Lebanon’s “Do You Love Me” Goes Israeli

Israeli singer Sarit Hadad has released a new song and it seems that she was “inspired” by Lebanon in the 70s. Blogging Beirut has the original song in video and Lisa Goldman has the current Israeli version.

The original is here for you all to enjoy and “do you, do you” make sure to turn the volume up really loud. Enjoy Lebanon of the 70s.

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If Nancy Ajram is to Britney Spears, then Nawal Al-Zogbi is to….

Beyonce!

Lebanese singer Nawal Al-Zoghbi, touted by some as the Beyonce of the Middle East, enthralled an audience of about 3,000 in her debut concert in Malaysia on Monday night.

The 38-year-old singer received thunderous applause during her 90-minute performance of 20 hits, including the popular El Layali.

Come on! Really, Nawal Al-Zoghbi is comparable to Beyonce?

Nawal Al-Zoghbi is the Middle East's Beyonce

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Musical Politics

Absolutely shocking:

The famous Lebanese artist Haifa Wahbe claims that she was excluded from an appearance on the famous American talk show “Oprah Winfrey.”

That’s the first sentence in the article, after which they get to the specifics:

Haifa’s fans claim that Haifa was replaced by the Lebanese artist Nancy Ajram.

You sourced your news from the a fan club full of sex-crazed 40 year old men?!? What’s next, you going to ask Nancy’s fans for their response:

Nancy’s fan club has yet to comment on the matter.

Actually, I have no comment. In any case, why is Oprah even contemplating a show with Haifa or Nancy? Is the show  going to be on plastic surgery no-nos or what not to do with your body?

Nancy vs. Haifa

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Lebanonwood

We might need to add another -wood to the family of movie productions zones:

…the government’s ministries of culture and tourism are coming together to promote Lebanon as a potential film destination.

The Lebanese Tourist Board of Paris is launching an initiative dubbed “At 35mm From Beirut” with a view to building relations between Lebanese and international producers. The program will fly international film execs to Lebanon later this year to familiarize them with locations and local film talent.

What is the Lebanese Tourist Board of Paris? Is that like the Lebanese Government in Exile – Jerusalem?

Anyway, this is somewhat a positive development though I expect that the costs of the marketing campaign to out do the benefits. Plus, what producer would not want to shoot in such a beautiful country where freedom of creativity is protected (senese the sarcasm)? Though I wonder how things will go if a Jewish producer or a movie conveying Jews would get the required license to shoot. I mean if The Nanny and the Diary of Anne Frank are banned, what hope is there for a successful Lebanonwood?

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Concerts Past

Apparently not much has changed when it comes to concerts in Beirut (since the 60s at least). You still have the screaming crowd which seems to generate the “this is my most memorable concert” response from all artists:

“The more they screamed, the better we played,” recalls Charles Springer with a smile from the couch of his Silver Sands, Christ Church home. Springer, The Ranglers’ drummer, was the first on stage that night and remembers his days in Lebanon as the best of his musical journey.

Not only that, but we were just as racist in the 60s:

…a group of eight musicians waited in a nightclub dressing room. They were called onto the stage one by one. The nervous agent said this was a necessity. After all, The Ranglers were the first black group to play at the club. Who knew how they would be received?

However, all went well:

Despite the thick tension of the moment, the band was received with excited screams that signalled their instant acceptance by Lebanese club-goers.

This goes to show that no matter what happens, we Lebanese will remain true to our nature, for good or for bad.

Actually, the only thing that has changed is the La Revue du Liban. It apparently used to be in broadsheet:

Charles Springer proudly displaying the Ranglers front page picture in the Lebanese publication La Revue Du Liban.

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