Googoosh - My Room (گوگوش اتاق من)

Faegheh Atashin (born on 5 May 1950 in Tehran), also known by her stage name Googoosh (Persian: Guguš - گوگوش‎), is an Iranian singer and actress. She is known for her contributions to Iranian pop music, but also starred in a variety of movies from the 1950s to the 1970s.[1] She achieved the pinnacle of her fame and success towards the end of the 1970s. Her overall impact and contributions to Middle Eastern and Central Asian pop-music earned her the title of the most iconic female pop-singer from those regions. (Read more...)



Shahyar Ghanbari (born 28 July 1950 in Tehran) is an Iranian Poet, Writer, lyricist, songwriter, and singer of Persian pop music.He is also a Film director &Radio-TV Producer. Shahyar is the son of Hamid Ghanbari: Iranian actor, dubber and singer. He writes and sings in Persian, English and French. His songs typically feature Love, Solitude, and nostalgia. Mostly he writes his own lyrics, and composes for himself and for other singers. He Currently lives in U S A. (Read more...)


This song remarks the pains of Iranian migrants in Western countries. In it you hear of Venice, Rome, Paris, London and Los Angles (or as the poet calls it: the city with no angles)

Lyrics
I've traveled around the world.
I've been to the tired Taj Mahal.
I've been to the quite nights of the Shiva
with poetry as my dinner.

Nowhere could be as dear as my homeland,
no room could ever shelter me.

Venice was spectacular with all pirate ships.
A night in Rome with all bishops was a night of lonely springs.

The Madame Tussaud's was empty;
It was a place for chaffy faces.
The double checker red buses dancing in the fog
resembled a carpet being woven on a loom.

The morning in Champs-Elysee's was moonlit;
the Palace of Versailles was fully blue, like Dali's Sleep.
Paris was a sleepless city.

In front of me was the lady with a torch in her hand;
a little further, a black with no job was standing.
The City With No Angles was cold;
with loads of misery on blacks and Indians.

My pain was a nightmare to the painless.
I was next to me yet I felt lonely.
The night when the kites were lonely,
was the beginning and the end.


Lyrics by Shahyar Ghanbari
Translated by Mehdi Mehtari


Gallery

Googoosh

Shahyar Ghanbari

Hansi Lang

Hansi Lang (1955-2008) was an Austrian musician and actor. He’s one of the few musicians who adapted Rock to German language. Though not succesful throughout his life, he is nonetheless admired as one of the finest Austrian musicians of modern time well known for his live acts.

He regularly played in the band of Austrian pop idol Falco. In his last years of life he also played Blues and Jazz. In 2008 he died from the consequences of a brain stroke, not unlikely to be a result of years of drug addiction.

Keine Angst

Released in 1980, Keine Angst (No fear) is his most notable success visualising the feelings of the generation of that time.

Once again I’m going home

Through a town of steel,

I sit down at my heart,

Feeling it’s the last time.

Then in the night at half past three,

I visualize what’s going on,

Order the world to me,

How much nonsense has piled up!

Suddenly the walls are lightening up,

My heart is beating faster and faster,

There’s no drawer, no button

For the thoughts inside my head.

I jump out of my sleep,

Before the last doubt catches me.

For my job I need only one night,

I’ll do it today, would be ridiculous not to.

I get myself a spray gun,

A can of garish red,

With which I write on every house,

Let’s hope I won’t run out of paint!

I run out to the street

And write on every facade

My love, my hate.

And it’s becoming more and more fun.

I write

No fear, no fear!

No fear, no fear!

No fear, no fear!

No fear, no fear!

On all windows!

No fear, no fear!

………

On all walls!

No fear, no fear!

……

On all doors!

No fear, no fear!

......

I write it on office buildings,

Their glasshouses,

On slaughterhouses

And graveyards,

The wall of the cement factory,

The windows of the human cage.

I run out and write it on every house,

My love, my hate,

And it’s becoming more and more fun!

I write:

No fear, no fear!

On all windows!

No fear, no fear!

On all doors!

No fear, no fear!

On all walls!

No fear, no fear!

On all hearts!

No fear, no fear!

On all heads!

No fear, no fear!

On all, on all!

No fear, no fear!

No fear, no fear!

No fear.

