Baheyya? Ya Baheyya? Ayoun Baheyya? The importance of names- and a translation
TL;DR: Sometimes the name we might know a song by is not the actual name.
This piece of writing started out because I wanted to share one of the videos below and give some context, but it turned into a digression. Very “on brand” for me to do that type of thing- sitting down to type something simple and it growing into something bigger- which is one reason I get into the weeds with all that I want to say and often don’t finish a piece of writing. Butu speaking of getting into the weeds, that’s what we are about to do right now.
In one of my song workshops in July, we talked (among other things) about the two songs that reference “Baheyya” (a female name, which means gorgeous, beautiful, radiant- and is sometimes used to refer to Egypt itself). There is Ya Baheyya, a traditional song which tells the Saidi story of Baheyya and Yassin, a criminal and outlaw who was killed. It has been sung by Mohamed Taha, Leila Murad, Leila Nazmy, and many others.
Mohamed Taha singing Ya Baheyya
In spite of the grim nature of the story of Ya Baheyya, it is sometimes arranged or played for dancers. The first time I heard about the original Ya Baheyya was from Amina years ago, and the second I heard it I recognized it, I just never knew the name. When I first started dancing it was much more in circulation- so you might recognize it too if you have been at this for a while. I came across a great instrumental arrangement by Ahmed Fouad Hassan, played by the legendary Firqa Maseya and showcasing the amazing (and adorable) nai player Mahmoud Effat, linked below.
Ahmed Fouad Hassan’s arrangement of Ya Baheyya
Then there is ‘Ayoun Baheyya, which is the one most of us know as dancers- composed by Beligh Hamdi with lyrics by Mohamed Hamza, and first popularized by the singer Mohamed El Azabi in the early 70’s. This is often called Ya Baheyya by dancers, and most of the time this doesn’t matter in the US- but if you are in Egypt there might be some confusion about which song you are talking about. I also came across several things on youtube where the song was simply written “Baheyya” in Arabic without either the “ya” particle or the “ayoun”. So who can really keep it straight?
Mohamed El Azabi sings Ayoun Baheyya
Songs are misnamed all the time- whether you are searching in English or Arabic, you will find this. If I am looking for El Hob Illy Kan in Arabic on youtube, I find lots where the song is named as Kan ya Makan, because that is the first line of the lyrics (and I have encountered musicians that insist to me that the real name is Kan ya Makan…but I digress).
American dance releases can be particularly bad about this. Just yesterday I was looking up the Mohamed Rushdi song Adaweyya and a dance arrangement popped up titled “Ya Adawiyya”, I was so surprised I had never seen a dance arrangement of this song. But when I played it, it was a dance arrangement of Ayela Tayha, the Ahmad Adaweyya song.
The actual song “Adaweyya,” sung by Mohamed Rushdi
So anyway, it is not the end of the world if we call a song by the “wrong” name- I’m not judging anyone. I have done it too and my knowledge is continually evolving. but the perfectionistic wordsmith and meticulous researcher in me doesn’t like it. Mainly because the details of the songs are things that I like to dig into, and knowing the correct name is important.
Also in a sense for “posterity” and those who might come after us - things are out there on the internet forever. So if a song is misnamed it just creates a chain of misinformation that is perpetuated. This is especially problematic in our dance field- most dancers don’t have the capacity to research in Arabic, so if you are going by the CD cover and it is wrong, it can be difficult to find information. I can cite many examples where I have encountered this on dance releases (and re-releases).
And it could land you in some mix-ups in a performance setting with live music. For example, if you are at a dance festival in Egypt and you ask the band for Adaweyya expecting Ayeela Tayha, you will most certainly not get it and in fact they will likely give a puzzled look and say “we don’t play that one” because the actual song Adaweyya is not one of the pieces in common rotation for dancers.
