“Really? This cowboy is a movie star? He was in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies? Really?!” Johnny Depp on his travels. image
Since folks typing in Arabic are looking for Johnny Depp and landing on this blog, here he is enjoying the hospitality in someone’s home in the Middle East. Inshallah, he had a good time and didn’t get too wired on the coffee.
And now, we shall listen to music while giving Johnny unasked-for career advice:
Farid al-Atrash was a Syrian-born musician and actor, and we can thank his mother for turning him on to music. He and his mother moved to Egypt when al-Atrash was a child to escape French occupation. His mother was an oud player and got him started on the instrument; he later studied at a music conservatory and was mentored by Riyad as-Sunbaty. Al-Atrash had a long career as a singer, composer, and instrumentalist. He also starred in 31 films from the 1940s to the 1970s–so, Johnny, if you take up the oud, you can move to Egypt and be a movie star.
Ehab Tawfik “Ah Ya Nari.” As if having good looks and talent aren’t enough, he’s got a doctorate in music and wrote his dissertation on methods of Arabic singing in Egypt during the second half of the twentieth century. Johnny, you’re a handsome fella and a voracious reader. Time to up the ante and go to grad school.
Abdel Halilm Hafez “Ouloulou.” Okay, the poor man’s life could have been written by Charles Dickens. Hafez’s mother died delivering him; his father died when he was 5; Hafez was infected by a waterborne parasite as a child and had complications for the rest of his short life … but, despite all the hardships, Hafez used his fame and wealth to help others, giving to the poor and donating his time and energy in hospitals and orphanages across the Middle East. You were born in Kentucky and lived in Florida, so you’ve had your own Dickensian times, Johnny. You’ve also dressed up as Captain Jack and visited hospitals, so you’re good on the whole giving back to the community thing.
There’s lots more great music from all over the Arabic-speaking world, but it’s late and we have to go to bed. تصبح على خير (good night)
September 7th, 2012 at 12:01 am
this is all fab stuff, but what impresses me most is that you somehow figured out how to put sanskrit in your post. that would be enough for my brain to explode. hope you are well! xo, sm
September 7th, 2012 at 12:47 am
Oh, Sweet Mother, it’s easy to copy and paste phrases in Arabic. I can’t let those years of higher education go to waste.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:12 am
You do know I adore you, don’t you??
September 7th, 2012 at 12:48 am
I write to make you happy.
September 7th, 2012 at 10:34 am
Yeah, yeah! You write because you have to, and that is the best kind of writing.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:00 am
I always enjoy this music.
September 8th, 2012 at 8:32 am
Some of the more recent stuff is livelier, but the older singers like Abdel Halilm had amazing control of their voices. Oum Kalthoum and Fairuz are wonderful; many radio stations still have an Oum Kalthoum segment at the end of the day like American stations have a “Get the Led Out” time when they play Led Zeppelin songs. With Oum Kalthoum, though, she gets played on all kinds of stations, not just ones that play classics.
September 8th, 2012 at 11:03 am
I certainly am not educated on who the artist are but I am more informed now, thanks to the transman!
September 8th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Youtube is your friend. I could spend hours tracking down different artists and songs.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:03 pm
You know, one of these days, Mr. Depp will stumble upon this blog after Googling his own name (we all do it) and be super impressed by your worldliness and musical taste. You’ll become besties. Just remember who said it first. This lady right here.
September 8th, 2012 at 8:33 am
I hope you’re right, because that would be a much better scenario than him coming to my house with a pool cue and kicking my ass.
September 8th, 2012 at 11:01 am
He may pummle you with daisies or chocolates but no pool stick.
September 8th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Beggars can’t be choosers.
September 7th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Ditto that ^^^
September 8th, 2012 at 8:33 am
Ditto the enthusiasm!
September 11th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
جوني أن تفخر
October 6th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Nice site………..Jamie Lee
October 6th, 2012 at 10:40 pm
Thank you … thanks for stopping by to check it out.