Shaaban Abdel Rahim, popular Egyptian singer cautious about Obama's win

One of the culture phenomenons everywhere is the emergence of unlikely entertainers suddenly, gaining fame in a short time, and everyone listening to their music/performances.

In the USA this is often a result of a mighty marketing machine behind mediocre talent, coupled with tabloids gossiping about the latest juicy rumor (e.g. Britney Spears).

In Egypt some of that may happen, but there are other factors. For example, the popularity of a singer of very little talent like Shaaban Abdel Rahim, is often tied to him "talking" to the common man on the street: the laborer, taxi driver, and such, not the educated middle class.

Shaaban is not aware of politics nor international affairs, but those who write the songs for him are, and they often reflect the sentiments of a large segment of the Egyptian street.

Well, Shaaban did it again, with his latest song on Obama winning the presidency in the USA. The song is a bit pessimistic to cautious, and laments putting too much hope on Obama's win as a savior for Arab issues, and promotes relying on ourselves.

You can listen to the song on Youtube:

Here is a translation of it:

أنا شايف الإبتسامة والفرحة ع الوشوش
I see the smile and glee on the faces
اياك يا ناس اوباما ما يكونش زي بوش
Oh people, hopefully Obama will not be like Bush
بوش يخرب بيت سنينه ضيعنا أيام و سنين
Bush, may his years be ruined, has caused us losses for days and years
وأوباما الناس فاكرينه هيكون صلاح الدين
And Obama, people are imagining him to be Saladin
هيعمل ايه اوباما في مصايب بوش وابوه
What will Obama do for the catastrophes of Bush and his father?
ما سابوش مكان في العالم الا ما خربوه
They have not left any place in the world unless they ruined it
مجاعات وأزمة ماليه وخراب ودمار وحروب
Famines, economic crisis, ruin, plunder and wars
اهو غار ابن المؤذية وسايبهالنا على الطوب
He now has left, the harmer, and left it all in rubble
مين يعرف ولا يعلم في ايه جوه النفوس
Who can know or fathom what is inside the souls?
بلاش من بدري نحلم لا يكون الحلم كابوس
Let us not dream too early, so the dream would not turn into a nightmare
خلينا زي ما احنا ما الهم خدنا عليه
Let us remain what we are, we are used to sorrow/sadness
راح بوش وجه اوباما ايه يعني هيعمل ايه
Bush went, Obama came, what will he do?
يعنى هيحصل ايه
What will happen
لسه فلسطين محتله والحرب في العراق
Palestine is still occupied, and the war in Iraq [going on]
والناس عايشه في مذلة وعداء بيجيب عداء
People are living in humiliation, and animosity breeds more animosity
مهما هيعمل اوباما ويلف شمال ويمين
Whatever Obama can do, and goes left and right
لا هيرجع الحريري ولا حتي الشيخ ياسين
Neither Hariri will come back, nor even Sheikh Yasin
عرفات مش جاى تانى اللى عاش ايام سواد
Arafat will not come again, he who lived black days
ومات وكله عارف دي حركة من الموساد
And died, and everyone knows, it is a move by the Mossad
يا عربى الف سلامة يا عربى يا عينى عليك
Oh you Arab, a thousand greetings, Oh you Arab, my eyes on you
[Those are sarcasms, not literal]
قاعد مستنى اوباما علشان ياخد بأيديك
Sitting there, waiting for Obama, to take you by the hand
علشان يحن عليك
to have sympathy/be kind to you ...
ولا بوش ولا أي اوباما هيفكروا ابدا فيك
Neither Bush or any Obama will ever think of you
يا عربى مفيش غير ايدك هى اللى راح تحميك
Oh Arab, nothing but your own hand will ever protect you
أنا شايف الإبتسامة والفرحة ع الوشوش
I see the smile and glee on the faces
اياك يا ناس اوباما ما يكونش زي بوش
Oh people, hopefully Obama will not be like Bush
بكرة نشوف
Tomorrow (Later) we will see ...