أم كلثوم The Archive

The Song Archive

Every song annotated: Arabic lyrics, transliteration, an original English translation, and the story of what it means.

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Salou Ku'us al-Tila (Ask the Cups of Wine) سلوا كؤوس الطلا

1938 · Maqam Huzam

Salou Ku'us al-Tila (1938): Ahmed Shawqi's wine-song portrait of Umm Kulthum's own voice, set by Riad al-Sunbati in maqam Huzam — annotated and translated.

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Ana Fi Entezarak (I Am Waiting for You) أنا في انتظارك

1943 · Maqam Hijazkar

Ana Fi Entezarak (1943): Bayram al-Tunisi and Zakariyya Ahmad turn waiting itself into song — Umm Kulthum counts an absence second by second. Annotated excerpts.

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Ghanni Li Shwayya (Sing to Me, Softly) غني لي شوي شوي

1945 · Maqam Rast

Ghanni Li Shwayya (1945): Bayram al-Tunisi and Zakariyya Ahmad's ode to song itself, from the film Sallama — maqam Rast, the refrain, and its meaning.

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Nahj al-Burda (The Way of the Mantle) نهج البردة

1946 · Maqam Rahat al-Arwah

Nahj al-Burda (1946): Shawqi's answer to al-Busiri's Burda, set by Sunbati in maqam Rahat al-Arwah — the most exalted of Umm Kulthum's prophetic praise songs.

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Salou Qalbi (Ask My Heart) سلوا قلبي

1946 · Maqam Rast

Salou Qalbi (1946): Ahmed Shawqi's qasida in Sunbati's maqam Rast — the song that made 'goals are never attained by wishing' the proverb of a generation.

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Wulida al-Huda (The Guide Is Born) ولد الهدى

1949 · Maqam Rast

Wulida al-Huda (1949): Shawqi's mawlid hymn in Sunbati's maqam Rast — the boldest verses on faith, justice and equality Umm Kulthum ever sang.

Ila Arafat Allah (To the Arafat of God) إلى عرفات الله

1951 · Maqam Huzam

Ila Arafat Allah (1951): Ahmed Shawqi's Hajj qasida in Riad al-Sunbati's maqam Huzam setting — how Umm Kulthum's pilgrimage anthem came to be, with translation.

Lissa Faker (Do You Still Believe?) لسه فاكر

1960 · Maqam Ajam

Lissa Faker (1960): Riad al-Sunbati sets Abdel Fattah Mustafa's proud refusal for Umm Kulthum — 'that was long ago.' Annotated excerpts and essay.

Hayyart Albi Maak (You Bewildered My Heart) حيرت قلبي معاك

1961

Hayyart Albi Maak (1961): Ahmed Rami and Riad al-Sunbati's late collaboration with Umm Kulthum — a study in longing, concealment, and live tarab practice.

Enta Omri (You Are My Life) إنت عمري

1964 · Maqam Kurd

Enta Omri (1964): Umm Kulthum meets Mohammed Abdel Wahab in the 'meeting of the clouds' — history, maqam Kurd, and the meaning of her most famous love song.

Sirat El Hob (The Story of Love) سيرة الحب

1964

Sirat El Hob (1964): Umm Kulthum's confession of a lifetime spent fearing love — Morsi Gamil Aziz's lyric, Baligh Hamdi's setting, meaning & translation.

Amal Hayati (Hope of My Life) أمل حياتي

1965 · Maqam Kurd

Amal Hayati (1965): Ahmad Shafiq Kamel's plea to stay inside love's dream, set by Abdel Wahab in maqam Kurd — meaning, translation & the story of its premiere.

Araka 'Asiyy al-Dam' (I See You Withholding Your Tears) أراك عصي الدمع

1965 · Maqam Kurd

Araka 'Asiyy al-Dam' (1965): Abu Firas al-Hamdani's captivity qasida in Riad al-Sunbati's maqam Kurd setting — annotated lyrics, translation, and its story.

Baeed Anak (Far From You) بعيد عنك

1965 · Maqam Bayati

Baeed Anak (1965): Baligh Hamdi's maqam Bayati hit for Umm Kulthum — 'far from you, my life is torment.' Annotated excerpts, translation, and the song's story.

Al-Atlal (The Ruins) الأطلال

1966 · Maqam Huzam

Al-Atlal (1966): Ibrahim Nagi's poetry in Riad al-Sunbati's maqam Huzam setting — why so many call it Umm Kulthum's masterpiece, and what its ruins mean.

Fakkarouni (They Reminded Me) فكروني

1966 · Maqam Rast

Fakkarouni (1966): a chance remark rekindles a buried love — Abdel Wahab's maqam Rast setting, the famous one-word hook, meaning & translation of Umm Kulthum's classic.

Hadhihi Laylati (This Is My Night) هذه ليلتي

1968 · Maqam Bayati

Hadhihi Laylati (1968): George Jardaq's qasida set by Abdel Wahab in maqam Bayati — the night Umm Kulthum returned to the Cairo stage after 1967. Meaning & translation.

Alf Leila wa Leila (One Thousand and One Nights) ألف ليلة وليلة

1969 · Maqam Farahfaza

Alf Leila wa Leila (1969): Baligh Hamdi's nocturne for Umm Kulthum — maqam Farahfaza, the night-long refrain, and why one night outweighs a thousand and one.

Daret El Ayyam (The Days Turned) دارت الأيام

1970 · Maqam Rahat al-Arwah

Daret El Ayyam (1970): Mamoun al-Shinnawi and Mohammed Abdel Wahab's late masterpiece for Umm Kulthum — quarrel, reunion, and dawn after estrangement.

Aghadan Alqak (Will I Meet You Tomorrow?) أغدًا ألقاك

1971 · Maqam Ajam

Aghadan Alqak (1971): al-Hadi Adam's poem of fearful anticipation, set by Abdel Wahab in maqam Ajam — one of Umm Kulthum's last great premieres. Meaning & translation.

Ya Msaharni (You Who Keep Me Sleepless) يا مسهرني

1972 · Maqam Rast

Ya Msaharni (1972): Sayed Mekawy's only melody for Umm Kulthum and Ahmed Rami's last lyric — a sleepless reproach in maqam Rast. Excerpts and commentary.