staggering, passed the alley.
Fereydoun Foroughi was one of the most prominent Iranian singers. His special musical style made him a unique singer before the 1979 revolution. A notable part of his work are protest songs like Yaare Dabestaani e Man (My Schoolmate), Khak (Earth) and Saal e Ghahti (Year of Famine). He was among the few artists who stayed in Iran after the revolution though he was banned from working for years.
I was a high school sophomore when a friend of mine sang to me part of the lyrics I brought above. At first it seemed like a funny song but when I listened to the full song I learned it was one the political songs that were made a few years before the 1979 revolution.
The lyrics are composed by Massoud Amini and the music by Manouchehr Chashmazar.
The Song
Year of Famine
The flowers in the vase have not bloomed.
The trees have not fruited .
The cattle has no milk to make dairy.
The wheats of the desert
have not made a piece of bread.
The springs of water have dried out.
I talked to everyone but heared no reply.
The tipsy men, having cookies in their pockets,
staggering, passed the alley.
Yo dead people!
Fear has taken your hearts!
Why are you so meek,
as if a beast has eaten your souls?
Stop being quiet!
Stop closing the doors of your houses!
Stop losing hope!
Have faith in someone!
Raise and fight with these terrible days.
What is the point if we are not even allowed to be smiling?
Translated by Mehdi Mehtari
Gallery
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| Fereydoun Foroughi |
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| Massoud Amini |
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| Manouchehr Chashmazar |
