The Arabic world has arguably seen its musical peak decades ago, when the scene was represented by legends such as Umm Kulthum, Farid al Atrache, Fairuz and other names that will remain ingrained in the musical memory. Referring to the music of this period as “Oriental Folk”, we present the first list of its kind, which objective is to reintroduce this style to a generation that had to deal with the MTVcation of this art.

By Fares Demian

1) El Awela fel Gharam – 1944 (music: Zakaria Ahmad & poet: Bayram al-Tunisi)

2) Salou Qalbi – 1946 (music: Riad al Sanbati & poet: Ahmad Shawqi)

3) Al Nil – 1949 (music: Riad al Sanbati & poet: Ahmad Shawqi)

4) Roubaiyyat al Khayyam – 1950 (music: Riad al Sanbati & poet: Omar al Khayyam – translated by Ahmad Rami)

5) Arouh Lemin – 1958 (music: Riad al Sanbati & poet: Abdel Menhem Al Sbaey)

6) Inta Omri – 1964 (music: Mohamad Abdel Wahab & poet: Ahmad Shafeeq Kamel)

7) Siret el Hobb – 1964 (music by Baligh Hamdi & poet: Morsi Jamil Aziz)

8) Amal Hayati – 1965 (music: Mohamad Abdel Wahab & poet: Ahmad Shafiq Kamel

9) Al Atlal – 1966 (music: Riad al Sanbati & poet: Ibrahim Naji)

10) Al Leila w Leila – 1969 (music: Baligh Hamdi & poet: Morsi Jamil Aziz)

Bonus: Arak Assey al Damaa (music: Riad al Sanbati & poet: Abu Firas al-Hamdani)

Full YouTube playlist:

 

Photo source here.