Anyway, whichever Baheyya we are talking about, and whatever we call them, they are both great songs. This seems like a good occasion to share my translation of Ayoun Baheyya. To summarize what this song is about: Baheyya is very beautiful (and so are her eyes)- but she can’t help that, and is unfairly blamed for the effect her beauty has, and it attracts envy and talk. Composed by Beligh Hamdi to the lyrics of Mohamed Hamza.
‘Ayoun Baheyya عيون بهية
Rodi el beyban ya baheyya, la fiyom yizloumouki, ah
Close the doors, Baheyya or else one day they will be unjust to you
ردي البيبان يا بهية لا فيوم يظلموكِ
Dari el ‘ayoun ya sabeyya, la el nass yehsidouki*
Hide your eyes, girl, so they don’t envy you
داري العيون يا صبية لا الناس يحسدوكِ
Baheyya- wa ‘ayoun baheyya
Baheyya…and her eyes…
بهية.. وعيون بهية
Kull el hikaya ‘ayoun baheyya
Her eyes are the whole story
كل الحكاية عيون بهية
Wa ya bahaia, khabbarini, malhom biki, el laymeen
Bahaia, tell me, what is their problem with you, those who blame you?
ويا بهية وخبريني مالهم بيكي اللايمين
Di ‘ayounak ya sabeyya bil hozn malyaneen
My girl, your eyes are full of sadness
دي عيونك يا صبية بالحزن ماليين
Kull el magareeh el hawa, biy’oulou heyya baheyya
All of those who are wounded by love, they say Baheyya did it
كل مجاريح الهوى بيقولوا هي بهية
Wa kull el ‘aosha’ el hawa zalmeen baheyya, baheyya
And all of those lovers [“those who are in love with love”] are unjust to Baheyya
وكل عشاق الهوى ظالمين بهية
Zalamou el benayya ya aini
They were so unjust to the girl, poor thing
ظلموا البنية يا عيني
Wa kull el hikaya, kull el hikaya ‘ayoun baheyya
Her eyes are the whole story
وكل الحكاية عيون بهية
Rodi el beyban ya baheyya, la fiyom yizloumouki, ah
Close the doors, Baheyya or else one day they will be unjust to you
ردي البيبان يا بهية لا فيوم يظلموكِ
Dari el ‘ayoun ya sabeyya, la el nass yehsidouki
Hide your eyes, girl, so they don’t envy you
داري العيون يا صبية لا الناس يحسدوكِ
Ma had ‘adda wala marra hadda wa shaf ‘ayneyha illa w’mal
No one ever passed her and slowed down to look at her, without falling for her
لا حد عدى ولا مرة هدي وشاف عينها الا و مال
‘Alou ‘an baheyya- zalamou el benayya- ‘allou ‘an baheyya
They said about Baheyya, so unjustly…
قالو عن بهية.. ظالمو البنية.. قالو عن بهية
Wa illy fi ‘ayneyha ma la’ash mawadda zalam el sabeyya, w’ rah wa ‘al
And there is no affection in her eyes, they were so unjust, and said
واللي فعينيها ما لقاش مودة ظلم الصبية و راح و قال
‘Alou ‘an baheyya- zalamou el benayya- ‘allou ‘an baheyya
They said about Baheyya, so unjustly
قالو عن بهية.. ظالمو البنية.. قالو عن بهية
‘Allou ‘an Baheyya mal’hash aziz wala habib
They said Baheyya has no dear one or beloved
قالو عن بهية بهية ابدا ما لهاش عزيز ولا حبيب
‘Ayounha tit’al mal’hash dawa wala tabib
Her eyes can kill you and there is no cure or doctor
عيونها تقتل ما لهاش دوا ولا طبيب
‘Allou ‘ala el benayya wa yama ‘allou
They said so many things about the girl,
قالوا ع البنية و ياما قالوا
Illy fi ‘ayneyha ya ‘ayni malou
Who made everyone fall in love with her
اللي في هواها يا عيني مالوا
Zalamou el benayya ya aini
They were so unjust to the girl, poor thing
ظلموا البنية يا عيني
Wa kull el hikaya, kull el hikaya ayoun baheyya
