Songs or memories..

Some songs have a nice tone, or nice lyrics, or nice beats, but the best songs are those with the best memories.
I love some songs because they freeze time, and teleport me to a moment that I lived years ago. I revisit the moment, I relive it, and I enjoy it again.

Each of these songs tells a story that is only meaningful to me, in most cases. The music and lyrics tell a different story, but I can only think of my story, my memory. I listen to the songs filled with nostalgia to a past that no longer exists. I listen longing to places that are far away from here, people who are either no longer with us or no longer the same, myself included. I listen and wait for a serendipitous event that will recreate the past, resurrect me from that past, connect me with the story again as it was then. But nothing ever happens.

There is a song by Abd Arrab Idris, called
ليلة
Night
If only one night, left for me to live, I want it to be tonight.

Soft tune accompany the singer as he repeats the verse several times.
I was on the roof of Kamal's house, with Khaled and Mohammad. June's sky was clear and the skies over Kamal's village (Ketim) is filled with billions of stars and so close to the earth,  if you reach high enough you might touch the twinkling stars. It was June 97, our last week at university, we were still students, children. 

Our lives are destined for change, big change, and it was our last night together in that capacity. The song came on and I found myself standing, staring at the stars, looking for us there. I started dancing on my own, while my friends were laughing at the scene: Ahmad is high on something! I said I am: I am high on this feeling of friendship love, on the beauty of this night.

Another song I love is by Fayrouz, the second most iconic singer in the Arab world. The song talks about a bus journey in the Lebanese countryside. 

I once heard it on a bus journey to the University, in early April 1994. The bus took a diversion due to road works and was climbing the mountains of Ajloun, while the lazy sun was rising slowly over the cold morning. Spring dressed up the surrounding hills and valleys with its colourful beauty and charm. I got to university with the song playing in my head. Made my way to the canteen, bought a coffee and walked away from the crowd. Drank my black coffee, smoked a cigarette or two while watching the sun and April breeze playing with the wheat fields. I decided that I learnt enough that day, and left university heading back home.

Why I am sharing this? I honestly don't know, maybe because I want to talk, no other good reason.

Ahmad Baker