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This is from one of my favourite songs: Siret el-Hob by Om Kalthoum. So many memories. Incandescent. Gorgeous. #Egypt
The only reason I wish I was born earlier than I was, is to have experienced more of Om Kalthoum’s music as an adult who understood its depth, to be transformed like the woman in the audience at the end of this video of her transcendent live performances
I also love Lessa Faker- here are the opening 9mins of this magnificent song that is usually 45mins or so. I say usually, bec the audience often applauds to get Om Kalthoum to repeat a verse
The longing in her voice and the way Cesária Évora sang on stage remind me a bit of Om Kalthoum - especially the longing. I saw Cesária Évora at the Beacon Theatre in #NYC in 2004/5 and consider myself very lucky.
I don’t speak #Portuguese so I don’t understand but I feel Cesária Évora’s singing. And I imagine that’s how those of you who don’t understand #Arabic experience Om Kalthoum. Here’s the opening 10mins to Ya Mesaharny
Those 3 song clips are the lyrical equivalent of running your fingers along the scars of your heart. Listening to them, they remind me of this poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay: “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why” poetryfoundation.org/poems/46557/wh… poetryfoundation.org/poems/46557/wh… 
This is one of my fabourite photographs of Om Kalthoum - I took a picture of it at Cafe Riche in #Cairo.
And I love these of Om Kalthoum because of the obvious joy and abandonment.
If we loved as fiercely, purely and as passionately as Om Kalthoum sang the gorgeous poetry that made up her lyrics, we would truly be free. One of these days I will make real my threat/promise to write that book about my love of Om Kalthoum.
And to wrap this thread up: In 2016, I spoke at an evening with a farming community in #Modimolle, #SouthAfrica, where I was referred to as Comrade Mona (I was in heaven) and one of the farmers asked me if we still listened to Om Kalthoum in #Egypt. I happily & at length answered
