Marhaba! The world has lost a legend. David Bowie was a cultural, iconic, and musical artist that redefined popular culture through his unique compositions and song writing over the last four decades.
Image by Marc Wathieu via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
His music has reached millions of people around the world through a number of venues: motion films, musical albums, concerts, renditions of his popular songs, and at one point from a space station!
David Bowie Image by Daniel Hartwig via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Today I want to share one of my favorite Bowie songs. It’s called ‘Space Oddity,’ which roughly translates to “غرائب الفضاء” I have added the lyrics in English and translated them to Arabic for your learning purposes. This is my way of honoring this great legend as well as providing you with an important Arabic lesson. If you like David Bowie, or at least started liking him after one or all of these songs, you can check his latest album ‘Blackstar’ released just two days before he passed away! It’s a beautiful album and seems like Bowie was saying goodbye to his fans around the world. I have also shared two additional Bowie songs in the form of YouTube videos and a beautiful rendition of ‘Space Oddity’ from space!
David Bowie – Space Oddity دافيد باوي- غرائب الفضاء
Ground Control to Major Tom من غرفة التحكم الأرضية للرائد توم
Ground Control to Major Tom من غرفة التحكم الأرضية للرائد توم
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on خذ حبوب البروتين وارتدي خوذتك
Ground Control to Major Tom من غرفة التحكم الأرضية للرائد توم Commencing countdown, engines on بدء العد العكسي، المحرك تم تشغيله
Check ignition and may God’s love be with you تأكد من الاشتعال ولتكن محبة الله معكِ
Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five عشرة، تسعة، ثمانية، سبعة، ستة، خمسة
Four, Three, Two, One, Liftoff أربعة، ثلاثة، اثنان، واحد، إقلاع
This is Ground Control to Major Tom هذه غرفة التحكم الأرضية للرائد توم
You’ve really made the grade لقد أتممت الأمر على ما يرام
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear والجرائد تريد أن تعرف ما القميص الذي ترتديه
Now it’s time to leave the capsule if you dare الآن وقت مغادرة الكبسولة إذا كنت تجرؤ
This is Major Tom to Ground Control من الرائد توم لغرفة التحكم الأرضية
I’m stepping through the door أنا أخطو من خلال الباب
And I’m floating in a most peculiar way وأنا عائم بطريقة عجيبة
And the stars look very different today والنجوم تبدو مختلفًة تمامًا اليوم
For here أنا هنا
Am I sitting in a tin can أجلس في علبة صفيح
Far above the world بعيدًا فوق العالم
Planet Earth is blue كوكب الأرض أزرق
And there’s nothing I can do وليس هنالك شيئًا يمكنني فعله
Though I’m past one hundred thousand miles على الرغم من أنني على بُعد مائة ألف ميل
I’m feeling very still أشعر بالسكون الشديد
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go وأظن أن سفينتي تعلم أين عليها أن تذهب
Tell my wife I love her very much أخبر زوجتي أنني أحبها كثيرًا
she knows هي تعلم
Ground Control to Major Tom من غرفة التحكم الأرضية للرائد توم
Your circuit’s dead, there’s something wrong دوائرك انطفئت، هنالك شيئًا خطأ
Can you hear me, Major Tom? هل تستطيع سماعي، أيها الرائد توم؟
Can you hear me, Major Tom? هل تستطيع سماعي، أيها الرائد توم؟
Can you hear me, Major Tom? هل تستطيع سماعي، أيها الرائد توم؟
Can you….
هل تستطيع
Here am I floating round my tin can ها أنا أطوف حول عُلبتي الصفيح
Far above the Moon بعيدًا فوق القمر
Planet Earth is blue كوكب الأرض أزرق
And there’s nothing I can do وليس هنالك شيئًا يمكنني فعله
Enjoy and goodbye Starman.
Image by Jérôme Coppée via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
For now take care and stay tuned for upcoming posts! Happy Learning! Have a nice day!! نهاركمسعيد
Salam everyone! Born as an American to two originally Arab parents, I have been raised and have spent most of my life in Beirut, Lebanon. I have lived my good times and my bad times in Beirut. I was but a young child when I had to learn to share my toys and food with others as we hid from bombs and fighting during the Lebanese Civil War. I feel my connection to Arabic as both a language and culture is severing and so it is with you, my readers and fellow Arabic lovers, and through you that I wish to reestablish this connection by creating one for you.
