Last Sunday marked the 55^th anniversary of the “The Sound of Music”صوت الموسيقى movie, which was released تم إصداره in the UK on the 29^th of March in 1965. Interestingly, this work was not only popular in the West, but it was so in the Arab world too, thanks to a Japanese company that adapted it into a cartoon show in 1991 which was later dubbed into Standard Arabic. The title  عنوانof the Arabic version, however, was slightly different. It was called لحن الحياة  or “The melody of life”.

This blog post is dedicated to the song of the opening scene of the movie (you can view it here) where Maria – the governess المربّية / Miss Safaa الآنسة صفاء  in the Arabic version – is trying to teach the kids the different musical tones الدرجات النغميّة on the musical scale السُلّم الموسيقي . This song was made into the theme song أغنية الشارة /البداية)  for the Arabic version and many of my peers who grew up watching it can still remember its lyrics كلماتها!

 

So, today we’re going to listen and study this song (check below)>>

 

 

While both songs have the same rhythm and feel to them, there is one small difference that you will be able to notice straight away and that is the name of the final note on the musical scale (Ti vs. Si).

In English, it’s: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti

In Arabic, it’s: دو – ري – مي – فا – صو – لا – سي

 

The other difference which is not very obvious is the lyrics! However, the Arabic version maintained the main subject of the song and that is addressing the glory of music and singing عظمة الموسيقى والغناء in general.

So, let’s listen to the song and follow through (with the translation too!)>>

 

كلمات الأغنية

The lyrics:

في.. الحقول

In.. the fields

 

 هيا نغني

let’s sing

 

في.. المسارح والساحات

In.. the theatres and squares

 

في.. الحقول

In.. the fields

 

 هيا نغني

let’s sing

 

 ينطلق لحن الحياة

The melody of life sets out

 

هيا.. للأفق البعيد

Come on.. to the far away horizon

 

 ننشد اللّحن الجديد

We sing the new melody

 

فوق أسراب الغيوم

Above the flocks of clouds

 

 نهدي أقمارًا ونجوم

Giving away moons and stars

 

صول مي ري.. دو> دروب ومعاني

So Mi Re, Do> Paths and meanings

 

ري> ربيع الأغنيات

Re> the spring of songs

 

مي> مـوسيقى وأغاني

Mi> Music and songs

 

فا> فـجر الذكريات

Fa> The dawn of memories

 

صوتنا ملء الفضاء

Our sound is filling the space

 

 لم يزل فينا الوفاء

We still have loyalty in us

 

سوف تبقى يا غناء

Singing, you will stay

 

 لنغنّي نغنّي.. لحن الحياة

Let’s sing, let’s song, the melody of life

 

دو ري مي فا صول لا سي دو صو دو

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do .. So Do

 

==============

I hope you enjoyed the Arabic version of the song 🙂