Sabah (singer)

Not to be confused with Saba (singer).

Sabah صباح
Sabah in the 1960s
Background information
Birth name	Jeanette Georges Feghali
Also known as	Al-Shahroura, Shahruret el-Wadi[1]
Born	(1927-11-10)10 November 1927 Bdadoun, Greater Lebanon
Died	26 November 2014(2014-11-26) (aged 87) Beirut, Lebanon
Genres	Arabic music, traditional
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	1943–2014
Spouse(s)	Rushdy Abaza Najib Chammas Anwar Mansy Ahmed Farraj Youssef (Joe) Hammoud Wassim Tabbara Fadi Lubnan

Sabah (Arabic: صباح, romanized: Ṣabāḥ, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [sˤɑˈbaːħ]; born Jeanette Gergis Feghali [جانيت جرجس فغالي]; 10 November 1927 – 26 November 2014) was a Lebanese singer and actress, specializing in mawwal, a popular genre of traditional music in the Middle East.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} She performed in many Egyptian movies and songs.^[7][8] She resided in the vibrant neighborhoods of Wadi Chahrour, Baabda, acquiring the nickname "Al-Shahroura" (الشحرورة, 'The Songbird') or "Shahruret el-Wadi" (شحرورة الوادي, 'The Songbird of the Valley') both in reference to her origins and her strong and rhythmic voice.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Early life

Sabah was born to a Maronite Christian family in Bdadoun, Aley, as the youngest of three daughters. During her childhood she accused her father of bullying her because he wanted a son. Her brother would go on to kill their mother on the suspicion of her having an affair. The death of her mother worsened Sabah's already difficult childhood.^[2][13][14]

Career

Sabah on the cover of Al Chabaka Magazine, April 1965

Sabah emerged when the field of Arab singers was already crowded with formidable talents. These included Umm Kulthum (1898-1975), Nagat El Saghira (born 1938), Warda Al-Jazairia (1939–2012), Shadia (1931–2017), Fairuz (born 1934), and others. ^{[citation needed]}

Sabah started singing at a young age and released her first song in Lebanon in 1940 at age 13.^[3] She was invited to Egypt in the early 1940s by the actress and producer Assia Dagher and acted with Dagher on her first movie El-Qalb Luh Wahid (The Heart Has Its Reasons), released in 1945, which gained her regional fame.^[3][15] She then became officially known by her character's name - Sabah, Arabic for "morning".^[3] She also acquired several affectionate nicknames, including "Chahroura" ("songbird"), "Ustura" (legend), shams Al shamoos (The sun of the suns) and "Sabbouha", a diminutive of Sabah.^[3][15][16]

Among her most popular films were The Night is Ours (1949), My Father Deceived Me (1951), That's What Love Is (1961), Soft Hands (1963), Three Women (1968), Paris and Love (1972), and The Second Man (1959), in which she played a cabaret singer who vows to avenge her brother's death at the hands of a smuggling ring.^[3]

Sabah with Salah Zulfikar in Paris and Love (1972)

In the 1990s, she and her former husband, Fadi Lubnan (Kuntar), made a documentary about her life, which aired on Future Television under the title "The Journey of My Life" (مشوار حياتي).

During her music career, she recorded more than 3,000 songs, working with a number of well-known Egyptian composers, including the late Mohammed Abdel Wahab.^[15] She specialized in a Lebanese folk tradition called the mawal, and her most famous songs included "Zay el-Assal" ("Your Love is Like Honey on my Heart") and "Akhadou el-Reeh" ("They Took the Wind").^[3][16] She released over 50 albums and acted in 98 films during her career.^[3] Sabah's youthfulness and the joy she brought in her performances made her a living symbol of the "belle époque" and the "joie de vivre" in the Levant and the Arab world.^[13] She also sang at weddings in Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war.^[17]

Until 2009, she performed in concert and on television, including programs such as Star Academy. She also collaborated closely with singer Rola Saad in remaking some of her old hits, such as "Yana Yana". The accompanying video, in which Sabah is shown as "the notorious diva" to whom her younger colleague pays tribute, has received wide play on Arabic music channels. She also hosted the TV show Akher Man Yalam on 31 May 2010.

