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
0 Comments