Al Qahwa - Afdihi In Hafidhal Hawa (PD Egyptian) into Reem Al Ghuzlan (Trad Palestinian)

Al Qahwa at Folk Alliance International 2025 in Montreal
Official Showcase
Featuring:
Maryem Tollar - Vocals, Qanun
Ernie Tollar - Sax
Naghmeh Farahmand - Percussion
Waleed Abdulhamid - Bass, Vocals

The rubato introduction of this medley sung by Maryem Tollar is from a public domain Egyptian song made famous by Om Kalsoum and composed by Sheikh Abul Ela Mohamed with lyrics by Ibn Alnabi - "I Would Sacrifice My Life For You". It is followed by a Daff (Persian Frame Drum) solo by Naghmeh Farahmand and then goes into a traditional Palestinian wedding song "Oh The Most Beautiful Of Gazelles". Maryem heard it on a recording by British Palestinian singer Reem Kelani and you can hear her version of the song here:

https://reemkelani.bandcamp.com/track...

And here is the story behind the song from her notes on her bandcamp page:

Reem Kelani learned this song from a group of women in 'Ein el-Hilweh' refugee camp in South Lebanon. They all came originally from one extended family from the village of Sha'ab near Acre.

Translation of the lyrics by Reem Kelani:
lyrics
O gazelle of all gazelles.
You, who plan to go away
As you set out on your journey,
Offer your praise to the Prophet.

My eyes flooded with tears,
I cried over our parting.
Crying over our parting,
I've taken a vow of silence,
I've forbidden myself to dance the dabkeh,
I've dyed my clothes dark and gone into mourning.

I've dyed my clothes indigo blue
Over the loss of the Sprinting Gazelle.
There is none as tall or slender
I've looked everywhere and I haven't found its like.

There is nothing like it left in this world.
The day my fate was written,
I'd planned to send a bird with a message
Asking how my gazelle was faring.

If it were in trouble, I'd rescue it.
As I asked the bird to carry my message away,
The bird soared above me and then abandoned me.

Hey, my coquettish, beautiful one
Hey, my pampered mate
I've lain ill in bed, but you didn't visit me.
Never asked about me, and look at the state of me now!

O Lord of all mankind
You give life and take it away
You bring life to those who've been driven away
My heart has been torn apart because of our parting.

O gazelle of all gazelles.
You, who plan to go away…