Her eyes are the whole story
وكل الحكاية عيون بهية
Rodi el beyban ya baheyya, la fiyom yizloumouki, ah
Close the doors, Baheyya or else one day they will be unjust to you
ردي البيبان يا بهية لا فيوم يظلموكِ
Dari el ‘ayoun ya sabeyya, la el nass yehsidouki
Hide your eyes, girl, so they don’t envy you
داري العيون يا صبية لا الناس يحسدوكِ
Yama yama, w’yama el ‘oloub- dawwebha w’yama doub
ياما وياما قلوب دوبها وياما دوب
Hosn el sabeyya w'yama yama
حسن الصبيه وياما وياما
The beauty of the girl melted all hearts-
Kull el wilad fi akher el bilad
All of the boys in the whole country
كل الولاد فى آخر البلاد
Ash’ou el benayya w’yama yama
Fell in love with the girl
وعشقوا البنيه وياما وياما
Gharet el sabaya, hatta el miraya
All the girls became jealous, and even the mirror
غارت الصبايا حتى المرايا
Hasadet* baheyya, wa ‘ayoun baheyya
Cast the evil eye [envy] on her and her beautiful eyes
حسدت بهيه وعيون بهيه
Ash’ou el sabeyya wa yama ‘allou
Fell in love with the girl,
عشقوا الصبيه وياما قالوا
‘Allou ‘an el benayya wa yama ‘allou,
They said about her
قالوا عن البنيه وياما قالوا ياليل
Ma had ‘adda wala marra hadda wa shaf ‘ayneyha illa w’mal
No one ever passed her and slowed down to look at her, without falling for her
لا حد عدى ولا مرة هدي وشاف عينها الا و مال
‘Alou ‘an baheyya- zalamou el benayya- ‘allou ‘an baheyya
They said about Baheyya, blaming the girl
قالو عن بهية.. ظالمو البنية.. قالو عن بهية
Wa illy fi ‘ayneyha ma la’ash mawadda zalam el sabeyya, w’ rah wa ‘al
And there is no affection in her eyes, they blamed the girl, and went and said
واللي فعينيها ما لقاش مودة ظلم الصبية و راح و قال
‘Alou ‘an baheyya- zalamou el benayya- ‘allou ‘an baheyya
They said about Baheyya, blaming the girl
قالو عن بهية.. ظالمو البنية.. قالو عن بهية
‘Allou ‘an Baheyya mal’hash aziz wala habib
They said Baheyya has no dear one or beloved
قالو عن بهية بهية ابدا ما لهاش عزيز ولا حبيب
‘Ayounha tit’al mal’hash dawa wala tabib
Her eyes can kill you and there is no cure or doctor
عيونها تقتل ما لهاش دوا ولا طبيب
‘Allou ‘ala el benayya wa yama ‘allou
They said so many things about the girl,
قالوا ع البنية و ياما قالوا
Illy fi ‘ayneyha ya ‘ayni malou
Who made everyone fall in love with her
اللي في هواها يا عيني مالوا
Zalamou el benayya ya aini
They were so unjust to the girl, poor thing
ظلموا البنية يا عيني
Wa kull el hikaya, kull el hikaya ayoun baheyya
Her eyes are the whole story
وكل الحكاية عيون بهية
*Hasad is an Arabic word that means “envy”, but there is more to it than that. It is an Egyptian cultural concept that really means malicious envy or jealousy that arises when someone is envious of another person's good fortune, achievements, possessions, or in Baheyya’s case in this song, beauty- in other words, the evil eye. Even though it is considered superstitious in some circles, the idea of hasad is still omnipresent in Egyptian society and many people have jewelry or amulets to protect against hasad on their person or in their house or car- there are many cultural references to this idea in movies, TV, and songs. “yehsidouki” is the third person plural present tense verbal form and “hasadet” the third person singular past tense.