Hello guys, how are you? Today we have a special guest, Nour (which means “light”), who is going to sing some classic Lebanese childhood songs that everyone knows and loves. These are songs that many Lebanese and other Arab children grow up with.
Let’s listen to the first song, 3ammi Bou Mass3oud!
Song 1: 3ammi Bou Mass3oud (ุนู ู ุจู ู ุณุนูุฏ)
This is a fun, silly song about an uncle with a big appetite.
| Arabic Lyrics | Latin Transliteration | English Translation |
| ุนู ู ุจู ู ุณุนูุฏ | 3ammi Bou Mass3oud, | My uncle Bou Massoud, |
| ุนูููู ูุจุงุฑ ูุณูุฏ | 3youno kbar w soud, | His eyes are big and black, |
| ุจูุงูู ู ุง ุจูุดุจุน | byakol ma byeshba3, | He eats and never gets full, |
| ุนู ู ุจู ู ุณุนูุฏ | 3ammi Bou Mass3oud. | My uncle Bou Massoud. |
| ุดู ุชุบุฏูุช ุงูููู ุ | Shou tghaddayt l yom? | What did you have for lunch today? |
| ูุง ุนู ู ุจู ู ุณุนูุฏ | Ya 3ammi Bou Massoud. | Oh, uncle Bou Massoud. |
Song 2: Kellon 3endon Siyyarat (ููู ุนูุฏู ุณูุงุฑุงุช)
This song is about a grandpa who has a donkey instead of a car.
| Arabic Lyrics | Latin Transliteration | English Translation |
| ููู ุนูุฏู ุณูุงุฑุงุช | Kellon 3endon siyyarat, | Everyone has cars, |
| ูุฌุฏู ุนูุฏู ุญู ุงุฑ | w jeddeh 3endo Hmar, | And my grandpa has a donkey, |
| ุจูุฑูุจูุง ุฎููู | birakkebna khalfo, | He puts us on his back, |
| ูุจูุงุฎุฐูุง ู ุดูุงุฑ | w byakhedna meshwar. | And takes us for a ride. |
| ุงูุจูููุณ ูุฒู ุฑูู | L bolice yzammerlo, | The police honks at him, |
| ูุจุฅูุฏู ูุฃุดุฑูู | w b ‘ido y’asherlo, | And waves his hand at him, |
| ุณูุงุฑุงุช ุชุฒู ุฑูู | siyyarat tzammerlo, | Cars honk at him, |
| ุจุงุจ ุจุงุจ ุจุงุจ | pap pap pap. | (Honk honk honk). |
A Quick Chat with Nour
Here is the small conversation I had with Nour after her lovely performance.
Hiba: Shou esmik? (ุดู ุงุณู
ูุ) – What’s your name?
Nour: Nour.
Hiba: addeh 3omrik? (ูุฏูู ุนู
ุฑูุ) – How old are you?
Nour: 4 et demi. (4 and a half)
Hiba: W b ayya saff ente? (ูุจุฃู ุตู ุฅูุชูุ) – And what class are you in?
Nour: PS1.
Hiba: 3endik ekhweh? Shou 3endik ekhweh? (ุนูุฏู ุฅุฎูุฉุ ุดู ุนูุฏู ุฅุฎูุฉุ) – Do you have siblings? What siblings do you have?
Nour: ekhet. (ุฃุฎุช) – A sister.
Hiba: Ya3neh 3endik ekhet? Eh. shou esma? (ูุนูู ุนูุฏู ุฃุฎุชุ ุฅูู. ุดู ุงุณู
ุงุ) – So you have a sister? Yes. What’s her name?
Nour: Sofia.
Salaam,
I came across your video while searching for a song I learned as a child, in the late 60s early 70s, in a summer school up in the mountains of Dhur El Shweir. If my, now old, memory serves me right the words were something like this,
“Awal Lafzah Habayta, Mama. Awal Kalmi La Festa, Mama. Ya Rabbi Khalil Mama, Noora Ayounil Mama.”
Does that make sense or sound familiar? I am So Keen to teach that song to my grandchildren. if you can help, my email is below. Please Do let me know.
Regards,
Muna Tabbarah Nana
yo2borne chaklaaaaa ๐