A true legend of Arab music, Wadih El Safi was a very successful Lebanese singer and actor.
Born under the name of Wadi Béchara Francis in the city of Niha el Chouf on November 21, 1921, he lived a childhood subject to economic hardship. Second
of eight children moved with the family in Beirut in 1930 and conducted his studies at the convent of the Catholic Savior, the only Maronite Christian of the institute. His schooling ended three years later when he was forced to abandon his studies to help his father, a lieutenant of the Lebanese gendarmerie, to financially support his family.
In 1938, at the age of sixteen, he participated in a competition held by Near East Radio with the song "Ya mursil al naghum al hunnun". The examining committee composed of Michel Khayat, Salim El Helou, Albert Dib and Mohieddin Salam was very impressed by his voice and awarded him the first place.
This event allowed him to become known nationally and start a wonderful career. His first compositions consisted of adaptations in music of famous Lebanese poems and drew on his rural education and love for traditional melodies, all remixed with a new urban sound that helped to create a modernization of national popular music.
A versatile artist with a powerful tenor voice, Wadih El Safi soon became known both for his performances and for the themes of his songs, mainly focused on moral values and love for his own country.
In 1944 he embarked on a journey through Egypt during which he met the great musician Mohamed Abdel Wahab who will say after listening to the song "wa law" taken from one of his first films: "It is unreasonable for someone to have such a voice".
In 1947 he moved for a period of three years to Brazil accompanied by trusted musicians. Once back home he recorded the song "'alloma" which became incredibly popular all over Lebanon.
In the late 50s he collaborated with various musicians, including Filmon Wehbe, Rahbani Brothers, Zaki Nassif, Walid Gholmieh, Afif Radwan, Tawfiq El Basha and Sami El Sidawi, to a project aimed at the rebirth of the Lebanese song through the Baalbeck festival. The performances of the various artists will become a record series of great artistic value. Throughout his career he will collaborate with several poets, composers and performers, the Rahbani brothers, Farid al Atrach, Fairuz, Sabah (with whom I will shoot some films) are perhaps the most famous, but will always prefer to sing songs of his composition.
With the beginning of the conflict that will affect Lebanon for a few years, Wadih El Safi will move first to Egypt, then to Britain, to settle in 1978 in Paris. In the eighties he began to compose spiritual melodies as a consequence of the suffering and misfortunes that the war had inflicted on his motherland and on his countrymen.
Over time he has become a real institution providing a model with which every aspiring interpreter has had to confront himself. During his long career he has received many honors and has performed all over the world singing in various languages.
In 1990 he underwent open heart surgery after which he quietly resumed his artistic activity. At the age of 80, at the request of the Lebanese producer, Michel El-Fatriades embarked on a world tour in the company of singer Jose Fernandez and singer Haneen. The performances have found an unprecedented success, giving prestige to its already solid reputation.
He died on 11 October 2013, at the age of 92, following cardiac complications due to an illness that had already weakened him. He will be buried in Niha el Chouf, his hometown while the funeral ceremony will be held at the Saint George Maronite Cathedral in Beirut. After the ceremony the coffin will be carried on the shoulders through the streets of Beirut, greeted by rose throwings while the song "Talwa Hbabna Talwa", written years before by the Rahbani Brothers, will be played in the background. Various political figures and numerous Syrian and Lebanese artists will take part in his funeral, including: Sabah Fakhri, Aabad Fahd, Marcel Khalife, Majda Roumi, Assi El Helani, Walid Tawfik and Elias Rahbani.
Vera e propria leggenda della musica araba, Wadih El Safi è stato un cantante e attore libanese di grande successo.
Nato con il nome di Wadi Béchara Francis nella città di Niha el Chouf il 21 novembre 1921 , visse un infanzia soggetta a privazioni economiche . Secondo di otto figli si trasferì con la famigia a Beirut nel 1930 e condusse i suoi studi presso il convento del Salvatore Cattolico , unico cristiano maronita dell'istituto. Il suo percorso scolastico si interruppe tre anni dopo quando fu costretto ad abbandonare gli studi per aiutare il padre, luogotenente presso la gendarmeria libanese , a sostenere economicamente la famiglia.
Nel 1938, all'età di sedici anni, partecipò ad un concorso indetto dalla Near East Radio con il brano " Ya mursil al naghum al hunnun " . La commissione esaminatrice composta da Michel Khayat, Salim El Helou, Albert Dib e Mohieddin Salam rimase molto colpita dalla sua voce e gli assegnò il primo posto.
