Ya Rayah (Oh Traveller) by Rachid Taha in concert. Orginal by Algerian Arab musician Dahmane El Harrachi in the early 1970s. English translation in (more info). This old classic Arabian song was copied as "Kali nagin ke jaisi" in the 1999 Bollywood film "Mann".
The original Arabic versions are preferred by most music consumers around the world, including Israel, America and Europe.
Taha was born in Oran-Algeria in 1958, moved to France in 1968. As a former factory worker in France, he started a nightclub (Les Refoulés, or The Rejects), later a musicians' band (Carte De séjour, or green card), and turned solo in the early 1990s when he released over ten songs, performs concert tours, some with top Arabian singers such as Cheb Khalid, Faudel and others.
In 1997 Rachid Taha released the old Algerian song "Ya Rayah" that is also available from iTunes, and Universal Music France.
This thought provoking song "Ya Rayah" is about the plight of millions of immigrants (not just Algerians, Arabs and Muslims), their struggles, losses, despairs, sorrows, tears, regrets, pains, miseries, sadness, and shattered dreams for a better life.
The immigrants leave their country to seek a better life, work hard and contribute to their host economy but they are still treated as a fourth class citizens or worse. Their rights are taken away. They are ordered to become more "integrated" into a host society that rejects, excludes and bans them.
After a few years, they eventually take stock and, on reflection, realise they lost more than just their blood ties, roots, friends, culture, values, heritage and homes.
The immigrants who face rampant, covert or overt, discrimination, racism, inqualities, persecution and injustices everyday in Europe and America can relate to the lyrics here that makes such songs so popular around the world.
Broadly similar songs were also made by Bollywood film industry, including "Aa ab laut chalein," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5OwqNcynH0, featured in the 1960 Indian patriotic film "Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai," calling on Muslims and Christians to return to Hindutva-dominated India for more persecutions in places like Gujarat. Another song on the similar theme was "Chitthi Aayi Hai," linked here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v0YSqahNew, by playback singer Pankaj Udhas featured in the 1986 Bollywood film "Naam".
Lyrics translated in English:
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me,
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me;
How many cities i've seen and the deserted desert,
How much time i've wasted, how much more, still and you leave it,
Oh you absent one from the country of the people,
how tired can you be and run,
You'll add more of the promising will,
it became history, and you didn't know.
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me,
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me;
Why is your heart so sad?
And why are you staying there miserable?
Hardship will end and you no longer learn or build anything,
The days don't last, just as your youth and mine didn't,
Oh poor fellow who missed his chance just as I missed mine;
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me,
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me;
Oh traveller, i'll give you my advice,
take it [with you] ahead of time,
Look, what could be good for you,
before you start selling and buying (Algeria proverb),
Oh you sleeper, I got your news,
what has happened to you happened to me,
Like this the heart has accpeted from the Amighty Allah [God];
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me,
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me,
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me,
Oh traveller where are you going,
you'll go, get tired, and come back,
How the people failed, before you and me...
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86 videos
thanks for the english translation!!
pia196schwimmen 9 months ago 2
@pia196schwimmen , you are welcome. Enjoy.
spsyed 9 months ago
Beautiful song but Rachid stole this song from dahman elharrachi who is the original owner anyway.. It was good . Algeria a country full of talents and nice places check out this site: visit oran.com
Faitpaschier31 11 months ago
@Faitpaschier31 , thanks for your feedback. Taha never claimed that this song was his brain-child. In fact, I have heard him give full due credit to Dahman El-Harrachi who is also cited in the video description (above, double arrow down under the video frame). However, I have never heard Indian Bollywood film industry admit or give due copyright credit to the original creators. Enjoy.
spsyed 11 months ago
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spsyed 2 years ago