Mabsout ya Seedi? ...

"My dog was banned when the guards changed at my apartment - dogs are seen as unclean in certain Islamic cultures. I just told the guard it wasn't a dog - that it looked like a dog but it wasn't - they were too confused to do anything."

No, this post is not on the subject of that quote above. I've just come back from meeting a few nice friends and their friends at a social club. They all feel so ... well, confused ... you know, Egyptian elections and stuff ... politics, they now say; "Been there, done that, enough" ... who is Master? Who knows? Not the one above, definately not! Then again, who cares anymore, it's done! ...

So, that's done and out of the way, we sat and to watch a classic film together ... and was that lounge full!

It's about a poor young man who invented something quite promising. His close friend liked it so much, he pushed him to go to a big company owned by a Pasha to try and sell his invention and make loooads a money, and prestige too ... "Pasha?!, my god! A whooole Pasha?!", the young one said ... but after a lot of push from his friend, and lots of hassle and hesitation, he went. First, he met a small employee who saw the potential and moved it higher, and higher, and higher, until it went right to the top, to the Pasha himself, oh dear! But Pasha seeing the opportunity of loooadsa money himself, the process and 'negotiations' took 'some' time to agree a deal. Meanwhile , the poor inventor had met a pretty girl and they fell in love, only, unknown to the young man, Pasha was her dad ... and he found them out. Of course dad then ordered the young man to leave his daughter 'immediately', but he wouldn't. Furious, the Pasha accused him of stealing his own invention from himself[Pasha] ... and "guess who would the police and the courts believe", he told the young man! .... but don't worry, of course love won at the end ... it's a classic!

In that clip, young man with Pasha, and that friend, in Pasha's luxurious car. They are being shauffeur driven to the nearest police station for Pasha to hand the young inventor in. In a predicament and not knowing what to do, he fabricates a song, anything and everything, classic language mixed with slang, pleading mixed with bitterness and praise, and with humour ... and he found a voice to sing to the Pasha "ya Pasha ya Pasha" ... and a talent at playing a musical instrument he never touched before too, there is even a funeral march, his own, there! Well, they say need is mother of innovation after all ... and as they drive, the Pasha likes what he hears and passes many police stations but never stops as he wants to hear more 'singing' ... and as the singer adds yet more and more of his new found talent every time they approach another police station ... and as his hope of survival rises, his voice gets better at singing too ...

We used to sing this song to our professors at university, during exam times ... and it worked, sometimes ... I hear it is still being sung, by some, to profs to this day ... and it's not just for profs of course ... but to any 'dog owner' around too ...

They say translation is like a precious carpet, if the original text is the nice part you see, then translation is like the back which rests on the floor ... indeed, No one can ever do this song justice, so, enjoy that back ... and ....

Are you a dog? ... or a cat person?:-)





يا سيدي امرك .. امرك يا سيدي
Ya seedi amrak, amrak ya seedi
At your peck n call Master, at your command, O Master

ولاجل خاطرك .. خاطرك يا سيدي
Wlagl khatrak, khatrak ya seedi
Servant to your pleasing, your pleasure, O Master

مقدرش اخالفك لاني عارفك
Maqdarsh akhalfak la'eni arfak
I can't go against your will, because I know

تقدر تحط الحديد في ايدي
Teqdar tehot elhadid fi edi
You can iron cuff my hands, anytime

اسمع .. اسمع يا سيدي
Esma'a, esmaa ya Seedi
Listen, oh listen more, O Master

---

بالذي اسكر من عرف اللما
Belazi asskara men orf ellama
To he who got me drunk, without wine

كان في حاله وجت له بلوه م السما
Can fi halo gatlo balwa men elsamaa
When while minding my own business, catastrophe fell over from the sky

والذي اجرى دموعي عندما
Walazi agra demmoy endama
To he who made my tears run and flow, when he ...