During the 2011 Beiteddine Art Festival, a show retracing the journey of Sabah as a singer and movie star was performed.^[18] In the title role, Rouwaida Attieh shared the stage with more than 40 singers and dancers to honor her works. ^{[citation needed]}

In 2010, she retired due to an illness that left her with paralysis in one of her arms and legs.^[19]

Personal life

Sabah (second from right) with Abdel Halim Hafez and Mariam Fakhr Eddine celebrating Ezz El-Dine Zulficar's birthday, 1959

Sabah carried passports from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and the United States.^[3]

She married Lebanese businessman Najib Chammas when she was 18,^[17] but would go on to marry nine more times, most notably to Egyptian actor Rushdy Abaza,^[20] as well as Egyptian musician Anwar Mansy, Egyptian television presenter Ahmed Farraj, Lebanese politician Youssef (Joe) Hammoud, and Lebanese author-director Wassim Tabbara.^[3] Hammoud allegedly divorced Sabah in the 1970s due to a scandal following a performance where she wore revealing shorts.^[17][16] Her penultimate marriage, which lasted 17 years, was to the much-younger Lebanese artist Fadi Lubnan.^[17] Her final marriage was to Joseph Gharib in 2013, at the age of 85.^[17]

She had two children, Sabah Chammas (from her marriage to Najib Chammas) and Howayda Mansy (from her marriage to Anwar Mansy).^[17] Sabah is a medical doctor, and Howayda,^[21] is a singer, actress, and socialite. Both of her children live in the United States.^[3]

After selling her house in Hazmieh, which she described as "too big and cold for only one person", she moved to the neighboring Hotel Comfort in Baabda, Mount Lebanon, a hill city overlooking Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. She later lived in another hotel next to Baabda. ^{[citation needed]}

Sabah in Beirut in 2007

Sabah is the aunt of Brazilian congresswoman Jandira Feghali and of her brother, Ricardo Feghali, who is a musician, songwriter, and member of the Brazilian band Roupa Nova.^[22][23]

Death

Rumors of Sabah's death circulated days before she died. Amused by the rumors, Sabah said, "Even in my death, I'm making people busy."^[3][16]

Sabah died on 26 November 2014, around 3:00 a.m., sixteen days after her 87th birthday, in her home at Hotel Brazilia from unspecified reasons. Clauda Akl, the daughter of her sister, actress Lamia Feghaly, published the news on her webpage at around 6:45 a.m. She mentioned that Sabah wished people would not feel sad and dance the Dabkeh at her funeral, saying "I've lived enough." After her death, her hairdresser Joseph Gharib said in an interview that Sabah loved to wear red lipstick during her last days.

On Sunday, 30 November 2014, four days after Sabah's death, thousands of people filled the streets to pay their respects. Her family, Lebanese officials, and many Arab delegates packed into St. George Cathedral in downtown Beirut to bid farewell to the singer, actress, and entertainer.

In front of the cathedral, the official Lebanese Army band played the national anthem, followed by many songs from Sabah's repertoire, a first in the country's history. Fans clapped and sang their favorite Sabah songs. A troupe of dancers in traditional dress performed to her music playing from loudspeakers.

Sabah mural on the Assaf building in Hamra Street, Beirut

For the funeral mass, Sabah's flag-draped coffin stood near the altar with a giant picture of the singer as a younger woman with her signature voluminous peroxide-blond hair. After the service, mourners carried the casket to a hearse waiting outside while people clapped, threw flowers, and reached out to touch it and take photographs. Sabah's body was carried through many towns to the church of her hometown of Bdadoun, where she was buried.^[24]

Legacy

Al Shahrourah,^[25] a TV drama based on her life, aired during Ramadan in 2011. She was portrayed by actress/singer Carole Samaha. Sabah's reaction toward the series was mainly positive, although she commented on certain inaccuracies, such as the depiction of her father as wearing traditional Lebanese garb.^[26] Months before she died, the Lebanese journalist Rima Njeim hosted a TV episode honoring her, which aired live on MTV Lebanon.^[27]

Sabah in 1955

Her music is being taught in music classes in Lebanon.^{[citation needed]} In 2015, graffiti artists Halwani and the brothers Omar and Mohammad Kabbani commemorated Sabah in monumental murals on the sides of buildings in Beirut, paying tribute to the way she defied gender-based and other social taboos, challenging Lebanon's culture of sectarianism and providing an alternative to images of political leaders and their sloganeering.^[28]

On 10 November 2017, Google celebrated what would have been her 90th birthday with a Google Doodle.^[29] Marvel's Moon Knight TV series plays her song Saat Saat from the 1980 Egyptian movie A Night When The Moon Cried, at the end of Episode 5.^[30][31]

On 6 September 2023, the Alexandria Film Festival published the result of a poll it had organized to curate a list of the top one hundred Egyptian musical films. This poll was conducted with the involvement of approximately 32 film critics and cinematographers. Among the chosen one hundred films, Sabah appeared in six of them, including; "Love Street" (1959), "The Unmarried Mother" (1950), "Bolbol Afandi" (1946), "Soft Hands" (1964), "Leila Baka Feha Al Qamar" (1980), and "He Stole My Wife" (1954).

