Ziad Rahbani, the talented son of Lebanese musical icons Fairouz and Assi Rahbani, grew up to be a composer, playwright, pianist, and political commentator. He directed his first play Sahriyye when he was only 17 years old. In this episode, Rana and Khaled discuss his artistic contributions, as well their favorite songs, plays, and books related to him. Delve with them into a world of musical talent, art, and beauty!
Lebanese Arabic Transcript and English Contextual Translation
خالد: صباح الخير رنا، كيفك؟ شو عاملة اليوم؟
Khaled: Good morning Rana, how are you? What are you doing today?
رنا: صباح النور خالد، أنا منيحة بس عندي كتير شغل اليوم. عم إشرب قهوة لصحصح وإسمع غنيّة “كيفك إنت”… عالقدّ حكيتني لإسألك كيفك إنت!
Rana: Good morning Khaled, I’m good but I have a lot of work today. I’m drinking coffee to wake up and I’m listening to the song “Keefak Enta” [how are you]… you talked to me at the right time so I ask you how are you!
خالد: أنا منيح. شو حلوة هالغنيّة وشو بحبّ زياد الرحباني يلّي ألّفها وإمّو فيروز يلّي غنّتها. إنتي بتعرفي إنّو مش بالهيّن لقبلت فيروز تغنّيها؟! بخبّر زياد الرحباني إنّو من بعد ما عرضها عليها بآخر التمانينات، استغربت أسلوبها وخاصّةً عبارة “ملّا إنت”… فكّرت فيها 4 سنين لقبلت تغنّيها! سنة 1991، نزّلت ألبوم موسيقي كامل بإسم هالغنيّة.
Khaled: I’m good. How nice this song is and how I love Ziad Rahbani who composed it and his mother Fairouz who sang it. Do you know that Fairouz didn’t easily agree to sing it? Ziad recounts that after presenting it to her in the late eighties, she was bewildered by its style and especially the expression “Malla Enta” [Oh you]… she thought about it for four years until she agreed to sing it! In the year 1991, she released an entire musical album titled with the name of this song.