Aïcha... Aïcha... please do not go...

Hi

Please do not be alarmed or confused by the title of this post. This post is regarding a song that I failed to mention all this time, inspite of it being one of the songs that really uplifts my mood whenever I am down and out.

According to Wikipedia, A'isha is an Arabic female name that means "she who lives". Other transliterations include Aisha, Ayşe, Ayesha, 'A'isha, 'Aisha, `ā'isha or Aishah'. Yes, it is pronounced in the same way as Ayesha, a really common name among girls (especially the beautiful ones!). The video of the song is below.

The song is about a woman named Aicha, who is being wooed by a man (Look at the girl in the song and you know she is worth it). He promises her pearls, jewels, poems, and other luxuries and romantic things, to which she replies:

Keep your treasures

I'm worth more than all that

A cage is a cage, even if it's made of gold

I want the same rights as you

And respect for each day

I don't want anything but love

This is one of the most sincere replies I have ever heard in my life. The girl gives out her true feelings through these words. Remember, this is a Arabic song and hence the wordings refer to the Arabic woman.

Keep your treasures

I'm worth more than all that

Does she want riches? Fame? Pearls? Well, she doesn’t refuse any of these. Who would? But what she means to say is that her worth is not to be measured in terms of gold and silver. She is a human being and a woman. She is worth more than any material treasure in this universe. She is divine.

A cage is a cage, even if it's made of gold

She is talking about a cage, which every woman is bound to in her life. A cage represents repression and refusal of freedom. It signifies the restrictions that any woman faces in a society.

I want the same rights as you

Women were denied various rights for a long time – right to vote, right to express and what not. They are still denied the right to choose (whether to abort a foetus or not) by the laws of the land. The most basic right – the right to freedom – is still not granted to them fully. All she asks for is equal rights. After all, doesn’t she deserve it?

And respect for each day

Why do we respect any person? We respect a person for who he is and for who he/she represents. She wants to be respected for who she is, not for her beauty or her position but for what she represents – a woman.

I don't want anything but love

What women want? Well, if Freud was alive today, atleast his question would have been partially answered by this statement, I think. I won’t interpret this statement any further because I am not qualified enough in this area.

The song is really beautiful to hear. It has an English version also (released by “Outlandish”) and a mixed Arabic-French version by Khaled himself. If anyone needs both of these songs, do leave a comment or your email id and I will send them over.

Something about the great man himself. Khaled is a genius. We have all heard his really really famous song “Didi” and the tune is too catchy! So is the tune of this song. This singer was a rebel in his nation (Algeria). Fundamentalists detested his popularity and he received many death threats too.

I do admit Rai music (Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%AF for more) is not exactly a neat music in its origins. But it represents a free society. When “Didi” was released, showing women provocatively dressed and dancing (both taboos in Islamic culture), Khaled said that, "in rai music, people can express themselves. We break taboos.” They represented the young generation resenting the strict ways of the older generation.

Freedom to make Rai music pushed many of its musicians towards France, where many Algerians relocated in the post-colonial era to find work. (Trivia: Zidane, the ever-famous French footballer, has his roots in Algeria too). In France, the Rai musicians could make uncensored music and protest against the Algerian government.

Well, enough of Gyaan. Another one of his songs, a video version of "El Harba Wine" from Khaled's 1999 album Kenza, is a remake of his actual song. This remake features the British-India singer Amar Dhanjan. Enjoy it!

Cheers to Khaled!

Varun.