Awards

In 2004 Sabah was honored at the Alexandria Song Festival and the Cairo Film Festival.^[32] That same year, she was honored in Beirut with a statue.^[32]

In 2010 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dubai International Film Festival.^[33]

She was honored by the Lebanese Republic many times, including receiving the National Order of the Cedar medal.^{[citation needed][34]}

Work

Sabah released over 50 albums and acted in 98 movies, and over 20 stage plays. She had a reported repertoire of over 3,500 songs.

Selected filmography

Source:^[35]

• 1986 Ayyam El Lulu ايام اللولو aka = Days Of The Lulu
• 1972 Paris wal Hob باريس والحب aka = Paris and Love
• 1970 Kanet Ayyam كانت ايام aka = It Were Days
• 1970 Nar El Shoq نار الشوق aka = Fire Of Longing
• 1969 Easabet El Nesa عصابة النساء aka = Gang Of Women
• 1968 Thalath Nesaa ثلاث نساء aka = Three Women
• 1966 Mawwal El Aqdam El Zahabiyyah موال الاقدام الذهبية aka = Popular Song Of Golden Feet
• 1963 El Aydi el naema الايدى الناعمة aka = The Soft Hands
• 1963 El Motamaradah المطاردة aka = The Chase
• 1961 El Hob Keda الحب كده aka = That's What Love Is
• 1961 Goz merti جوز مراتى aka = Husband Of My Wife
• 1960 El Ragol El Thani الرجل الثانى aka = The Second Man
• 1959 El Ataba El Khadra العتبه الخضرا aka = The Green Threshold
• 1958 Shari' El Hobb شارع الحب aka = Love Sreet
• 1958 Sallem Al Habayib سلم ع الحبايب aka = Say Hello To Lovers
• 1956 Izayy Ansak ازاى انساك aka = How To Forget You
• 1956 Wahabtak Hayati وهبتك حياتى aka = I Gave You My Life
• 1954 Khataf merati خطف مراتى aka = He Kidnapped My Wife
• 1953 Lahn Hobbi لحن حبى aka = Melody Of My Heart
• 1953 Zalamuni El Habayib ظلمونى الحبايب aka = Were Unjust To Me, The Lovers
• 1951 Khada'ni Abi خدعنى ابى aka = My Father Deceived Me
• 1950 Ana Satuta انا ستوته aka = I'm Sattutah
• 1949 Al lailu lana الليل لنا aka = The Night is Ours
• 1948 Sabah El kher صباح الخير aka = Good Morning
• 1947 Albi W Sefi قلبى و سيفى aka = My Heart And My Sword
• 1947 lebnani Fi El gam'ah لبنانى فى الجامعة aka = Lebanese In University

Selected discography

Source:^[36]