Questo evento gli permise di farsi conoscere a livello nazionale iniziando così una splendida carriera. Le sue prime composizioni consistevano in adattamenti in musica di celebri poesie libanesi e attingevano alla sua educazione rurale e all'amore per le melodie tradizionali, il tutto rimiscelato con un nuovo suono urbano che contribui a creare una modernizzazione della musica popolare nazionale .
Artista versatile dotato di una potente voce tenorile , Wadih El Safi divenne ben presto noto sia per le interpretazioni che per le tematiche dei suoi brani principalmente focalizzate su valori morali e amore per proprio il paese.
Nel 1944 intraprese un viaggio attraverso l’Egitto durante il quale conobbe il grande musicista Mohamed Abdel Wahab il quale affermerà dopo aver ascoltato il brano “ wa law” tratto da uno dei suoi primi film : "È irragionevole per qualcuno avere una tale voce ".
Nel 1947 si trasferì per un periodo di tre anni in Brasile accompagnato da fidati musicisti. Una volta tornato in patria incise il brano “’alloma” che divenne incredibilmente popolare in tutto il Libano.
Verso la fine degli anni '50 collaborò con vari musicisti , tra i quali Filmon Wehbe , i Rahbani Brothers , Zaki Nassif , Walid Gholmieh , Afif Radwan , Tawfiq El Basha e Sami El Sidawi , ad un progetto teso alla rinascita della canzone libanese attraverso il festival di Baalbeck. Le esibizioni dei vari artisti diverranno una serie discografica di grande valore artistico. Nel corso della sua carriera collaborerà con svariati poeti, compositori e interpreti ,i fratelli Rahbani, Farid al Atrach, Fairuz, Sabah ( con la quale girerò alcuni film ) sono forse i più famosi, ma preferirà sempre cantare brani di sua composizione.
Con l'inizio del conflitto che interesserà il Libano per alcuni anni , Wadih El Safi si trasferirà in un primo momento in Egitto, quindi in Gran Bretagna , per stabilirsi nel 1978 a Parigi . A partire dagli anni Ottanta comincerà a comporre melodie spirituali come conseguenza della sofferenza e delle disgrazie che la guerra aveva inflitto sulla sua madrepatria e sui suoi connazionali.
Con il tempo è divenuto una vera e propria istituzione fornendo un modello con il quale ogni aspirante interprete ha dovuto bene o male confrontarsi . Nel corso della sua lunghissima carriera ha ricevuto svariate onorificenze e si è esibito in tutto il mondo cantando in svariate lingue .
Nel 1990 ha subito un intervento chirurgico a cuore aperto dopo il qual ha tranquillamente ripreso la sua attività artistica . All'età di 80 anni dietro richiesta del produttore libanese Michel El-Fatriades ha intrapreso un tour mondiale in compagnia del cantante Jose Fernandez e della cantante Haneen. Le esibizioni hanno riscontrato un successo senza precedenti dando lustro alla sua già solida reputazione.
Morirà l’11 ottobre del 2013 , all’età di 92 anni , in seguito a complicazioni cardiache dovute ad una malattia che lo aveva ormai debilitato . Sara sepolto a Niha el Chouf ,sua città natale mentre la cerimonia funebre si terrà presso la Saint George Maronite Cathedral di Beirut. Dopo la cerimonia la bara sarà portata sulle spalle attraverso le strade di Beirut, accolta da lanci rose mentre sullo sfondo veniva suonata la canzone "Talwa Hbabna Talwa", scritto anni prima per lui da i Fratelli Rahbani .Alle sue esequie parteciperanno svariate personalità politiche e numerosi artisti siriani e libanesi tra i quali : Sabah Fakhri, Aabad Fahd , Marcel Khalife, Majda Roumi, Assi El Helani , Walid Tawfik ed Elias Rahbani .
