Conveying the simple pleasures of the Arabic language through songs of classical love, Shireen rebirths a nostalgia we long for. This project is dedicated to capturing the flourishing feels that are well preserved by Shireen and her guitar.
PROJECT: SHIREEN ABUSAAD
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Shireen AbuSaad, a Lebanese born singer and guitarist, was first seen on television in 2016 on Season One of “The Voice Kids”. There, she cultivated her talents as a candidate on the show under the coaching, direct guidance, and mentorship of the renowned Judge; Kadim Al-Sahir. Al-Sahir, the Iraqi singer, composer, and song-writer, has been dubbed: “Iraq’s Ambassador to the World” due to his immense contribution to the evolutionary world of Arabic music. Through the musically stimulating environment, Shireen harnessed her talents and continues to this day, recording and uploading renditions of Classical Arabic love songs. She sings and plays guitar in a way that gives our neglected and buried tradition a breath fresh air through her uniquely gentle and compassionate style. This project seeks to help carry her work further through advanced English renditions that relate the power of universality found in the Classical Arabic songs she so beautifully sings and plays.
May 1st, 2021
2021 REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL ANNUAL PUBLICATION
Song: Between Us
BILINGUAL. Translation, diacritical marks, and annotations with commentary, and reflections (coming soon) by tariq elsaid. Special thanks to Nancy Roberts and Fanta Conde for their edits and keen insights. Performed by Shireen AbuSaad here:
A return awaits us,
If ever we were far,
I’ll come back to you,
No matter the lands between us,
A return awaits us,
If ever we were far,
I’ll come back to you,
No matter the lands between us,
Till then I see you everywhere,
Till then I find you everywhere,
And we’ll come back, again and again,
I am raptured with yearning,
And I won’t let you go,
Come what may,
Your shadow appears before me,
I can’t take these days,
Nor can words brief my longings,
But when the stretch of night,
embeds my sleep,
You appear before me,
Wherever I look,
You appear before me,
Wherever I turn.
One day we’ll come back,
We have promises to keep,
Till then your absence,
Is filled with the presence of hope,
One day we’ll come back,
We have promises to keep,
Till then, in your absence,
Is the presence of hope,
And there you are,
Everywhere before me,
And there you are,
Wherever I turn,
And we’ll come back,
Again and again,
Raptured,
With yearning,
I won’t let you go,
Come what may,
As you appear, again!
I can’t take these days,
Nor can words brief my longings,
And when the stretch of night,
Embeds my sleep,
You appear before me,
Wherever I look,
Before me,
Wherever I am.
وَبَیْنا مَعَادْ
لَوْ إِحْنَا بَعَادْ
أَکِیدْ رَاجِعْ
وَ لَوْ بَیْنِي وَ بَیْنهُ بِلَادْ
وَبَیْنا مَعَادْ
لَوْ إِحْنَا بَعَادْ
أَکِیدْ رَاجِعْ
وَ لَوْ بَیْنِي وَ بَیْنهُ بِلَادْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
َو مِنْ تَانِي أَکِیدْ رَاجعِینْ
أَنَا دَایِب وَ کُللِي حَنِینْ
وَ لَا عُمْرِي أَبِیْعُ
لَوْ مِینْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
وَ مِشْ قَادِرُ عَلَى الأَیَّامْ
وَ لَا یُوْصُف هَوَایا کَلَامْ
وَ طُول لَیْلِي
وَ لَمَّا بَنَامْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
فِی یَوْم هَنَعُود
دَه بَیْنَنَا وُعُودْ
وَ فِی غِیَابه
أَکِید لِسَّه الأَمَل مَوْجُودْ
فِی یَوْم هَنَعُود
دَه بَیْنَنَا وُعُودْ
وَ فِی غِیَابه
أَکِید لِسَّه الأَمَل مَوْجُودْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
َو مِنْ تَانِي
أَکِیدْ رَاجعِینْ
أَنَا دَایِب
وَ کُللِي حَنِینْ
وَ لَا عُمْرِي أَبِیْعُ
لَوْ مِینْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
وَ مِشْ قَادِرُ عَلَى الأَیَّامْ
وَ لَا یُوْصُف هَوَایا کَلَامْ
وَ طُول لَیْلِي
وَ لَمَّا بَنَامْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
قَصَادَ عَیْنِي
.فِی کُلِّ مَکَانْ
September 1st, 2021
2022 HOPWOOD AWARD WINNER & THE 2022 MEADER FAMILY AWARD WINNER
Song: [Layl’s Song:] Tell Her
BILINGUAL. Translation, diacritical marks, and annotations with commentary, and reflections (coming soon) by tariq elsaid. Special thanks to Nancy Roberts and Fanta Conde for their edits and keen insights. Performed by Shireen AbuSaad here:
Layl oh Lay, Layl oh Layl,
Layl oh Lay, Layl...
Tell her I’ve always loved her,
With a love, Insane,
Stirring a recollection,
That voyages beyond infinity,
No matter the enfolding distances,
I am enwreathed in the memory of her,
Tell her I’ve always loved her,
With a love, unceasing,
No matter the gripping distances,
I am swathed in the memory of her,
She is the one who weaved me,
Through the calligraphies of her love,
Till our roots endlessly entwined,
A path of Ivy I now ascend,
She is the one who nourished me,
How sweet the inebriation,
Of fragrance, of sight, of taste,
How restive its spirals,
A soul, stemming from The Glad Tidings of God,
Who refined, then spritzed it through a gleaming body,
Who accented its niceties,
Then adorned it in perfection’s highest robes,
Beautifying, and sweetening,
Her essence.
Layl oh Layl! Oh Layl, oh Layl, oh Layl,
Layl! Oh Layl. Oh Layl. Oh Layl…
لَيْل يَا لَيْل لَيْل يَا لَيْل
لَيْل يَا لَيْل لَيْل
قُوْلُوْا لَهَا
أَنَّنِي
مَازِلْتُ
أَهْوَاهَا
مَهْمَا يَطُوْلُ النَّوَى
لَا أَنْسَى ذِكْرَاهَا
قُوْلُوْا لَهَا أَنَّنِي
مَازِلْتُ أَهْوَاهَا
مَهْمَا يَطُوْلُ النَّوَى
لَا أَنْسَى ذِكْرَاهَا
هِيَ الَّتِي
عَلَّمَتْنِي
كَيْفَ
أَعْشَقُهَا
هِيَ الَّتِي
سَقَتْنِي
شَهْدَ
رَيَّاهَا
رُوْحٌ مِنْ اللهِ
سَوَّاهَا لَنَا بَشَراً
كَسَاهَا
حُسْناً
وَجَمَّلَهَا
وَحَلَّاهَا
لَيْل يَا لَيْل يَا لَيْل يَا لَيْل يَا لَيْل
لَيْل يَا لَيْل يَا لَيْل يَا لَيْل
COMMENTARY
coming soon.
REFLECTIONS
coming soon.