Release Year	Original Title	Translation	Label	Main songwriter(s)/producer(s)	Notable Songs
1957	Alhan Bilady	Favourite Oriental Melodies	Voix de l'Orient	Folk	Ya Huwaidalak Abu Al-zuluf
	Ghanni Maa Sabah	Sing with Sabah			Tayyib Tayyib
1959	Ajmal Aghani Sabah	Sabah Sings Love Songs		Philémon Wehbé	Al-iza'a Al 'Asfuriyya
1960	Mawsam El 'Ezz (with Fairuz & Wadih El Safi)	Baalbeck International Festival		Assi & Mansour Rahbani Wadih El Safi Philémon Wehbé
	Ain Al Roumane - Musical (with Fairuz & Wadih El Safi)	The Village		Assi & Mansour Rahbani	Finjan Qahwa Al Tayir
1963	Share' Al Hob - Sountrack From Ezzel Dine Zulficar's Motion Picture (with Abdel Halim Hafez)	Street of Love	Orient	Hussein Al Sayed Munir Mourad	Rahat Leialee Wa Jat Leialee
1964	Ash-Shallal - Musical	The Cascade	Voix de l'Orient	Walid Gholmieh Younes El Ebn	Ya Mrouj
	Fatinat Ajjamahir	Girl for the Masses		Assi & Mansour Rahbani Mohamed Abdel Wahab Zaki Nassif Philémon Wehbé	Sana Helwa
1966	Dawaleeb Al Hawa - Musical	The Pinwheels		Assi & Mansour Rahbani Philémon Wehbé	Esmy Hala
	Shams El Shoumous - Musical	Sun of Suns			Allo Beirut
1967	Sabah		Philips	Philémon Wehbé Elias Rahbani Michel Tohme	Al Bassata
1968	Al Al'aa	Baalbeck Festival		Romeo Lahoud	Ya Ahl Al Al'aa
1969	Sabah			Mohamed Abdel Wahab Philémon Wehbé Michel Tohme Halim El Roumi	Jary Ya Jary Ya Msafer
1970	Al Wahm - Musical	Illusion		Najib Hankash Maurice Awad	Nehnal Hawa
1972	Ahlan Wa Sahlan Wa Marhaba	Hello and Welcome	Voix de l'Orient	Walid Gholmieh Younes El Ebn	Al Bassata
1974	Sett El Kol - Musical	The First Lady	Voice of Lebanon	Philémon Wehbé Michel Tohme	Ya Dalaa Dallaa
	Helwe Ktir - Musical	So Beautiful		Nicolas El Deek Michel Tohme	Marhaba Ya Habayeb Bawsa
	Oghniyat min Lubnan	Songs of Lebanon	Cairophon		Rabie Loubnana
1976	Sabah in Paris (live)		Voice of Lebanon	Toufic Barakat Nour Al Mallah	Dek El Kaf
1977	Shahr El 'Asal - Musical	Honeymoon		Melhem Barakat Elie Choueiri	Men Aboukra Hala Hala
	Sabah			Melhem Barakat Farid El Atrache Romeo Lahoud	Helwet Lebnan Zay El Amar
	Allah Makom Ya Chabab	God Be with You Guys	Duniaphon		Allah Makom Ya Chabab Zein El Abidin
	Wetdallou Bikheir - Musical (with Wadih El Safi)	May You Be in Good Health		Zaki Nassif	Ward El Janaen
1979	Live Performances (live)		Voix de l'Orient	Michel Tohme Philémon Wehbé	Marhabtein W Marhabtein
1980	Ghnany 'Al Bal (with Wadih El Safi)	Souvenirs		Wadih El Safi Philémon Wehbé	Altaf Diney Aatouni Derbake
	Leyla Beky Feeha Al Amar - Soundtrack From Ahmed Yehya's Motion Picture	The Night the Moon Cried	Sout El Hob	Mohamed Abdel Wahab Omar Batiesha	Yalla Naish El Hayat
1982	Wadi Shamsine	Sings Elias Rahbani	Rahbania	Elias Rahbani	Waadouni W Natarouni Rakesni Hayk
1985	Sabah in Hollywood (live)		Sphinx	Ma'moun El Shinnawi Samy Farag	Ahlan Wa Sahlan
	Ayam El Loulou	Days of Loulou	Relax-In	Elie Choueiri	Ayam El Loulou
1988	Yalla Naish El Hayat	Let's Live This Life		Jamal Salama	Yalla Naish El Hayat
1993	Khatwa Khatwa	Step by Step			Khatwa Khatwa Shoufo Shoufo
1996	La Tiaanidni	Don't Hate Me	Disco 99		La Tiaanidni

References

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3. "Sabah, Lebanese singing legend, dies aged 87". BBC News. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
4. "Presence des musiques arabes en France : Immigrations, diasporas et musiques du monde" (PDF). Revues-plurielles.org. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
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13. Tsioulcas, Anastasia (26 November 2014). "Remembering Sabah, An Iconic And Thoroughly Unconventional Arab Star". NPR. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
14. Web Desk (26 November 2014). "Lebanese officials, artists bid adieu singing legend Sabah". Arab Press Updates. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
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16. "Sabah, actress and entertainer who thrilled and scandalized the Arab world, dies at 87". The Washington Post. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
17. Mostyn, Trevor (7 December 2014). "Sabah obituary". the Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
18. Elcinema website, "In its opening, Beiteddine Festival honors Sabaah", article dated June 26, 2011
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