Marhaba! You all know by now that Fairouz (فيروز) is one of my favorite Arab artists and that almost all her songs are beautiful and reflect the true cultural nature of different Arab societies. Her songs capture how Arab societies view love, patriotism, and nationalism, among other important themes. Based on my previous post that provided you with 3 smart tips to pick up Arabic quickly and given the fact that many of you find music as a way to immerse into an Arabic speaking environment, I have decided to add another musical masterpiece by the Ambassador to the Stars. The song is titled ‘Oudak Rannan,’ (عودك رَنّان) which literally means ‘Your Oud Is Resonant’ or in other places translated to ‘Your Banging Lute.’ I have also added the lyrics in Arabic and I have translated them to English so that you can follow with the song.

You have been introduced to the Oud (العود) through Marcel Khalife’s beautiful music which he uses to compose and perform. If you do not know this already, the Oud is a pear shaped stringed instrument commonly used in Middle Eastern music. The construction of the Oud is very similar to the Lute. The Oud has a smaller neck than the guitar and lacks any frets. Some consider the Oud as an ancestor of the modern guitar.