The Lebanese National Anthem Is Actually Not Lebanese ~ Free Thinking Lebanon

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Lebanese National Anthem Is Actually Not Lebanese

A couple of days ago, while stuck in traffic—a daily activity we Lebanese have come to enjoy, my girlfriend and I were discussing how terrible the situation in Lebanon has become. Even though in terms of people’s uprising we haven’t had our share—compared to Egypt, Libya, Tunisia etc.— still our political and economicis worsening day after day.

Zeina was telling me how she no longer possesses that famous patriotic and nostalgic feeling toward Lebanon. She remembered how when she used to hear the national anthem she would sometimes get shivers down her spine; but that was before. Now when she listens to it she is only reminded of the pessimistic future this country promises.

Well Thee, here’s a little something for you to be more proud of our national anthem—or maybe not.

The following video shows a news report from New TV claiming that the Lebanese National Anthem is not our own; it is a plagiarized identical copy of a Moroccan anthem.. This is really sad!

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AndrewHall 95p · 729 weeks ago

Meh, multinational countries steal ideas all the time. In fact all countries steal ideas all the time. When you think about it originality is a rarity. Didn't Shakespeare combine pre-existing stories?

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Toufic Renno · 729 weeks ago

Ghassan Rahbani should lighten up. An ad hoc tribunal? He of all people should know that if we went down this path, there would be almost nothing left from his father's and uncles' musical legacy, most of which was clearly "inspired" by prior compositions.

Anyway, who really cares? After all, most of us love Led Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused", don't we? Have we stopped listening to it, or do we consider Led Zep unworthy just because Jimmy Page "borrowed" it from Jake Holmes, an obscure american folk singer?

Ours is a beautiful anthem that has become part of our collective psyche. So some moroccan composed it first. Sue us!

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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FTLebanon 41p · 729 weeks ago

Yup that's the patriotism/nostalgia I was referring to in the post. I'm glad to see some people still got it.

I'm not saying that this a disaster; actually there are googles of other much more critical issues we—Lebanese—should worry about. However, you can't deny that this is a first!
Definitely ironic!

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khilbill · 729 weeks ago

koulouna tol3et mish lal watan..

(copyright Joe Monzer)

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Thee · 729 weeks ago

Even though I'm totally shocked about this, I loved the post:*

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atm · 729 weeks ago

so what? copyright have never been the country's strong point :)

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Melhem · 728 weeks ago

thumbs up Touffic...i was wondering if Ghassan will stop coping the Judas Priest in the first place.back to our subject , if the Lebanese anthem was from out of space or belong to any other country i will still love it no matter what....and will keep remind me of the eight o'clock school bell....

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ghazialomary 4p · 728 weeks ago

as much as i respect everyone's opinion about this subject....i have to disagree with all those who said its OK for our national anthem to be copied and plagiarized from another source.....first of all its called a "national anthem"...meaning it is something that should belong utterly and completely to the nation (Lebanon in this case).......second we shouldn't forget that Lebanon is where it is today due to all this negligence that we (the citizens of this nation) are always falling into.........i really would like to be a loyal subject to my country......but if my country is based on a lie ever since it was founded......then i really find no point in being loyal to a country that wont be loyal to me......again this said with all respect to anyone and everyone's opinion

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Neil · 691 weeks ago

Is there a song, or piece of music, that was written by a Lebanese, that would have been a better choice than a Moroccan work?
The founders of modern Lebanon must have thought that this anthem, even though it had Moroccan origins, said something important and beautiful about Lebanon. Wherever the words or music came from, they have been chosen by Lebanon, and used by Lebanon, as a national anthem for decades, precisely because of the patriotism and love evoked by the words and music.
If the anthem does not do this for you, for any reason, then write a better anthem, and start singing it wherever you go, post it on youtube, and get Lebanon to choose your "better" song as a new national anthem.
If you want an anthem you can be proud of, then make it happen. Also, if you want a Lebanon that you can be proud of, you must also teach by example :) Be the best Lebanese you can be!
Happy New Year!