Rachid Taha is an Algerian musician whose work was made famous to US audiences after an introduction by Hans Zimmer. This is Barra Barra, which means Outside, outside.

You might recall this song from Blackhawk Down’s superb soundtrack (it was track 2). We like the live version, sung in Arabic by the original artist, Algerian born Rachid Taha.

We put the lyrics below.

Sunday Singalong | Barra Barra

Rachid Taha 

BARRA BARRA hozd wel boghd ou zawara

barra barra fezd wel l´hozd ma b´qa amene

barra barra l´alach we ness menhoussine

barra barra la horma dolm wet ouboudia

barra barra nechfou l´widane helkou b´houratte

barra barra noujoum t´fate derguete chems

barra barra ma b´qa kheir la saada wala z´har

barra barra ma b´kate sadjra sektou la t´iour

barra barra ma bka lil ka n´har ghir dalma

barra barra jahanama ma b´ka zine

barra barra k´tar z´mane ma b´kate horma

barra barra fozd l´harb we dem isil

barra barra ghir l´hitane l´hitane waqfine

barra barra l´khaouf wa ness saktine

barra barra l´hozd wel boghd wa zawara

barra barra wel hozd ma b´qa amene

barra barra nechfou l´widane helkou l´bhourane

barra barra noujoum t´fate derguette chems

barra barra ma b´qa kheir la saada wata z´har

barra barra ma b´qa z´djour saktou la tiour

barra barra ma b´qa lil la n´har ghir dalma

barra barra gh´bina jahanama ma b´ka zine

barra barra k´tar z´méme ma b´qate horma

barra barra l´fezed wel harb wa dem isil

barra barra ghir l´hitane hitane waqfine

barra barra l´khaouf ness saktine

barra barra l´hozd fezd ou zawara

barra barra fezd wel hozd ma b´qa améne

barra barra noujoum t´fate derquéte chéms

barra barra ma b´qa kheir la saada la z´har

barra barra ma b´qa z´djour sektou lé tiour

barra barra ma b´qa lil ka n´har ghir dalma

barra barra djahanama ma b´qa zine

barra barra k´tar z´méne ma b´qate horma

barra barra

• Now in English:

Get out! Sadness, hate and the reign of arbitrary

Get out! Destruction, jealousy; there is no trust left

Get out! Thirst and people are unlucky

Get out! No honour, but oppression and slavery

Get out! Rivers were dried up and seas have ruined everything

Get out! Stars are switched off and the sun went down

Get out! There are no trees left and the birds stopped singing

Get out! There are neither days, nor nights left, darkness only

Get out! Hell; there is no beauty left

Get out! (solo of mandolute and ululation)

Get out! Time has increased, there is no honour left

Get out! Ruin and war and the blood is flowing

Get out! There are only walls left, walls standing up

Get out! Fear and people remain silent

Get out! Sadness, hate and the reign of arbitrary

Get out! Destruction and jealousy; there is no trust left

Get out! Rivers were dried up and seas have ruined everything

Get out! stars are switched off and the sun went down

Barra Barra

Get out! There is neither good, nor happiness, nor luck anymore

Get out! There are no trees left; the birds stopped singing

Get out! There are neither nights, nor days left; darkness only

Get out! Desolation, hell, there is no beauty left

Get out!

(Silence)

Get out! Time has increased, there is no honour left

Get out! Ruin and war and the blood is flowing

Get out! There are only walls left, walls standing up

Get out! Sadness, hate and the reign of arbitrary

Get out! Destruction and jealousy ; there is no trust left.

Stars are switched off, and the sun went down

Get out! There is neither good, nor happiness, nor luck left

Get out! There are no trees left; birds stopped singing

Get out! There are no neither nights nor days left; darkness only

Get out! Desolation, hell, there is no beauty left

Get out! Time has increased, there is no honour left

Barraaaaa! Barra, barra, barraaaaaa!

“Here’s the thing with me and the religious thing. This is the flat-out truth: I find the religiosity and philosophy in the music. I don’t find it anywhere else.”  Bob Dylan

“Music is for every single person that walks the planet.” Robert Plant

“All of these situations involve aspects of a ritual where soldiers come together and participate, either by listening or singing/yelling along with the lyrics, in organized, pre-combat actions. Many times these actions are repeated before each mission or patrol. In this way, metal and rap are means of creating aspects of social ordering. The soldiers psychologically prepare themselves for the possibility of combat through the shared experience of music…Music is a means of establishing the identity of the group and supports the feeling of togethernes thorugh a ritualized musical experience.” The Ashgate Research Companion to Modern Warfare.

“Music has been an integral part of warfare and the soldier’s life since the dawn of history. Even the instruments on which it is played have themselves acquired great symbolic power — a regiment’s drums are second only to its colors as an emblem of honor and tradition. In the 18th century, the act of enlisting was described as ‘following the drum…” William Trotter