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Some Of Wadi' Safi's Favourites من أحلى أغنيات
A2 Kalbi قلبي يهواها
A3 Bitrihlak Mishwar فالت بتروحلك مشوار
A4 Hasanak ya zin حسنك يا زين
A5 Abo Ilzolof أبو الزلف
A6 Ya Rabaana ربع الهنا
B1 Ramshet رمشة عينك
B2 Lala لا لا عيني
B3 Ya Rayt يا ريت يا قلب
B4 Tallo 7Babna طلوا حبابنا
B5 Al'arus العرس
B6 Ya Ghzayel يا غزيل
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي
A1 Al allah Teoud على الله تعود على الله
A2 Weili Law Yedroun ويلي لو يدرون
A3 Habibi Ou Nour Aynaye حبيبي ونور عيني
A4 Ya Ouyoun Baba يا عيون بابا
B1 Ha Dalouniye هالدلعونية
B2 Heyhat Ekhtor هيهات اخطر على باله
B3 Idi Ala Khadi ايدي على خدّي
B4 Elleyle Mech Bokrah الليله مش بكره
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Chou Ad Baddi Fik Ya Albi شو عاد بدي فيك ياقلبي
A2 Idik El Ghali عيدك الغالي
A3 Ya Albi Hin Aleiha ياقلبي حن عليها
B1 Nater Habibi ناطر حبيبي
B2 Kermal Albi كرمال قلبي
B3 Warde Behawd El Dar وردة بحوض الدار
Wadih El Safi & Sabah وديع الصافي و صباح - Songs Of Lebanon أغنيات من لبنان
A2 Zara'Ana Telalek Ya Beladi
A3 Larmilek Hali Menelalli
B1 Rabie Loubnana
B2 Hayhat Yabou Zoulouf
B3 Ya Kamar Eddar
B4 Baadon Bi Bali
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Rage'et Wahdi رجعت وحدي
A2 Al Yadi El Yadi عاليادي اليادي
A3 Min Metlak مين متلك يا حبيب القلب
B1 Baetlak Salami باعتلك سلامي
B2 Sort Mitlak Bay صرت متلك بي يابيي
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Khdoudha Al Ahla خدودها الاحلى
A2 Khoudha Al Ahla خدودها الاحلى
A3 Int Wou Ana Ya Lail انت وانا يا ليل
B1 Atchan Albi عطشان قلبي
B2 Fakir Bioulou El Bachar فقير بقولوا البشر
B3 Rejeet Halimi رجعت حليمي
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Katr El Nada قطر الندى
A2 Katr El Nada قطر الندى
A3 Tjawast Rahet Ya Hawa Alayé تجوزت راحت يا هوى علي
B1 Mahma Talet Ferketna مهما طلت فرقتنا
B2 Mawal (Habibi Ad Ma Teksa ) موال - حبيبي قدما تأسى
B3 Rah Khabrek An Halti راح خبرك عن حياتي
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Youghani Loubnan يغني للبنان
A1 Loubnan لينان
A2 Bayt Min Loubnan بيت من لبنان
A3 Mawal Jabalna موال جبلنا
B1 Sayajna Loubnan سيجنا لينان
B2 Balad Ah Ya Baladi بلد أه يا بلدي
B3 Jannat جنات
B4 Wadi Ya Jroudi ودي يا جرودي
HERE
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - Ya Bladi يا بلادي
A1 Jannat جنات
A2 Albi Wein قلبي وين وقلبك وين
A3 Niyalak نيالك
A4 Al Lail Moussafer الليل مسافر
B1 Oudou عودوا
B2 Allah Ya Jazi الله يجازي
B3 Ya Bladi يا بلادي
B4 Ma Fi Nassib ما في نصيب
HERE
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - The Best Of Al-Safi الصوت الصافي
A1 Lubnan Ya Qit' It Sama لبنان يا قطعة سما
A2 Lildhaif Maftuha Manazilnaللضيف مفتوحة منازلنا
A3 La Inta Radhi لا انت راضي ولا انا راضي
A4 Al-Bir البير
B1 'Irzalna Al-Akhdar عرزالنا الاخضر
B2 Ghabit Al-Shams غابت الشمس
B3 Bilsaha Tlaqayna بالساحة تلاقينا
B4 'Ammir Ya M'ammir عمر يا معمر لأعمار
HERE
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - The Best Of Al-Safi - Volume 2 الصوت الصافي – أشهر الأغاني - الجزء الثاني
A1 Jayine Ya Arz El Jabal جايين يا ارز الجبل
A2 Mijana Ou Itaba ميجانا وعتبا
A3 Ya Weyl Hali يا ويل حالي
A4 An Najmat النجمات صاروا يسألوا
B1 Ya Oum Al Dafayer يا أم الضفاير
B2 Tallaani Darja Darja طلعني درجة درجة
B3 Ouyounek Akhazouni عبونك أخدوني
B4 Ya Sakhrat Al Mina يا صخرة المينا
B5 Ouyounha El Kahla عيونها الكحلي
Wadih El Safi وديع الصافي - The Best Of Al-Safi - Volume 3 الصوت الصافي – أشهر الأغاني - الجزء الثالث
A2 Jin Addar جينا الدار
A3 Endi Jarah عندي جارة
A4 In Jadd El Jadd ان جد الجد
A5 Tallet Tetmakhtar طلت تتمخطر
A6 Kintou Hanayen كنتو حناين
A7 Al Hada عالهدا
B1 Marakoul Hassadeen مرقوا الحصادين
B2 Rah Halfak Ya Tayr راح حلفك يا طير
B3 Al Kadoumieh عا القادومية
B4 Sha'ab El Hawa Oushebna شاب الهوى وثبنا
