the middle east program

Music

My Favorite Enemy

The album contains the talents of:

Basel Khoury (Jordan): has performed with a significant number of artists from all over the world such as Gypsy Kings and Canteca de Macao. In 2010, Basel became a household name in the Arab world finishing in the top 10 on Star Academy, the American Idol of the Arab world.

Aya Korem (Israel): gold selling artist with many chart topping hits, one of Israel's most beloved and successful female singer-songwriters.

Alaa Shaham (Palestine): an accomplished songwriter, producer and vocalist living in Ramallah. He is the creative force behind the theme song for the Palestinian World Cup Team as well many popular songs including, Voice From Palestine and Moshtaa Tegeeni

Christian Ingebrigtsen (Norway): A member of the multi-platinum selling group A1 (Universal Records), with number one hit songs throughout Europe and Asia, as well as having released several albums as a solo artist in his native country Norway.

Zaid (Jordan): is a master of the Oud -an Arabic traditional instrument. His first hit song in 2006 was ranked number 1 in Jordan for more than 8 weeks.

Michael Hunter Ochs (United States): songs on nearly 15 million albums sold world-wide by artists such as Josh Groban and Jaci Velasquez (“On My Knees” 14 weeks #1) TV/Film projects including True Blood, The Simpson’s and Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants.

Rami (Palestine): an accomplished keyboard player and up and coming songwriter/producer from Ramallah. He works often with Alaa Shaham.

Ohadi Hitman (Israel): graduated from Rimon Music School. His albums, "Ohad Hitman” and "The Next Moment" include hits including "Tell Him," “Thought It Would Be Romantic” and “Just Another Day." He has toured extensively in Europe and the Far East.

Hans Petter Aaserud (Norway): lead singer of the platinum selling, Norwegian pop-band, Trang Fødsel. His music is in continuous heavy rotation and he has collaborated with some of the top selling acts in Norway including A1, Silje Nergaard and Venke Knutsson.

Other participants include Venke Knutson (top-selling Norwegian recording artist and songwriter), Mika Sade (popular Israeli singer-songwriter), Kobi Oz (top-selling Israeli songwriter, recording artist and author)