كان هايبعتني لاقرب محكمه
Can hayba'tni le aqrab mahkama
is about to send me to the nearest court of law

مبسوط يا سيدي .. ياسيدي
Mabsout ya seedi ... ya seedi
Are you feeling happy Master?, O Master?

مبسوط يا سيدي ..
Mabsout ya seedi?
Are you happy Master?


مقدرش اخالفك لاني عارفك
Maqdarsh akhalfak la'eni arfak
I can't be against your will, because I know

تقدر تحط الحديد في ايدي
Teqdar tehot elhadid fi edi
You can iron cuff my hands, anytime

اسمع .. اسمع يا سيدي
Esma'a, esmaa ya Seedi
Here, listen, listen to more, O Master

وحقك انت المنى والطلب
Wahaqek anta elmona waltalab
By your 'rights' to me; you are my desire, and want

والله يجازي اللي كان السبب
W Allah yegazi elly kan elssabab
... and God, pay well those whe were reason for all this [his friend]

ولي فيك يا والدي قصة ..
W li feeka ya waldi qessaton
... and father [Pasha], in you, I have a story

تغير مجرى حياه الطرب
Togayro magra hayat et-tarab
That will change art appreciation, forever

مبسوط يا سيدي .. ياسيد
Mabsout ya seedi ... ya seedi
Are you happy now Master?, O Master?

مبسوط يا سيدي ..
Mabsout ya seedi?
Are you happy Master?

مقدرش اخالفك لاني عارفك
Maqdarsh akhalfak la'eni arfak
I can't go against your wish, because I know

تقدر تحط الحديد في ايدي
Teqdar tehot elhadid fi edi
You can cuff my hands with iron, anytime

اسمع .. اسمع يا سيدي
Esma', esma' ya Seedi
Listen, listen to more, O Master

---

حبك يا سيدي غطى عالكل
Hobak ya Seedi ghata alkol
Your love O Master has become my most cherished of all [emotions]
.. عالكل يا بوي
.. Alkol ya Rouhy
Chorus: Of all, O dearest ...

يجعل نهارك زي الفل
Yegaal neharak zay elfol
Let the Lord fill your day with Jasmin
.. والورد يا بوي
Welward ya rouhy
Chorus: ... and roses, O dearest

حبك يا سيدي على راسي من فوق .. وحياه روحي
Hobak ya Seedy ala rassy men fouq, wehyat rouhy
Your love rests right at the top of my head O Master, by my soul

خايف اقول على قد الشوق .. لاتطلع روحي
Khayef a'aoul ala ad elshouq la tetala' rouhy
I'm afraid to tell of the real depth of my longing, lest you do, get my soul out [as in kill me]

مبسوط يا سيدي .. ياسيدي
Mabsout ya seedi ... ya seedi
Are you happy Master?, O Master?

مبسوط يا سيدي ..
Mabsout ya seedi?
Are you happy Master?

مقدرش اخالفك لاني عارفك
Maqdarsh akhalfak la'eni arfak
I can never go against you, because I know

تقدر تحط الحديد في ايدي
Teqdar tehot elhadid fi edi
You can cuff my hands with an iron chain

اسمع .. اسمع يا سيدي
Esma' .. esma' ya Seedi
Here, listen, O listen Master

---

انا قلبي عليك .. عليك قلبي
Ana albi aleek, aleek albi
My heart only cares for you
Chorus: My heart, for you

كان فين دا ياناس ومتخبي
Kan feen da ya nass w metkhabi
[looks at his friend] Where was all this hiding?!

وبغنى قديم .. وانا ايه ذنبي
W baghani aleem, wana eeh zanbi
I sing my pain, and, why me?!

اعمل لك ايه يانا يا
Aamel lak eeh yana ya gholby
What more shall I do to you, oh poor me?

مبسوط يا سيدي .. ياسيدي
Mabsout ya seedi ... ya seedi
Are you happy now Master?, O Master?

مبسوط يا سيدي ..
Mabsout ya seedi?
Are you happy now Master?