Category Archives: Music

Nancy Ajram’s New Song For Kids: Ya Banat

Nancy Ajram has released a song off her upcoming album for kids, Super Nancy.

The song is Egyptian and called “Ya Banat.” The theme is apparently part of what Ajram was trying to go for with her second album for kids: an empowerment for little girls.

Good intentions and me being obviously not the target audience aside, I’m not sure what I feel about the song. While the first verse is something that I got my mom to hear (I’ve been asking for a baby sister for such a long time now), the overall song feels lacking. It could be that it’s way too short or that I’m tired of Lebanese singers singing one Egyptian song after the other.

Does the miserable state of music in this part of the world really need another album for kids from one of its biggest stars? I’m not entirely convinced with that. But hey, at least it’s not candy-coated sex for kids.

Interesting observation: my Australian cousin thought the album promo billboards, which are plastered all over Lebanon’s highways, were ads for a dollhouse.

Listen to “Ya Banat” here – with annoying “Arabica” voice overs and all.

The album will be released on Thursday.

Ronan (Lyrics) – Taylor Swift

Ronan is the new Taylor Swift song that was debuted at the “Stand Up For Cancer” event. It is inspired by a blogpost that Maya Thompson, the mother of 4 year old Ronan Thompson, wrote after her son passed away last year after struggling with neuroblastoma.

This is her blog (click here). All proceeds from the sales of this single will go to cancer research so you can get the single off iTunes here.

I remember your barefeet down the hallway,
I remember your little laugh
Race cars on the kitchen floor
plastic dinosaurs
I love you to the moon and back

I remember your blue eyes
looking into mine
like we had our own secret club
I remember you dancing before bedtime
then jumping on me waking me up
I can still feel you hold my hand
little man, and even the moment I knew
you fought it hard like an army guy

Remember I leaned in and whispered to you
come on baby with me, we’re gonna fly away from here
you were my best four years

I remember the drive home when the blind hope turned to crying and screaming why
flowers pile up in the worst way
no one knows what to say about a beautiful boy who died
and it’s about to be Halloween you could be anything you wanted if you were still here
I remember the last day when I kissed your face and whispered in your ear

Come on baby with me, we’re gonna fly away from here
out of this curtained room and this hospital gray will just disappear
come on baby with me, we’re gonna fly away from here
you were my best four years

What if I’m standing in your closet trying to talk to you
What if I kept the hand-me-downs you won’t grow into
And what if I really thought some miracle would see us through
What if the miracle was even getting one moment with you

Come on baby with me, we’re gonna fly away from here
Come on baby with me, we’re gonna fly away from here
You were my best four years

I remember your barefeet down the hallway
I love you to the moon and back.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers Concert in Lebanon: Look At All Those Traitors!

Strip them of their passport and national IDs. Take away their Lebanese pride! Shame on them! Shame on the few thousand people that attended this inhumane abomination!

By all accounts, the concert was a huge success. Some people reported being disappointed but still entertained. Others called it the best concert of the year. I didn’t go but I think the best concert of the year would still be Notre Dame de Paris.

My friends have told me they were immensely professional with an amazing stage presence and spirit.

The setlist for the concert was the following:

  • Monarchy of Roses
  • Around The World
  • Snow (Hey Oh)
  • Otherside
  • Look Around
  • Throw Away Your Television
  • Can’t Stop
  • Universally Speaking
  • The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
  • She’s Only 18
  • Under The Bridge
  • Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder cover)
  • Californication
  • Goodbye Hooray
  • By The Way

Encore:

  • Chad & Mauro & Josh jam
  • Sir Psycho Sexy
  • They’re Red Hot (Robert Johnson cover)
  • Meet Me At the Corner
  • Give It Away

Now we know exactly what Mashrou3 Leila missed out on for being cowards with “principles.”

And these are the people with “principles.”

Thank you @KingRoudy for the last picture and the following Facebook page for the others.

 

Mashrou3 Leila Not Opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers in Lebanon Anymore

I really don’t get the BDS movement people in Lebanon. Do they think what they’re doing is democratic or do they know what they’re doing is total nonsense? Mashrou3 Leila, even though I don’t like them, are not opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers this Thursday in Lebanon.

Why? Because RHCP have a concert in Tel Aviv on September 10th. Because, you know, f*ck logic.

It seems that artists forbidden from coming to Lebanon are not only those who have performed in Israel before but those who intend to do so later on. Because, as I said, f*ck logic.

When you figuratively tell a band that if they open for someone then they might as well be traitors, how different are you from the Israeli solider you are “supposedly” fighting against?

Not very different.

The fight against Israel can take many forms. What the Lebanese branch of BDS is doing is unacceptable. What the Lebanese BDS is doing is cultural terrorism and I wonder how much more we have to put up with it. Oh wait, they probably think I’m sleeping with the enemy  – fresh from France and all.

So I guess I better stop. They already think I’m a semi-traitor with me always being vehemently against them.

It’s not like opening for RHCP would be beyond great opportunity for any Lebanese band, regardless of who they are. But no. Bta3rfo, beddon y7arrero felestin. Because, as I said, f*ck logic.

As a result, no Lebanese band will get to do this without having “zionism” branded all over them. And as a result, Palestine will be liberated. Because, you know, f*ck logic.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift (Lyrics)

My review of the song can be found here.

[Verse 1:]

I remember when we broke up the first time,

Saying this is it, I’ve had enough

Cause like we hadn’t seen each other in a month

when you said you needed space, what?

Then you come around again and say baby

I miss you and I swear i’m gonna change, trust me

Remember how that lasted for a day

I say I hate you, we break up, you call me, I love you

[Chorus:] 

Oh Woo-Oh

We called it off again last night

But oh woo-oh, this time I’m telling you, I’m telling you

We are never ever ever getting back together

We are never ever ever getting back together

You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me

But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

Like, ever.

[Verse 2:] 

I’m really gonna miss you picking fights

And me falling for it, screaming that I’m right

And you would hide away and find your peace of mind

with some indie record that’s much cooler than mine

[Chorus:] 

Oh, oh, you called me up again tonight

But oh woo-oh-oh, this time I’m telling you, I’m telling you

We are never ever ever getting back together

We are never ever ever getting back together

You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me

But we are never ever ever ever getting back together.

[Bridge:] 

I used to think that we were forever ever

And I used to say never say never

Then he calls me up and he’s like

“I still love you,” and I’m like

this is exhausting, you know, we are never getting back together – like ever.

 [Chorus:]

We are never ever ever getting back together

We are never ever ever getting back together

You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me

But we are never ever ever ever getting back together.

[Outro:] 

Oh Woo-oh oh

You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me

But we are never ever ever ever getting back together.