Translation: Julian Trummer

Fereydoun Farrokhzad - Yo Sad Easterner! (ای شرقی غمگین)

It's a song of those fellows in exile to those fellow countrymen in the motherland. Sad Easterner was first sung by Fereydoun Farrokhzad (R.I.P). The lyrics are composed by Iraj Jannati Ataaei. In it Jannati speaks of exile, homeland and the sun. He asks his fellow countrymen not to lose their hope and not to let "our sun" fade away. It's a song of hope and despair.

Why did I choose this song?
A couple of days ago I came to find a trailer of a documentary project to be made about Fereydoun Farrokhzad by DENKmal Film. On their tribute page to the artist, they asked everyone interested to sing this song and make a video clip of their singing and send it to DENKmal Film. Then on August 3rd they will release a mash-up video clip as a tribute to the artist.
Plus they asked anyone who can translate the lyrics to any language they know. So I decided to translate them to English.


Yo Sad Easterner!

Yo Sad Easterner!
When the sun shone on you,
your scent filled the rain-soaked town,
and the darkness got lost in your [dark] hair,
and the sun of freedom smiled in your eyes.
 
Yo Sad Easterner!
You're like a mountain of light,
don't let our sun fade away.
You're as pure as the morning,
and as proud as the sea.
Don't let the darkness grow stronger. (chorus)

Yo Sad Easterner!
The sun rose once again,
and her dove flew away from your roof.
You're eyes are filled with the fragrance of spring.
The smell of cornflower reminds me of you.

Yo Sad Easterner!
It's painful to die in your absence.
It's painful to see there's no way out and grind my teeth.
It's impossible to plant the flower of loneliness in a swamp.
Yet there's no time to grieve.

Yo Sad Easterner!
Winter in before me!
When you're with me,
I have no fear of rain and mud.
The song of our clapping will be heared throughout winter.
There will be no fear of the winter because it will finish soon.

Yo Sad Easterner!
The west is nothing more than that.
In its blue eyes homesickness lies.
His masculine hands are as cold as ice in winters.
Come back to my embrace and we'll return home.

Lyrics by Iraj Jannati Ataaei
Translated by Mehdi Mehtari

Gallery

Iraj Jannati Ataaei

Fereydoun Farrokhzad

Ludwig Hirsch

Ludwig Hirsch (1946 - 2011) was an Austrian songwriter well-known for his morbid, dark songs. He had his biggest successes in the years around 1980, especially with his debut album Dunkelgraue Lieder (Dark Grey Songs). In 2011 he commited suicide.

Komm‘, großer schwarzer Vogel (Come, big black bird!)

This dark, melancholic song was his greatest success. It's about the longing for death.

Come, big black bird, come now!

Look, the window’s open,

Look, I’ve put sugar on the windowsill for you.

Come, big black bird, come to me!

Span your great, mild wings

And put them on my wet eyes!

Please take me away from here!

And then we fly up, straight into heaven,

Into a new time, into a new world.

And I’ll sing, I’ll laugh,

I’ll shout “I can’t believe it!”,

And suddenly I’ll understand

What it’s all about.

Come, big black bird, please help me!

Press your damp, cool beak on

My wound, on my hot forehead!

Come, big black bird,

Now it’s a good moment!

The others in the room are all well asleep,

If we’re quiet,

The sister is not gonna hear us.

Please, take me away from here!

And then we fly up, straight into heaven,

Into a new time, into a new world.

And I’ll sing, I’ll laugh,

I’ll shout “I can’t believe it!”

And suddenly I’ll understand

What it’s all about.

Yeah, big black bird, finally!

I didn’t even hear you come in,

How silently you fly, oh god,

How beautiful you are!

Let’s set off, big black bird, let’s set off!

Bye-Bye, my dearest at home!

You, my girl, and you, mama, bye!

Please, don’t forget me!

Now we depart, straight into the sky,

Don’t be sad, no, there’s no reason to be sad!

‘cause I’ll sing, I’ll laugh, I’ll shout “I can’t believe it!”

I’ll finally understand, I’ll be happy!

Yeah, I’ll sing, I’ll laugh, I’ll shout “I can’t believe it!”

I’ll finally understand, I’ll be happy!

I’ll sing, I’ll laugh, I’ll shout “I can’t believe it!”
I’ll finally understand, I’ll be happy!

