Galilean Lullaby

from Sprinting Gazelle - Palestinian songs from the Motherland and the Diaspora by Reem Kelani

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about

The poignant last chorus of this song appears in many a Palestinian bedtime lullaby. I came across these lyrics in On Literature and Palestinian Popular Literature by Tawfiq Zayyad (Dar al-'Awdah, Beirut, 1970). Opening with
an essay entitled 'Saving our Popular Literature from Extinction', the book illustrates Zayyad's belief in the importance of Palestinian oral history and literature, and of collating, recording, and publishing it.

Tawfiq Zayyad (1932-1994) was also a political writer, a translator of Russian literature into Arabic and mayor of Nazareth. Known as the 'Poet of the Occupied Land', Zayyad's own powerful resistance poetry was heavily
influenced by local legends, popular stories and folk poetry.

lyrics

Our loved ones have left home,

Gone away without saying goodbye.

When I went by their place one
morning to salute the mulberry tree,

No one was there to invite me in!

All I found was a crying bird.

Regret stopped me short and pinned
my feet to the thorny ground.

I sought in vain to learn what had
become of them,

From the houses where they
once lived.

Alas, my tears stained the walls
of their buildings.

O cameleer of the caravan, if you
come across them,

Let them know that I still cry for them.

Tell them my loving eyes haven't yet
closed in sleep.

The good nights are gone that
should have lasted forever.

Do tell our loved ones who've
moved away,

That for anyone, hardship never
lasts forever.

Never lasts forever..

Never lasts forever…

credits

from Sprinting Gazelle - Palestinian songs from the Motherland and the Diaspora, released February 6, 2006
Music: Reem Kelani
Verse: Traditional Palestinian.

Vocals: Reem Kelani
Piano: Zoe Rahman
Clarinet: Idris Rahman
Double bass: Oli Hayhurst
Riqq: Reem Kelani
Drums: Patrick Illingworth

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Reem Kelani London, UK

Reem Kelani is an independent artist. Please buy Reem’s music & support her work.
Get your copy of Reem's 2022 EP release "The Singer Said: Bird of Dawn". Reem's amazing booklet comes with the download!

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