نشبع

ما موت وما موت ولو جابو الكفن ما موت
لانزل عسوق الطويل وفصل التابوت
مسمار من فضة ودهب ومسمار من ياقوت
وتتعجب المسكونة و تنين بالتابوت

بداركم مشمشة وبدارنا خوخة
يا شجرة المشمشة مالت على الخوخة
حاجي تروح وتجي من تحت هالطاقة
يا رب رشقة مطر والأرض مشتاقة

The Rosanna عالروزانا الروزاناAl Rozana

The song "Al Rozana (ع الروزانا)" is a folk song native to the region of the Levant or بلاد الشام, ie Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. The story behind it is that at the height of the intense wheat famine that the region experienced at the beginning of the 20th century, and Italian ship called "The Rosanna" was said to have been sent carrying food to the starving population of the Levant. Everybody was waiting in anticipation for the ship's arrival, but when it finally landed as the story goes in the song, it was carrying nothing but apples and grapes, on of the foods that the region was actually overflowing with at that time. The people cursed the ship for this reason.

Here are the lyrics.

Oh the Rosanna, the Rosanna, everything good is inside her
What has the Rosanna done?
God punish her!
Oh the Rosanna the Rosanna, all happiness is inside her
What has the Rosanna done?
God punish her

Hey you who are going to Aleppo, my love went with you
Hey you who are carrying grapes and on top of that apples
Everyone is with their beloved and my beloved has gone
Oh lord, may the breeze bring my lover back to me

عالروزانا عالروزانا كل الحلى فيها
شو عملت الروزانا ألله يجازيها
عالروزانا عالروزانا كل الهنا فيها
شو عملت الروزانا الله يجازيها
يا رايحين ل حلب حبي معاكم راح
يا محملين العنب فوق العنب تفاح
كل من حبيبه معه وأنا حبيبي راح
يا ربي نسمة هوى ترد الولف ليا

In an article in al-Watan, Bandar Khalil explains the cultural significance of this event in the present day like this:

With this genuine Arabic song, many questions arise in the mind of the genuine Arab. For example, how many of our people have had all of their rosy dreams met with dark disappointment, and all their hopes were squandered on an endless range of despair, frustration and helplessness? How many of us have waited and were patient and bore all of the their pain, only to find that when our Rosanna came and dropped anchor in the harbor of their dreams, nothing came out of it... We as an Arab people that has spent its whole life waiting for numerous "Rosannas" which still have never arrived, while carrying further disappointment for our dreams, how many times must we hear this song each day?

Yet, we shouldn't take this song as perceived by every listener as a song that sums up the broken dreams of the Arab people. Nonetheless, the theme of disappointment pervades discussion of the song. One poster in another forum describes the song as perfect for expression the feeling of disappointment by some soccer team. The point is this folk song is very much a song about getting your hopes up only to find that the thing you were waiting for was a mirage.

I've supplied many different versions so everyone can find their favorite.

Sabah Fakhri (صباح فخري)



Tony Hana (طوني حنا) with Gypsy Band



Lena Chamamian (لينا شماميان)



Amal Marcus (أمل مرقص)