Credits

Play all

1.	By The Lake	Play
2.	Yal Leil	Play	Yal Leil Ya Leil I was feeling like having coffee I was feeling like drinking wine The sun was too much to handle And I was killing time I saw here there on the sidewalk Cooling off on champagne All alone in the corner A bar somewhere in Spain (Arabic) There’s no one as beautiful as you My heart is confused I won’t allow you go away No matter what happens (English) I told her she was pretty She told me I looked good I asked if she would join me I guessed she understood (אנגלית) התחשק לי קפה התחשק לי יין והשמש היתה יותר מדי ובינתיים הרגתי את הזמן ראיתי אותה שם על המדרכה מתקררת משמפניה שם לבד, בפינה בבר אי שם בספרד (ערבית) אין יפה ממך הלב שלי מבולבל אני לא אתן לך ללכת לא משנה מה יקרה )אנגלית) אמרתי לה שהיא יפה היא אמרה לי גם אתה שאלתי אם היא תצטרף כנראה שהיא קלטה Lyrics
3.	Blessed	Play	Blessed Blessed הרוח בי וריקוד צונן לי על גבי עוצם עיניי ואז רואה את שנסתר בתוך לבי אדע נפשי אומר שירה על טוב על רע על שיקרה ועל מה שקרה انا عايش على الالحان بغني نغم مع التغريد انا عمري عمر انسان بدور على بلد على عيد لو شو ما صار مع الاسفار شو في اسرار مخفيين Thank you for the sorrow The times I had to borrow When my heart was hollow All my tears and quarrals Thank you for my madness All my pain and sadness Without it I would be less Without it I would not be as blessed I feel the wind And the sweet breeze dance on my skin The ocean sings In the dark I can see what hides in my heart And my soul dreams And I can tell I'm alive Since I fell From the sky Thank you for the sorrow The times I had to borrow When my heart was hollow All my tears and quarrals Thank you for my madness All my pain and sadness Without it I would be less Without it I would not be as blessed I feel the wind And the sweet breeze dance on my skin The ocean sings In the dark I can see what hides in my heart And my soul dreams And I can tell I'm alive Since I fell From the sky Lyrics
4.	Hases Maei Almusika	Play	Hases Maei Almusika Can You Feel The Music? Looking in your eyes Makes me realize We are together no matter what Language and color Different from each other Why won’t you stay with me? You hear the birds You feel the wind and all the sounds of everything So far away so feeling home Can you feel the music? We share some moments But outside is a mess Together we share a dream You hear the birds You feel the wind and all the sounds of everything So far away so feeling home Can you feel the music? Lyrics
5.	Ripples	Play	Ripples Ripples Just like a ripple on the water Reaching out to touch the shores The world keeps getting smaller Never be the same no more I felt a ripple in the shadows Open a window in my heart Could it really be so simple To live life like a ripple Endless as the stars Ahhhh…Endless as the stars Just like a stone thrown in the water Sinking down without regret Once the world shakes you up You know you never will forget Could it really be so simple To live life like a ripple Endless as the stars Ahhh…Endless as the stars Maybe it begins tomorrow Maybe it begins today May all my prayers turn into water Carried on the waves The waves Ahhh…Endless As The Stars Lyrics
6.	Balaila	Play	Balaila Balaila בלילה בחסות הכוכבים קורא ללילה שתבוא בלילה מביט בשמש שיוצא שכולו בלילה מדעתו אור כוכבים יא ליל יא לילה שמיים כהים לבבות נסתרים ליבי הומה אבל את לא איתי ראשי עסוק שהלילה עוד לא בא بليلي تحت نجوم السما العالية بنادي ليلى ليش رحتي عني بعيد? بليلي تحت نجوم السما العالية بنادي ليلى ليش رحتي عني بعيد? At night time Beneath the cover of the stars I’m calling layla That she’ll come At night time Beneath the cover of the stars I’m calling layla Why won’t she come Lyrics
7.	Then There's You	Play	Then There's You Then There's You I’ve read today something in the paper A child was born in a middle of a war And it’s really hard to understand He made it through it all, and that’s a miracle. I see the birds fly around the mountains heading south right before the fall and it’s really hard to understand they know just where to go and that’s a miracle And then there’s you looking right at me and then there’s you beautiful and free and there is la la la love It is strange, cause we are only human you know, a man has been walking on the moon and it’s really hard to understand I thought I’ve seen it all But that’s a miracle Some People say that I could never fly And they will tell me it’s useless to try I know that I will never walk the moon Yes, it’s true, I guess it’s you. Lyrics
8.	Tzamaa Nafshi	Play	Tzamaa Nafshi Tzamaa Nafshi Tzamaa nafshi le’elohim le’el chay Libi uvsari yeranenu le’el chay El echad bra’ani ve’amar chay ani Ki lo irani ha’adam vachay El echad bra’ani ve’amar chay ani Ki lo irani ha’adam vachay Bara kol behohma, be’etza uvimzima Me’od ne’elama me’einey kol chay Ram al kol kvodo, kol pe yahve hodo Baruch asher beyado nefesh kol chay Lyrics
9.	Sameera	Play	Sameera Sameera جمعتنا المحبة ووحدنا السـلام ...ايد بايد بنحكي وبنالف كلام مختلفة الثقافة و مختلفة اللغات...بس اللي جمعنا ليل ويا سلام في بلاد كل الحلا فيها وخضرة عمد العين افراح قلبك تلاقيها ببسمات مرسومين بتحكيلي عن حلمك وعن افراح بقلبك كلامك موسيقى .....ليل ويا سلام اليوم من جمالو بيمشي بثواني والعمر شو بيسوى من غير الاماني والاماني بعيدة بس الخطوة اكيدة والليل ما بيسوى من غير الاحلام La-mma Tim-shy bit-shawet Heikeb tim-shy Samira La-mma tih-ky bit-sawet Heikeb tihky Samira Aaaaah… Sho sire? Aaaaah… Samira bil direh La-mma tig-lat bit-fawwet Heikeb tig-lat Samira La-mma tgan-ny bit-natnet Heikeb towaa Samira Aaaaah… Sho sire? Aaaaah… Samira bil direh Lyrics
10.	Stones	Play	Stones Stones I used to be stardust Then came the big bang And I turned to bedrock, mountains and sand Chiseled and broken Shaped by a man Turned into weapons In his hands Chorus: Too many stones Too many stones Too many stones Have been thrown (2X) A piece of a bridge A brick in the wall I can be anything at all The tip of an arrow The very first wheel I held you commandments And I always will So lay me down Build a path Walk on me as brothers Let me be Your common ground Lay me down And hold on to each other Lyrics