Omama (Grandma)

A very humorous and sarcastic yet dark song is Omama (Grandma), very much in contrast to STS's Großvater (Grandfather).

Now we’re standing here at the cemetery of Stammersdorf;

It’s raining, my feet are already hurting.

The priest says she was just such a good woman,

Nonetheless I cannot really cry,

The grandma, the grandma isn’t alive any more.

When I was little, she pushed into my mouth the dumplings,

Waited for me with the stick in the hand,

My stomach was already turning sick,

She didn’t care, she still gave me a hiding,

So long till I already started praying:

“Dear Jesus Christ, please let grandma conk out.”

The seven raves, they were only six,

The good fairy, she was a witch,

The bad wolf, a little dachshund,

The fairy tale prince, an awful git.

In Stammersdorf she had her little flat,

With lace doilies and a picture of Hitler,

A glass of fat on the windowsill,

The jerry under the bed,

Just so white, fat, round and always full,

Perhaps we should have put it in the grave as well!

One day I asked her “Where’s grandfather?”

“Up in heaven on a cloud he’s playing violin.”

For Führer, Volk and Vaterland

He was shot, hanged and burned,

But she always forgave Adolf,

After all he’d awarded her Mutterkreuz.

The seven raves, they were only six,

The good fairy, she was a witch,

The bad wolf, a little dachshund,

The fairy tale prince, an awful git.

In the last time she was a bit weird,

The glass of fat was under the bed,

The lace dollies she burned,

Hitler she called a criminal,

The jerry she placed on the windowsill.

Everyone in Stammersdorf was talking about her.

On mother’s day we took her to the amusement park,

The old lady was suddenly young again,

On the Go-Cart she yodeled,

A few langos she ate,

Just on the white water ride there was a little misfortune,

There she was suffocated by her artificial teeth.

The seven raves, they were only six,

The good fairy, she was a witch,

The bad wolf, a little dachshund,

The fairy tale prince, an awful git.

Goodbye, grandma, do it better up there,

Don’t cook dumplings for the angels, be so kind!

Don’t annoy the saints, don’t denounce grandpa,

And if you should visit god – a good tip:

Grandma, don’t take the Mutterkreuz with you.

Translations: Julian Trummer

S.T.S.

With their biggest successes in the '80s, S.T.S. is one of the most successful Austrian bands. In their songs they combine traditional provincial Austrian music with pop on a high level; the lyrics are usually written in Styrian dialect, many songs are typically accompanied by their accoustic guitars.

One of their biggest successes is Großvater (Grandfather). It's a nostalgic song of a man remembering his grandfather who has been his role model throughout the whole life and wishing him back. His grandfather had taught him a lot for life, although he was nothing like outstanding or highly educated but just a modest, wise, decent man.

It may encourage us to recognize the hidden treasures within the ordinary people of our surroundings.

Lyrics:

Every time there was quarrel with the mother

The first thing I did was going to you

And you said “She’s alone, you must understand her

Everything passes by, c’mon let’s have a beer”

And then you meant, the whole life is about taking

And a lot more of giving,

So in the next night out of the cupboard

I stole the 1000 Schilling

For spending in the discotheque

The day after you asked me about it.

I denied it, cried hysterically

Your eyes were sad, then I wept

You just said, “C’mon, forget about it

Money can’t possibly be so important.”

When you told me about the war

When you looked with a Russian eye to eye

You both offered each other a cigarette

The hand on the trigger was shaking out of fear.

Or your wife, who all day cried your ears full

You just said “I love her

I don’t always need to hear everything she says.”

Grandfather, can’t you come down for a cup of coffee,

Grandfather, there are just so many things to say I now came to understand,

Grandfather, you were my first friend and that’s something I’ll never forget,

Grandfather.

You were neither superhuman, nor pretended to be

Just because of that there was some sort of power

But by the way you lived your life

I recognized how you may make it through

Your principle was: Always think first

Have an opinion you advocate

No violence, talk about everything

But never be afraid of anyone.

Grandfather, can’t you come down for a cup of coffee,

Grandfather, there are just so many things to say I now came to understand,

Grandfather, you were my first friend and that’s something I’ll never forget,

Grandfather.

Translation by Julian Trummer

Other notable songs:

Fürstenfeld. A slightly parodic song about the longing for getting back to province.

