Democratic Palestine : 30 (ص 40)
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- Democratic Palestine : 30 (ص 40)
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Songs of the Uprising
The uprising has inspired an outburst of popular revolu-
tionary songs by Palestinians in the occupied territories as well
as songs of anguish by popular Jewish singers within ‘Israel’.
Music has always played a historic role in reflecting social
realities. In this light, we see singers, musicians and artists
utilizing their art to express the current situation in the oc-
cupied territories. Pop singers, both Palestinian and Jews, say
they simply cannot separate their high-running emotions from
their work.
A ballad, released this year by well-known Jewish pop singer
Sy Hyman, lamenting Israeli handling of the uprising, was
banned from the Israeli Army radio network. Her single,
«Shooting and Crying» had the following lyrics:
«When did we learn how to bury people alive? When did
We forget that our children have also been killed?»
After much dissent from radio listeners the network banned
the song and mailed back the promotional copies.
Cassettes are smuggled into Palestine from groups such as
Palestine Roots, the Lebanese progressive musician Marcel
Khalifa and his group Mayadine and the Damascus-based
Ashigeen. Meanwhile, underground recordings are made of
local groups in Palestine, such as Firkit Al Fanoun Al Shabia
(The Palestine Popular Art Ensemble), to be distributed there
and to Palestinians in the diaspora. According to the Interna-
tional Herald Tribune (September 16th), almost every week,
Israeli police seize hundreds or sometimes thousands of pre-
recorded cassettes, the favoured method of distributing
Palestinian popular music, claiming they contain songs with
inflammatory lyrics.
Mustafa Al Kurd, a well-known Palestinian pop singer from
Jerusalem, said he, too, cannot separate the uprising from his
art. Kurd, who mixes traditional Arab songs with modern
western tones, released his latest album «The Children of
Palestine» in June; it includes songs with such lyrics as:
«From the top of the minarets I will call people, we
will have hope» and «My loved ones walked a journey
from the top of the Mount of Olives.»
Kurd said in an interview in the International Herald Tribune,
«the intifadah is a very dangerous subject for us. When the
words are too direct, they become dangerous. The police say
they are inciteful.» Kurd’s nationalist feeling was reflected in
his artistic activities from the first years of the occupation. He
is quoted in A/ Fajr (July 29th, 1983) as saying, «I am a singer
and I will continue to sing for man against oppression, against
killing, and I believe this is stronger than the weapons of the
oppressor.»
Suhail Ali, another popular singer of traditional Arab
music, was arrested earlier this year because his lyrics were
deemed too direct. He is presently in jail.
Even dusing demonstrations we see this art practiced in the
chanting of songs by demonstrators. The various chants are
used as a form of encouragement to the shabab to continue
their struggle against Israeli occupation. The chanting is
rhythmic and in accordance with the realities the
demonstrators are confronting. They sing in loud voices
describing various political stands. These are popular chants,
and although not recorded on cassette or albums, are known to
all. Below, we print a verse from the song «Stone and Onion»
by Mustafa Al Kurd, as it was transalted in the Guardian, July
llth. The song takes its title not only from the uprising’s
primary weapon and symbol, the stone, but from the onion,
the homemade defense method used by the masses as a protec-
tion from tear gas.
From «Stone and Onion» by Mustafa Al Kurd
Dead is the fear that lived in our hearts
that killed the hopes and blocked the paths
that put out the lights
Fear is dead and I buried it with my own hands
Fear was a monster that oppressed us, was cruel to us,
that smashes the jar and spilled the oil
Fear is dead and I buried it with my own hands. - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 30
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