The self-titled CD, My Favorite Enemy, is an unlikely collaboration between top selling Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, American and Norwegian songwriters and recording artists. The group began working together in 2009. Since then the artists have met regularly in Amman, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Oslo. My Favorite Enemy bridges the traditional musical influences of the Middle East with contemporary pop and rock songwriting and production to create something truly unique and inspiring. Some have called it, “the sound of hope.” With lyrics in Arabic, Hebrew and English, My Favorite Enemy proves that music truly is a universal language.

My Favorite Enemy has recently performed at The European Union Parliament, the Israeli and Norwegian Ambassador Residence in Jordan, Copenhagen City Hall (Six Days Of Peace Festival), Tel Aviv and Oslo.

At our shows, we've seen ambassadors brought to tears. We've seen some hearts begin a healing process and others open up to the possiblility of getting to know the other - living in peace with "the other." It has to begin somewhere.

This album is planned to be released in 2012 accompanied by a tour of the EU, US and the Middle East. To order a copy of My Favorite Enemy, please click the donate button and contribute any amount to support the work of Middle East Program. As our way of saying thanks we will send you a copy of the "My Favorite Enemy" debut CD.

CREDITS:

The album contains the talents of:

Basel Khoury (Jordan): has performed with a significant number of artists from all over the world such as Gypsy Kings and Canteca de Macao. In 2010, Basel became a household name in the Arab world finishing in the top 10 on Star Academy, the American Idol of the Arab world.

Aya Korem (Israel): gold selling artist with many chart topping hits, one of Israel's most beloved and successful female singer-songwriters.

Alaa Shaham (Palestine): an accomplished songwriter, producer and vocalist living in Ramallah. He is the creative force behind the theme song for the Palestinian World Cup Team as well many popular songs including, Voice From Palestine and Moshtaa Tegeeni

Christian Ingebrigtsen (Norway): A member of the multi-platinum selling group A1 (Universal Records), with number one hit songs throughout Europe and Asia, as well as having released several albums as a solo artist in his native country Norway.

Zaid Modhi Mansour (Jordan): is a master of the Oud -an Arabic traditional instrument. His first hit song in 2006 (sung by Hani Mitwasi) ranked number 1 in Jordan for more than 8 weeks.

Michael Hunter Ochs (United States): songs on nearly 15 million albums sold world-wide by artists such as Josh Groban and Jaci Velasquez (“On My Knees” 14 weeks #1) TV/Film projects including True Blood, The Simpson’s and Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants.

Rami (Palestine): an accomplished keyboard player and up and coming songwriter/producer from Ramallah. He works often with Alaa Shaham.

Ohadi Hitman (Israel): graduated from Rimon Music School. His albums, "Ohad Hitman” and "The Next Moment" include hits including "Tell Him," “Thought It Would Be Romantic” and “Just Another Day." He has toured extensively in Europe and the Far East.

Hans Petter Aaserud (Norway): lead singer of the platinum selling, Norwegian pop-band, Trang Fødsel. His music is in continuous heavy rotation and he has collaborated with some of the top selling acts in Norway including A1, Silje Nergaard and Venke Knutsson.

Other participants include Venke Knutson (top-selling Norwegian recording artist and songwriter), Mika Sade (popular Israeli singer-songwriter), Kobi Oz (top-selling Israeli songwriter, recording artist and author)