Irgendwann bleib I dann dort (One day I'll stay there). A song about going away from home forever.

Kiss Me (Ma raa Beboos)

One of the greatest Iranian love songs in the history, Kiss Me (Persian: مرا ببوس) was first broadcast by Radio Iran amidst the struggles of nationalists with the Imperial regime.
The most famous version is sung by Hasan Golnaraghi on Heydar Reghabi lyrics.
The music was composed by Majid Vafadar.(Piano by Moshir Homayoun Shahrdar and Violin by Parviz Yahaghi)
However for the first time a rather obscure singer named Parvaneh sung it in a movie.

Other Iranian singers have also covered this song including:

• Viguen
• Googoosh

Video Gallery

Original Version by Hasan Golnaraghi

Viguen

Googoosh

Lyrics

Kiss me.
Kiss me.

This is the last time I say goodbye.
May God keep you safe.
I am going to look for my destiny.
Our good times passed.
I am going to look for my destiny.

Amidst the storm I'm allied with boatmen.
I might even have to sacrifice my life to survive the storm.

I have promised my loved-one to make fire in the mountains.
I start my journey a dark night, and go through gloomy roads.

My dear one! Don't let your tears fall over your skirt because of me!

My beautiful girl! I am your guest tonight; I stay with you until you put your lips on mine.
My beautiful girl! The flash of your eyes and your innocent tears brighten up my tonight!

Translation: Mehdi Mehtari

Picture Gallery

Hasan Golnaraghi

Majid Vafadar

Parviz Yahaghi

Viguen

Googoosh

Homayoun Shahrdar

Tim Maia

I recently purchased this album by Tim Maia, the Brazilian Soul legend. Maia had a unique personality if nothing else. Many of his songs were composed while under the influence of LSD, and he spent his time in and out of prison. I can't explain Tim's life without expecting readers to dismiss him as a drug abuser and cultist, but I love his music anyway. That's why I've let this video biography do the explaining for me, and embedded the album entitled The Existential Soul of Tim Maia: Nobody Can Live Forever. Enjoy!

A Shelter (سقف)

Saghf (Persian: سقف)(Literary: Roof) is one of the most beautiful Iranian songs. It was first performed by Farhad Mehrad in the 1970s. The lyrics are composed by  Iraj Jannati Ataei , one of the dominant literary figures of contemporary Persian literature.

Here I have translated the lyrics to English:

I'm thinking of a shelter

I'm thinking of a shelter, 

                        a shelter with no holes on its roof,

                        a sturdy one, harder than iron.

                        A shelter to cover our fears,

                                        and to make us warm at cold nights.

                        A shelter as big as our hearts,

                                         to touch the beating of anxiety,

                                         to feel the delicate shame of moments,

                                         and to be filled with the smell of Petunia.

Under this shelter I speak to you of flowers, the night, and stars.

                               Of you and pleading you, I speak over and over.

I compare my life to yours under this shelter; I get lost in the deepness of your meaning to get new meanings.

But alas!

This shelter is nothing but a cloudy sky and the shortest distance between us is as long as the horizon.

I'm thinking of a shelter, a dream shelter,

                        a shelter for us, even if it is made of cardboard.

I'm thinking of a shelter, one with no holes on its roof,

                        a shelter for love, for you and I.

Under this shelter, if we ever have it, 

                                your heart will make us warm,

                                your hand will cover its holes.

Under this shelter, it's good for us to perfume the scent of self-forgetting,
                                                          to sleep with a story, to wake up with a song.
I'm thinking of a shelter...

Iraj Janati Ataei

Farhad Mehrad

Grand Kalle & L'African Jazz

Some of the most smooth music I have ever heard is Congolese Rumba music. Le Grand Kalle formed in Belgian-occupied Congo in the 1950s, and eventually became popular in and outside of Africa. Many of their songs supported the Congolese independence movement, as well as the Pan-African movement. This style of music had heavy influences on music from Cuba and other parts of Latin America.

Tinariwen

Tinariwen is a popular blues band from the Azawad region of Mali. They are currently touring the world for their new album entitled Emmaar. I saw the group live in Philadelphia a few days ago, and the concert was incredible. Here is the first song from Emmaar.

Tinariwen will be on tour until 10 May. Here is a link to their tour dates.