Our best wishes to our friends and readers
Last update: 2021-12-24 09:32:23
One hundred years ago, a year after the proclamation of the State of Greater Lebanon, an artist was coming into the world who was both profoundly Lebanese and at the same time profoundly international: the “eternal voice of Lebanon”, the “golden voice”, or even better the “pure” voice as his name says.
Wadī‘ al-Sāfī was born into a large, humble family in Niha (in the mountainous Shouf region). At just 4 years of age, inspired by his grandparents, he sang and played the darbuka (goblet drum) at weddings; at the age of 13, he learnt the oud and traditional Byzantine and Syrian songs in Beirut, where he enrolled in music school. At 17 he performed with a 15-year-old girl, a certain Sabah, and won a music competition that would put him on the radio and consecrate him as a young pan-Arab talent.
An international career (in the 1950s we find him in Brazil singing famous pieces such as Lubnān, yā qit‘a samā’, “Lebanon, oh piece of heaven” for the numerous Lebanese diaspora) spanning 75 years and over 3,000 songs would make him the “founder of modern Lebanese folklore”, as well as maestro of the mawwāl and tarab, which he performed to his own and his public’s immense enjoyment. He is seen here with Sabah Fakhri, Farid al-Atrash, Nizar Qabbani, and Mohammad Abdul Wahab and heard here with Fayrouz. It seems that Pavarotti said about him: “this man doesn’t sing alone: it’s as if someone was singing with him.”
And it is with his pure voice and this simple song that we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Thunder and rain
Thunder and rain,
lightning, snow and wind.
The little child lying on the hay
brings many gifts
and in his hands the keys of Heaven
Alleluia
No crown is worthy of the most beautiful brow
The Son of Heaven is bare
in the shepherds’ cave.
Ostrich feathers and silk clothes bow down before him.
You came into the world with a message of Light
about the essence of Faith.
Lamp for humankind
Bring new life
And new times
Heaven’s gate is open wide
A lily with glowing petals
A celestial breath
A hymn of love
Your name will forever be in our hearts[1]
Thunder and rain,
lightning, snow and wind.
The little child lying on the hay
brings many gifts
and in his hands the keys of Heaven
Alleluia
رعد وشتي
رعد وشتي
برق وتلج ورياح
عالقش طفل صغير
جايب هدايا كتير
حامل بإيده للسما مفتاح
هللوه
يا خجلة التيجان
من جبين أحلى جبين
ابن السما عريان
بمغارة الرعيان
ريش النعام
وهالحرير يميل
طليت عالمعمور
حامل رسالة نور
عن جوهر الإيمان
قنديل للإنسان
تعمّر دني ودهور تمحي دهور
باب السما مفتوح
زنبق كمامه تلوح
باب السما مفتوح
زنبق كمامه تلوح
نفحة سماوية
للحب غنّية
نفحة سماوية
للحب غنّية
واسمَك من البال ما بيروح
ما بيروح
اسمَك من البال ما بيروح
رعد وشتي
برق وتلج ورياح
عالقش طفل صغير
جايب هدايا كتير
حامل بإيده للسما مفتاح
هللوه