TRACK 8 OF 8
Performed by Marwan Abdelhamid & MC Abdul
Written by Marwan Abdelhamid
Produced by Khalil Cherradi & Marwan Abdelhamid
Bass by Domenico Lorenzo "Buddy" Caderni
Guitar by Abdelhakim Rouidi
Violin by Moez Bouali
Additional vocals by Zein Sajdi
Deira was created during the same writing camp as Allah Yihmeeki and is a decisive part of Saint Levant’s portfolio and new era as ‘Cheb Levant’ – highlighting his engagement with chaabi-Algerian music, a consistent influence throughout his career. This track combines an instrumental chorus featuring a folk-inspired melody with lyrics developed alongside Khalil in the Maghrebi dialect, enriching the composition with a pan-Arab sentiment, further amplified by MC Abdul’s contribution. The fusion of Algerian chaabi rhythms with Palestinian lyrical themes presents a nuanced approach to cross-cultural musical expression.
The track’s inception, drawing from Dahmane El Harrachi’s Bahja and its distinctive ‘da da da da dum dum’ motif, roots the piece in the chaabi-Algerian tradition while setting the stage for contemporary reinterpretation. This musical foundation, coupled with a looping darbuka rhythm, provides a traditional yet flexible backdrop for the lyrical narrative. The collaboration at Khalil’s residence to overlay Palestinian-focused lyrics introduces a layered narrative approach, melding geographic and cultural elements.
MC Abdul’s involvement, initiated by Marwan’s outreach, alongside Khalil’s “fat fat fat” melody in Moroccan dialect, introduces linguistic diversity to the track, aiming to encapsulate a broader Arab experience. This strategic inclusion of various Arabic dialects and themes demonstrates a commitment to crafting a composition that mirrors a collective Arab identity while employing modern production techniques.
Analyzing Deira underscores Marwan’s methodical approach to integrating traditional Algerian sounds with broader thematic elements. This process reflects not only a respect for musical heritage but also a desire to innovate within this framework, producing work that engages contemporary audiences. The track’s instrumental and lyrical choices reveal a sophisticated strategy to blend cultural traditions in music, pointing to Marwan’s overarching aim of bridging historical musical forms with current expressions.
تركنا المدينة
الغربة الحزينة
سلم لي على أريحا
وسلم على الديرة
يا الطير الي طاير
الأرض الكريمة
بيخدوش الي فينا
بين النهر والجبال
بلاقي انتمائي
بين الشط والرمال
بداية حياتي
آه عليك يا وطن
فرحة ومآسي
آه عليك يا وطن
الغالي فلسطين الحبيبة تنادي
big dreams, heavy nights
praying that my family can stay alive
imagine tryna fly with no wings
but i promise you the cage bird sings in the wintertime
heavy nights, big dreams
praying that we make it to 16
and even though i’ve traveled the world
مش ملاقي زي فلسطين
آه فات فات فات الوقت يا عمري
راحوا سنين ما ناسي
هذه عوام راه الخاطر مجروح
آه فات فات فات الوقت يا عمري
راحوا سنين ما ناسي
هذه عوام راه الخاطر مجروح
we left the city
تركنا المدينة
nous avons quitté la ville
the sad sad west
الغربة الحزينة
l'ouest triste, triste
say hello to jericho
سلم لي على أريحا
salue jéricho
and say hello to deira
وسلم على الديرة
et salue deira
oh you travelling bird
يا الطير الي طاير
oh toi, oiseau voyageur
the generous land
الأرض الكريمة
la terre généreuse
they won’t take what’s inside us
بيخدوش الي فينا
ils ne prendront pas ce qui est en nous
between the river and the mountains
بين النهر والجبال
entre la rivière et les montagnes
i find belonging
بلاقي انتمائي
je trouve ma place
between the shore and the sand
بين الشط والرمال
entre la rive et le sable
beginning of my life
بداية حياتي
début de ma vie
oh my homeland
آه عليك يا وطن
oh mon pays
joy and sorrow
فرحة ومآسي
joie et tristesse
oh my precious homeland
آه عليك يا وطن
oh mon pays precieux
the beloved palestine is calling me
الغالي فلسطين الحبيبة تنادي
la chère palestine m'appelle
big dreams, heavy nights
big dreams, heavy nights
grands rêves, nuits lourdes
praying that my family can stay alive
praying that my family can stay alive
je prie pour la survie de ma famille
imagine tryna fly with no wings
imagine tryna fly with no wings
imagine essayer de voler sans ailes
but i promise you the cage bird sings in the wintertime
but i promise you the cage bird sings in the wintertime
mais je t'assure, l'oiseau en cage trouve son chant en hiver
heavy nights, big dreams
heavy nights, big dreams
nuits lourdes, grands rêves
praying that we make it to 16
praying that we make it to 16
je prie pour que nous arrivions à 16 ans
and even though i’ve traveled the world
and even though i’ve traveled the world
et même si j'ai voyagé le monde
i won’t find anything like Palestine
مش ملاقي زي فلسطين
je ne trouverai rien comme la Palestine
ahhh the time passed passed passed my love
آه فات فات فات الوقت يا عمري
ahhh le temps a passé, passé, passé mon amour
the years passed, but i won’t forget
راحوا سنين ما ناسي
les années ont passé, mais je n'oublierai pas
but all these years injured my conscious
هذه عوام راه الخاطر مجروح
mais toutes ces années ont blessé ma conscience
ahhh the time passed passed passed my love
آه فات فات فات الوقت يا عمري
ahhh le temps a passé, passé, passé mon amour
the years passed, but i won’t forget
راحوا سنين ما ناسي
les années ont passé, mais je n'oublierai pas
but all these years injured my conscious
هذه عوام راه الخاطر مجروح
mais toutes ces années ont blessé ma conscience