Who, what and when? “Fakkarouni” is yet another Oum Kalthoum classic on our list. This one was originally released in 1966 with music by Mohamed Abdel-Wahab and lyrics by Abdel-Wahab Mohamed – yes, you read that right! These are two different artists! This period of collaboration is considered to be the final phase of Oum Kalthoum’s career, a time when she began to accept some of the western musical elements in Abdel-Wahab’s compositions. What is this […]

Who, What and When? “We Daret Al Ayam” continues the Oum Kalthoum portion of the Must Know Songs for Belly Dancers list! This beautiful song – one of my very favorites – was composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab and lyrics by Maamoon El Shinawi. It’s a shame Oum Kalthoum and Mohammed Abdel Wahab didn’t give up being rivals and come together earlier in their careers – their collaborations were really some of their finest pieces! This song […]

Who, what and when? “Lessa Fakir” is yet another Oum Kalthoum classic. (I promise, there are songs by other artists on this list -stick with us! ) The music for “Lessa Fakir” was written by Riad-Al-Sonbati, and the lyrics by Abdel Fattah Mustafa. It was first released in 1973, which was very late in her career. What is the song about? “Lessa Fakir” means “Do You Remember?”. Thematically, this song is very different from the others we […]

Who What and When? “Lylet Hob” means “Night of Love”. This beautiful song was released in 1973, sung by Oum Kalthoum (who really does dominate this list!), composed by Mohammed Abdel Wahab and has lyrics by Ahmad Shafiq Kamel. This is the same artistic team trio going for a repeat of the smashing success of “Enta Omri”. What is this song about? “Lylet Hob” is happy love song. The singer’s lover is late to meet her […]

We’re moving along to the second song in the Must-Know Song List…. Who, What and When? “Enta Omri” is one of the most well-known and beloved songs of Oum Kalthoum’s repertoire for both Arab audiences and bellydancers alike. The title means “You Are My Life.” This gem of a song was composed in 1965 by Mohammed Abdel Wahab and has lyrics by Ahman Shafiq Kamel. What is really remarkable about this song – aside from it’s […]